Barnes Fires Two Goals as Newcastle Overcome Benfica and Mourinho

When Jose Mourinho arrived at St James' Park and complimented Newcastle's coach and his squad, local fans feared a difficult game. However those worries disappeared due to a strike from Anthony Gordon and two more from substitute Harvey Barnes, making sure the visitors' new manager did not inflict pain for Howe's team.

Game Dynamics and Early Action

The Benfica boss had forecast that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his own team displayed their similar combative style. The visitors clearly enjoyed disrupting the Magpies' early efforts to build a fluent passing rhythm.

Adding to Newcastle's issues, key players, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, began as substitutes as they continued recovering from illness and injury respectively.

Before kick-off, the coaches shared a brief, reserved embrace, and it quickly became apparent that the Benfica coach had told his side to quiet the crowd by slowing the game and lowering the intensity whenever possible.

Critical Events and Decisive Actions

Benfica's tactic yielded varied results, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates succeeded to break through the defensive barricades, they initially found it hard to generate clear chances.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgian winger Dodi Lukebakio nearly showed scoring skill when, after beating the defender on the ground, he forced Nick Pope with a powerful shot that got an terrific one-handed save. No wonder Pope still hopes for an England return in time for the global tournament.

But when Lukebakio hit another shot against the woodwork, Newcastle woke up. Murphy shot off target, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive close-range stop from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last opened the deadlock.

The England winger's scorching pace had caused consternation for the Benfica coach all evening, and he neatly side-footed the opener past the goalkeeper after Murphy's quick ball into the area paid off.

When the Magpies' intense, pressing game was not anticipated by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a low cross across the face of goal for Gordon to finish.

Second Half and Decisive Substitutions

Right from the start, Benfica could not be blamed of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now their side attacked with total freedom. The winger repeatedly showed an skill to destabilize Howe's defense, and the home team were probably grateful to reset at half-time.

The opening period concluded with Pope once more saving his team by diverting Lukebakio's left-foot wide of the post, and as the teams came out for the second half, the match seemed finely poised.

If Gordon, clearly boosted by scoring his fourth strike in three European games this season, played with the zeal of a winger aiming to alter the balance in his team's direction, the Benfica attacker had other plans.

The manager's winger had already shown that, while Dan Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a born full-back, and home fans were in mouths every time he advanced.

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece above the bar from a well-placed position. Rather, this absorbing game continued to swing from end to end, prompting the manager to bring on the midfielder and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, brought on an extra forward in Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a gamble too far.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Game

Until then, Benfica, and especially their Portuguese back Antonio Silva, had done a fine job in limiting Woltemade's space and forcing the German centre-forward deep. But now, with defender Dedic substituted, the backline was underpowered, and the way was clear for Harvey Barnes to prove that Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring winger.

The home side's two changes was already paying off by the time Pope dispatched a superb throw in the substitute's direction. When Antonio Silva, for once, misread the flight, the winger was clear, accelerating into the area before keeping commendable composure to fire a superb shot past the keeper.

When Harvey Barnes rolled a low effort through poor Trubin's legs after meeting Gordon's stellar through ball, it was finished. Mourinho had warned that Newcastle have four very fast wingers, and three goals from two wide men had shattered his hopes of earning Benfica's first Champions League points of the season.