Barnes Fires Twice as Newcastle Defeat Portuguese Side and Mourinho
As the Benfica manager arrived at St James' Park and complimented Eddie Howe and his squad, local fans were concerned about a difficult game. But such worries vanished thanks to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from replacement the forward, making sure the visitors' coach would not cause pain for Howe's team.
Match Dynamics and Early Exchanges
The Benfica boss had forecast that the home side would be very physical, but his own team displayed their similar combative style. The visitors certainly delighted in breaking up the Magpies' early efforts to establish a smooth passing tempo.
Compounding Newcastle's issues, two midfielders, Tonali and Joelinton, started as substitutes as they continued recovering from sickness and a knock each.
Before the start, the two managers exchanged a brief, reserved greeting, and it soon became clear that the Benfica coach had instructed his side to quiet the crowd by delaying Newcastle and reducing the temperature at every chance.
Critical Moments and Turning Points
The visitors' strategy yielded varied results, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to dismantle Benfica's backline, they at first struggled to generate clear opportunities.
Additionally, Benfica's Belgian attacker Dodi Lukebakio nearly demonstrated scoring skill when, after leaving Dan Burn on the ground, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous strike that got an terrific one-handed stop. No wonder Pope still hopes for an national team return in time for the World Cup.
Yet when the winger directed another attempt against the woodwork, Newcastle woke up. Murphy shot wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive near-post save from Guimaraes before Gordon finally opened the scoreless tie.
The England winger's scorching pace had caused problems for Mourinho all evening, and he calmly slotted the opener past Trubin after Murphy's quick ball into the area paid off.
When Newcastle's intense, pressing game was not second-guessed by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to pass a low cross across the face of goal for Gordon to polish off.
Second Half and Decisive Substitutions
Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be accused of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now their players pushed forward with real abandon. The winger repeatedly displayed an ability to unsettle Newcastle's back four, and the Magpies were probably grateful to regroup at the break.
The first half concluded with the keeper again rescuing his side by diverting Lukebakio's shot around the goal frame, and as the teams came out for the second half, everything seemed finely balanced.
While Gordon, clearly boosted by netting his fourth goal in three Champions League appearances this campaign, played with the zeal of a winger set to alter the balance in Newcastle's favor, the Benfica attacker had different plans.
The manager's winger had already emphasized that, while Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a natural left-back, and Newcastle fans were nervous every time Lukebakio moved forward.
Howe might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, filling in for Tonali, not headed a corner above the bar from a well-placed spot. Rather, this absorbing contest continued to move from one goal to the other, persuading Newcastle's coach to introduce Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.
The Benfica boss, at the same time, threw on an additional forward in Franjo Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a gamble that backfired.
Barnes Wins the Game
Before that, the away team, and in particular their Portugal back Antonio Silva, had done a good job in limiting Woltemade's room and forcing Newcastle's Germany centre-forward deep. But now, with right-back Dedic substituted, the backline was underpowered, and the path was clear for Barnes to show that Gordon is not the manager's only attacking winger.
Newcastle's two changes was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a wonderful throw in Barnes's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the bounce, the winger was away, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining commendable composure to lash a superb shot past Trubin.
When Barnes slid a shot through poor Trubin's legs after receiving Anthony Gordon's stellar through ball, it was all over. Mourinho had cautioned that the Magpies have several quick wingers, and three goals from two wide men had destroyed his hopes of securing Benfica's first European result of the season.