Barnes Scores Twice as Newcastle Defeat Portuguese Side and Mourinho
When the Benfica manager arrived at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Newcastle's coach and his squad, local supporters were concerned about a difficult match. But such fears disappeared due to a goal from Anthony Gordon and two more from replacement the forward, making sure Benfica's new manager would not cause pain for Howe's team.
Game Flow and Early Exchanges
The Benfica boss had forecast that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his own team showed their similar aggressive style. Benfica clearly delighted in breaking up the Magpies' initial efforts to establish a fluent attacking tempo.
Adding to Newcastle's challenges, two midfielders, Tonali and the Brazilian, started as substitutes as they continued convalescing from illness and a knock each.
Prior to kick-off, the coaches shared a perfunctory, reserved greeting, and it quickly became clear that Mourinho had told his side to subdue the crowd by delaying the game and lowering the temperature at every chance.
Key Events and Decisive Actions
Benfica's tactic yielded varied outcomes, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to break through Benfica's defensive barricades, they at first found it hard to generate good chances.
Additionally, Benfica's Belgian winger Lukebakio nearly demonstrated scoring skill when, after leaving the defender behind, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that required an excellent one-handed stop. It's no surprise the goalkeeper retains hope for an England recall in time for the global tournament.
Yet when Lukebakio hit a further shot off the woodwork, the home side roused themselves. Murphy shot wide, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive near-post stop from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally opened the scoreless tie.
The England winger's blazing pace had caused problems for Mourinho all night, and he calmly side-footed the opener past the goalkeeper after Murphy's early cross into the area paid off.
On the occasion Newcastle's intense, high press was not second-guessed by Benfica, Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was there to deliver a low ball across the goal for the winger to finish.
Second Half and Decisive Substitutions
Right from the start, Benfica could not be accused of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now their players attacked with real abandon. The winger consistently displayed an ability to unsettle Newcastle's back four, and the Magpies were probably relieved to regroup at the break.
The first half ended with Pope again rescuing his side by diverting Lukebakio's shot around the goal frame, and as the sides came out for the next period, the match seemed finely balanced.
While Gordon, evidently buoyed by netting his fourth goal in three European appearances this campaign, played with the determination of a wide player set to shift the balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had different plans.
Mourinho's winger had already emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a born full-back, and Newcastle fans were in mouths every time he advanced.
The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not headed a corner over the bar from a well-placed position. Instead, this absorbing contest continued to move from end to end, prompting the coach to introduce Joelinton and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.
Mourinho, at the same time, threw on an extra forward in Franjo Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a gamble too far.
Barnes Seals the Game
Until then, Benfica, and especially their Portuguese back Antonio Silva, had done a good job in restricting Woltemade's space and pushing Newcastle's German centre-forward deep. But now, with right-back Dedic substituted, the defense was weakened, and the way was open for Harvey Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only attacking winger.
The home side's double substitution was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a wonderful throw in Barnes's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the flight, Barnes was away, accelerating into the area before maintaining impressive poise to lash a sublime strike past the keeper.
After Barnes rolled a shot through poor Trubin's legs after receiving Gordon's stellar through ball, it was finished. Mourinho had cautioned that Newcastle have four quick wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wingers had shattered his hopes of securing the team's first Champions League result of the campaign.
