Harvey Barnes Fires Two Goals as Newcastle Defeat Portuguese Side and Mourinho
As Jose Mourinho came at St James' Park and praised Eddie Howe and his players, local fans were concerned about a tough match. However such fears vanished thanks to a goal from the winger and a brace from substitute the forward, ensuring Benfica's coach did not inflict pain for Newcastle.
Match Flow and Initial Action
Mourinho had predicted that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his own team showed their own aggressive style. The visitors clearly enjoyed breaking up the Magpies' initial efforts to build a smooth passing tempo.
Compounding Newcastle's issues, key players, Tonali and the Brazilian, started on the bench as they were recovering from sickness and injury respectively.
Before kick-off, the two managers shared a brief, reserved greeting, and it soon became clear that the Benfica coach had told his side to subdue the home fans by slowing the game and reducing the intensity at every chance.
Critical Moments and Decisive Actions
The visitors' tactic produced mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to dismantle Benfica's defensive barricades, they initially found it hard to generate good chances.
Additionally, Benfica's Belgium winger Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after beating the defender behind, he forced Nick Pope with a powerful shot that required an terrific one-handed stop. No wonder Pope still hopes for an England return in time for the World Cup.
Yet when the winger hit a further shot off the post, the home side roused themselves. Murphy shot wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive close-range save from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon finally opened the scoreless tie.
The England winger's blazing pace had caused consternation for Mourinho all night, and he neatly slotted the first goal past the goalkeeper after his teammate's early cross into the box proved effective.
When Newcastle's intense, pressing game was not second-guessed by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a ground ball across the face of goal for the winger to finish.
Later Stages and Decisive Substitutions
Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's side attacked with real freedom. The winger repeatedly showed an ability to unsettle Newcastle's defense, and the Magpies were likely grateful to reset at half-time.
The opening period ended with Pope again rescuing his team by diverting the attacker's shot around the post, and as the teams emerged for the second half, the match seemed finely poised.
While Anthony Gordon, clearly buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three Champions League games this season, played with the zeal of a wide player set to alter the power balance in Newcastle's direction, the Benfica attacker had different plans.
The manager's winger had already shown that, while Dan Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a natural full-back, and Newcastle fans were nervous every time he advanced.
Howe might have relaxed had Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not directed a set-piece over the bar from a good position. Instead, this thrilling contest continued to swing from end to end, persuading the coach to introduce the midfielder and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.
Mourinho, at the same time, brought on an extra forward in Franjo Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a risk too far.
Barnes Seals the Game
Before that, Benfica, and in particular their Portugal back Silva, had performed a fine job in limiting Woltemade's space and pushing Newcastle's Germany centre-forward deep. But now, with right-back Dedic substituted, the backline was weakened, and the way was open for Harvey Barnes to show that Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring winger.
The home side's two changes was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper sent a wonderful long throw in the substitute's direction. When Silva, for once, misjudged the flight, the winger was away, accelerating into the penalty box before keeping commendable composure to fire a sublime strike past the keeper.
When Barnes slid a shot through poor Trubin's feet after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar pass, it was all over. Mourinho had warned that Newcastle have four quick wide attackers, and three goals from a pair of wide men had shattered his hopes of earning the team's first Champions League result of the campaign.
