Barnes Fires Two Goals as The Magpies Defeat Benfica and Mourinho
When Jose Mourinho arrived at St James' Park and complimented Eddie Howe and his players, home supporters were concerned about a difficult game. But those fears vanished thanks to a strike from the winger and two more from replacement Harvey Barnes, making sure the visitors' new manager did not inflict any trouble for Howe's team.
Match Flow and Early Exchanges
Mourinho had forecast that Newcastle would be very physical, but his own team displayed their own combative approach. Benfica certainly delighted in disrupting the Magpies' early attempts to establish a fluent passing tempo.
Compounding Newcastle's issues, key players, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, started as substitutes as they continued convalescing from illness and a knock each.
Prior to kick-off, the two managers shared a perfunctory, reserved greeting, and it soon became apparent that Mourinho had told his side to quiet the crowd by delaying the game and reducing the intensity at every chance.
Key Events and Turning Points
The visitors' tactic yielded varied results, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to dismantle Benfica's defensive barricades, they initially found it hard to create good opportunities.
Additionally, the Belgian attacker Dodi Lukebakio nearly demonstrated how to finish when, after beating Dan Burn behind, he tested Nick Pope with a powerful shot that got an terrific single-hand stop. No wonder Pope still hopes for an England return in time for the World Cup.
Yet when the winger hit a further shot off the woodwork, Newcastle woke up. Murphy shot wide, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent close-range save from Guimaraes before Gordon finally broke the scoreless tie.
The England winger's scorching pace had caused consternation for the Benfica coach all night, and he calmly slotted the opener past the goalkeeper after Murphy's quick ball into the box paid off.
When the Magpies' intense, pressing game was not second-guessed by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to deliver a ground cross across the goal for the winger to finish.
Second Half and Decisive Substitutions
Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be accused of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now their players pushed forward with total abandon. Lukebakio consistently showed an skill to unsettle Howe's defense, and the home team were probably relieved to regroup at half-time.
The opening period concluded with Pope once more saving his team by tipping Lukebakio's left-foot wide of the goal frame, and as the sides emerged for the next period, everything seemed finely balanced.
If Anthony Gordon, clearly buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three Champions League appearances this campaign, played with the determination of a wide player set to alter the balance in Newcastle's direction, the Benfica attacker had other ideas.
Mourinho's winger had previously shown that, while Dan Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a natural left-back, and Newcastle fans were in mouths every time he moved forward.
Howe might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, deputising for Tonali, not headed a set-piece over the bar from a good position. Rather, this absorbing game continued to swing from one goal to the other, persuading the manager to bring on the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.
The Benfica boss, meanwhile, brought on an additional striker in Franjo Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a risk that backfired.
Barnes Wins the Game
Before that, the away team, and especially their Portugal defender Silva, had done a good job in restricting Nick Woltemade's room and forcing the German centre-forward deep. However, with right-back Dedic substituted, the defense was underpowered, and the way was clear for Harvey Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only attacking winger.
Newcastle's double substitution was already proving effective by the time Pope dispatched a superb throw in the substitute's direction. When Antonio Silva, for once, misjudged the flight, Barnes was clear, accelerating into the area before maintaining commendable composure to fire a superb shot past the keeper.
When Barnes rolled a low effort through unfortunate Trubin's legs after receiving Gordon's excellent through ball, it was finished. Mourinho had warned that Newcastle have several quick wingers, and three goals from a pair of wingers had shattered his chances of securing Benfica's first Champions League result of the season.
