Barnes Fires Twice as Newcastle Defeat Benfica and Mourinho
When Jose Mourinho arrived at Newcastle's stadium and praised Eddie Howe and his players, local supporters feared a difficult game. But those worries disappeared due to a strike from Anthony Gordon and two more from substitute the forward, ensuring the visitors' new manager did not inflict pain for Newcastle.
Match Flow and Initial Action
The Benfica boss had forecast that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his own team displayed their own aggressive style. The visitors certainly delighted in disrupting the Magpies' initial efforts to build a smooth attacking rhythm.
Adding to the home team's challenges, key midfielders, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, started as substitutes as they were convalescing from illness and injury each.
Prior to the start, the two managers exchanged a brief, reserved greeting, and it quickly became clear that Mourinho had instructed his team to quiet the crowd by slowing Newcastle and lowering the intensity at every chance.
Key Events and Turning Points
Benfica's tactic produced mixed outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates succeeded to break through Benfica's backline, they at first struggled to generate good opportunities.
Moreover, the Belgian winger Lukebakio almost showed how to finish when, after leaving the defender behind, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous shot that required an terrific one-handed save. No wonder the goalkeeper retains hope for an England return in time for the global tournament.
Yet when the winger hit a further shot off the post, Newcastle woke up. Murphy shot wide, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent near-post save from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last broke the deadlock.
The England winger's scorching pace had created problems for the Benfica coach all evening, and he neatly side-footed the opener past the goalkeeper after his teammate's early cross into the box proved effective.
On the occasion Newcastle's hard, pressing game was not anticipated by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was there to pass a low ball across the goal for Gordon to polish off.
Second Half and Decisive Changes
Right from the start, Benfica could not be accused of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now their side pushed forward with real abandon. The winger repeatedly showed an skill to destabilize Howe's defense, and the home team were probably relieved to regroup at the break.
The first half concluded with the keeper again saving his team by diverting Lukebakio's left-foot around the goal frame, and as the sides emerged for the next period, the match seemed finely poised.
While Gordon, clearly buoyed by netting his fourth goal in three European games this season, played with the zeal of a wide player set to shift the power balance in Newcastle's favor, Lukebakio had different plans.
Mourinho's No 11 had already shown that, while Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a born full-back, and Newcastle hearts were in mouths every time he moved forward.
The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, deputising for Tonali, not directed a set-piece over the bar from a good spot. Instead, this thrilling game continued to move from end to end, prompting the manager to introduce the midfielder and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.
The Benfica boss, meanwhile, threw on an additional striker in Franjo Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a gamble that backfired.
Harvey Barnes Seals the Game
Before that, the away team, and in particular their Portugal defender Antonio Silva, had done a good job in restricting Nick Woltemade's room and forcing the German striker back. But now, with right-back Dedic substituted, the defense was weakened, and the way was clear for Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring winger.
The home side's double substitution was already proving effective by the time Pope sent a wonderful long throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the flight, Barnes was clear, sprinting into the area before keeping commendable composure to fire a superb shot past the keeper.
After Harvey Barnes rolled a low effort through unfortunate the goalkeeper's legs after receiving Gordon's stellar through ball, it was finished. The Benfica manager had warned that Newcastle have four very fast wingers, and three goals from two wide men had shattered his chances of earning the team's first Champions League points of the season.
