Barnes Fires Two Goals as Newcastle Defeat Benfica and Jose Mourinho
When Jose Mourinho came at St James' Park and complimented Eddie Howe and his players, home fans feared a tough match. But those fears vanished thanks to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from substitute Harvey Barnes, making sure Benfica's new manager would not cause any trouble for Howe's team.
Game Flow and Early Exchanges
The Benfica boss had predicted that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his own team displayed their similar combative approach. The visitors clearly enjoyed breaking up Newcastle's initial efforts to build a smooth attacking rhythm.
Adding to Newcastle's challenges, two players, Tonali and Joelinton, started as substitutes as they continued recovering from illness and injury respectively.
Prior to the start, the two managers exchanged a perfunctory, reserved embrace, and it soon became clear that Mourinho had instructed his side to subdue the crowd by slowing the game and reducing the intensity whenever possible.
Key Moments and Turning Points
Benfica's tactic yielded varied results, but when Gordon and his teammates managed to break through the backline, they at first found it hard to create clear chances.
Moreover, Benfica's Belgian winger Dodi Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after beating the defender on the ground, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a powerful strike that required an terrific single-hand stop. No wonder Pope still hopes for an national team recall in time for the World Cup.
Yet when the winger hit a further shot against the woodwork, the home side woke up. Jacob Murphy shot wide, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive near-post stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last opened the deadlock.
The England winger's scorching speed had caused consternation for the Benfica coach all evening, and he neatly side-footed the first goal past the goalkeeper after Murphy's early ball into the box proved effective.
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 ball across the face of goal for the winger to finish.
Later Stages and Decisive Changes
Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be accused of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's side attacked with total freedom. Lukebakio consistently displayed an ability to destabilize Newcastle's defense, and the Magpies were probably relieved to reset at the break.
The first half concluded with Pope again saving his team by tipping the attacker's shot wide of the goal frame, and as the sides emerged for the next period, the match seemed evenly poised.
While Gordon, clearly buoyed by netting his fourth strike in three Champions League appearances this campaign, played with the determination of a wide player set to shift the balance in Newcastle's favor, Lukebakio had different ideas.
The manager's winger had previously shown that, while Dan Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a natural full-back, and home fans were in mouths every time he moved forward.
Howe might have felt easier had Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not directed a set-piece over the crossbar from a well-placed position. Instead, this thrilling game continued to move from one goal to the other, persuading Newcastle's manager to introduce the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.
The Benfica boss, at the same time, threw on an extra striker in Franjo Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a gamble too far.
Harvey Barnes Wins the Match
Before that, the away team, and especially their Portugal back Silva, had performed a fine job in restricting Woltemade's room and pushing the German striker deep. However, with right-back Amar Dedic off, the defense was weakened, and the way was open for Harvey Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring wide player.
Newcastle's double substitution was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper sent a superb throw in Barnes's direction. When Silva, for once, misjudged the bounce, Barnes was away, accelerating into the penalty box before keeping impressive composure to fire a sublime strike past Trubin.
When Barnes rolled a shot through unfortunate the goalkeeper's feet after receiving Gordon's excellent through ball, it was finished. Mourinho had cautioned that the Magpies have several quick wingers, and a trio of strikes from two wide men had shattered his chances of earning the team's first Champions League result of the campaign.
