Harvey Barnes Fires Two Goals as The Magpies Defeat Portuguese Side and Jose Mourinho
When Jose Mourinho came at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his squad, home supporters were concerned about a tough game. However those worries disappeared thanks to a goal from the winger and a brace from substitute Harvey Barnes, ensuring the visitors' coach would not cause any trouble for Newcastle.
Game Flow and Initial Action
Mourinho had predicted that Newcastle would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their similar aggressive style. The visitors certainly delighted in disrupting Newcastle's early attempts to establish a fluent passing rhythm.
Compounding Newcastle's issues, two players, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, started as substitutes as they were convalescing from sickness and injury each.
Before the start, the two managers shared a brief, cool greeting, and it soon became clear that the Benfica coach had instructed his side to subdue the crowd by delaying Newcastle and lowering the temperature whenever possible.
Key Events and Decisive Actions
Benfica's strategy yielded mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and his teammates managed to dismantle Benfica's defensive barricades, they initially struggled to create clear chances.
Additionally, Benfica's Belgium attacker Lukebakio nearly demonstrated scoring skill when, after beating the defender on the ground, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous shot that got an terrific one-handed save. It's no surprise Pope still hopes for an England return in time for the global tournament.
But when the winger hit another attempt against the post, Newcastle roused themselves. Murphy shot off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent close-range save from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last opened the deadlock.
The England winger's blazing speed had caused consternation for Mourinho all evening, and he calmly side-footed the opener past the goalkeeper after his teammate's quick ball into the area proved effective.
On the occasion the Magpies' intense, high press was not anticipated by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was available to deliver a low cross across the face of goal for the winger to finish.
Second Half and Decisive Changes
From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be accused of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now their players pushed forward with real freedom. The winger repeatedly showed an ability to unsettle Howe's back four, and the home team were likely relieved to reset at the break.
The opening period concluded with Pope once more rescuing his team by tipping Lukebakio's shot wide of the post, and as the sides came out for the next period, the match seemed finely balanced.
If Gordon, evidently buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three Champions League appearances this campaign, played with the determination of a winger aiming to alter the power balance in Newcastle's favor, the Benfica attacker had different plans.
Mourinho's No 11 had previously emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a natural left-back, and home fans were in mouths every time he moved forward.
Howe might have felt easier had Miley, filling in for Tonali, not headed a corner over the bar from a good position. Rather, this absorbing contest continued to move from one goal to the other, prompting the coach to introduce Joelinton and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.
Mourinho, meanwhile, brought on an additional forward in Franjo Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a risk that backfired.
Barnes Seals the Match
Before that, the away team, and in particular their Portugal back Antonio Silva, had done a fine job in restricting Nick Woltemade's space and forcing Newcastle's German striker back. But now, with right-back Amar Dedic substituted, the defense was weakened, and the path was open for Barnes to show that Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring wide player.
Newcastle's double substitution was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper sent a superb throw in the substitute's direction. When Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the bounce, the winger was clear, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining commendable composure to fire a sublime shot past the keeper.
When Barnes rolled a shot through unfortunate Trubin's legs after receiving Gordon's stellar pass, it was finished. Mourinho had warned that the Magpies have four quick wide attackers, and three goals from two wide men had destroyed his chances of securing Benfica's first European result of the season.
