Barnes Fires Twice as The Magpies Defeat Benfica and Mourinho
As Jose Mourinho came at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his squad, home supporters feared a difficult match. However those worries vanished due to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from replacement the forward, making sure the visitors' coach would not cause pain for Newcastle.
Game Dynamics and Early Exchanges
The Benfica boss had predicted that Newcastle would be very physical, but his Benfica players displayed their own combative approach. Benfica clearly enjoyed disrupting the Magpies' initial attempts to build a smooth attacking tempo.
Compounding the home team's challenges, two players, Tonali and Joelinton, began as substitutes as they continued convalescing from sickness and injury respectively.
Prior to kick-off, the coaches exchanged a brief, reserved greeting, and it soon became apparent that Mourinho had told his team to quiet the home fans by delaying the game and reducing the intensity whenever possible.
Key Events and Decisive Actions
Benfica's strategy yielded varied results, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to dismantle the backline, they at first found it hard to generate good opportunities.
Additionally, the Belgian attacker Dodi Lukebakio nearly demonstrated scoring skill when, after beating the defender behind, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that got an excellent single-hand stop. No wonder Pope retains hope for an England return in time for the World Cup.
Yet when Lukebakio hit a further shot against the woodwork, Newcastle woke up. Murphy fired off target, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent close-range save from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last broke the scoreless tie.
The England winger's blazing speed had caused problems for Mourinho all night, and he neatly side-footed the first goal past Trubin after Murphy's early ball into the box proved effective.
On the occasion Newcastle's hard, high press was not anticipated by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a low ball across the goal for Gordon to polish off.
Second Half and Decisive Substitutions
From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's side attacked with total abandon. Lukebakio repeatedly showed an ability to unsettle Howe's back four, and the Magpies were probably grateful to regroup at half-time.
The first half concluded with Pope again saving his team by tipping Lukebakio's left-foot around the post, and as the sides came out for the next period, the match seemed evenly poised.
If Gordon, clearly boosted by netting his fourth goal in three European appearances this campaign, played with the zeal of a winger set to shift the balance in his team's direction, the Benfica attacker had other plans.
Mourinho's No 11 had already shown that, while Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a natural left-back, and home hearts were nervous every time Lukebakio moved forward.
The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece above the crossbar from a good spot. Instead, this thrilling contest continued to swing from end to end, prompting the coach to bring on the midfielder and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.
The Benfica boss, at the same time, threw on an additional striker in Franjo Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a risk too far.
Barnes Wins the Match
Until then, the away team, and especially their Portuguese defender Silva, had done a fine job in limiting Woltemade's space and forcing Newcastle's German centre-forward deep. But now, with right-back Dedic off, the backline was underpowered, and the path was clear for Harvey Barnes to prove that Gordon is not the manager's only attacking winger.
The home side's two changes was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a superb throw in the substitute's path. When Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the flight, the winger was clear, accelerating into the area before maintaining commendable composure to fire a superb strike past Trubin.
When Barnes slid a low effort through unfortunate the goalkeeper's feet after receiving Anthony Gordon's excellent through ball, it was all over. The Benfica manager had warned that the Magpies have several very fast wingers, and three goals from two wide men had destroyed his hopes of securing the team's first European result of the campaign.
