Barnes Fires Twice as Newcastle Defeat Benfica and Mourinho

When the Benfica manager came at St James' Park and praised Newcastle's coach and his squad, local fans were concerned about a tough game. But such fears vanished thanks to a goal from the winger and two more from substitute Harvey Barnes, making sure Benfica's new manager did not inflict pain for Newcastle.

Game Dynamics and Early Exchanges

Mourinho had predicted that the home side would be very physical, but his Benfica players displayed their similar combative style. The visitors certainly delighted in breaking up the Magpies' initial efforts to build a smooth attacking rhythm.

Compounding Newcastle's challenges, key players, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, started as substitutes as they continued recovering from illness and injury respectively.

Prior to the start, the coaches exchanged a perfunctory, reserved greeting, and it soon became clear that the Benfica coach had instructed his side to subdue the home fans by delaying the game and reducing the temperature whenever possible.

Critical Moments and Decisive Actions

The visitors' tactic yielded mixed results, but when Gordon and his teammates succeeded to break through Benfica's backline, they initially found it hard to create good opportunities.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgium attacker Lukebakio nearly showed scoring skill when, after leaving the defender behind, he forced Nick Pope with a powerful strike that got an terrific single-hand save. It's no surprise Pope still hopes for an national team return in time for the World Cup.

Yet when Lukebakio directed a further shot off the post, the home side woke up. Murphy fired wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent close-range stop from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally opened the deadlock.

The England winger's scorching speed had caused problems for Mourinho all night, and he calmly side-footed the opener past Trubin after his teammate's early cross into the area proved effective.

On the occasion the Magpies' intense, pressing game was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was there to pass a ground cross across the goal for the winger to finish.

Second Half and Match-Winning Changes

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be accused of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's side pushed forward with real abandon. The winger consistently displayed an skill to unsettle Newcastle's back four, and the home team were probably grateful to regroup at the break.

The first half ended with Pope again rescuing his side by tipping the attacker's shot wide of the goal frame, and as the teams came out for the second half, the match seemed finely balanced.

If Gordon, clearly buoyed by scoring his fourth strike in three European games this campaign, played with the determination of a wide player aiming to shift the power balance in his team's direction, Lukebakio had different ideas.

Mourinho's No 11 had previously emphasized that, while Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a born left-back, and Newcastle hearts were in mouths every time he advanced.

Howe might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, deputising for Tonali, not directed a set-piece above the crossbar from a good position. Rather, this absorbing contest continued to move from end to end, persuading Newcastle's coach to bring on Joelinton and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, meanwhile, threw on an extra forward in Franjo Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a risk that backfired.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Match

Until then, Benfica, and especially their Portugal back Silva, had performed a fine job in limiting Nick Woltemade's space and forcing the German striker back. But now, with defender Dedic off, the backline was underpowered, and the path was open for Barnes to prove that Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring wide player.

Newcastle's double substitution was already proving effective by the time Pope dispatched a wonderful long throw in Barnes's direction. When Silva, for once, misread the flight, the winger was away, accelerating into the penalty box before maintaining commendable poise to lash a sublime strike past the keeper.

When Harvey Barnes rolled a shot through unfortunate Trubin's legs after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar pass, it was finished. Mourinho had cautioned that Newcastle have several quick wide attackers, and three goals from two wide men had destroyed his chances of securing Benfica's first Champions League points of the campaign.