Harvey Barnes Fires Two Goals as Newcastle Defeat Portuguese Side and Jose Mourinho
As Jose Mourinho arrived at St James' Park and complimented Newcastle's coach and his players, home fans were concerned about a tough match. However such worries disappeared due to a goal from the winger and two more from replacement Harvey Barnes, making sure Benfica's coach would not cause any trouble for Newcastle.
Game Flow and Initial Action
Mourinho had forecast that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players showed their similar combative approach. Benfica clearly enjoyed disrupting the Magpies' initial attempts to establish a smooth passing rhythm.
Adding to Newcastle's challenges, two midfielders, Tonali and the Brazilian, started as substitutes as they continued recovering from sickness and injury respectively.
Before kick-off, the coaches exchanged a brief, reserved embrace, and it soon became apparent that Mourinho had instructed his side to quiet the home fans by slowing Newcastle and reducing the intensity whenever possible.
Critical Moments and Turning Points
Benfica's tactic produced mixed outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to dismantle the defensive barricades, they at first found it hard to generate clear chances.
Additionally, Benfica's Belgian winger Dodi Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after beating the defender on the ground, he forced Nick Pope with a tremendous strike that required an terrific one-handed save. It's no surprise Pope still hopes for an national team return in time for the global tournament.
But when the winger hit a further shot against the woodwork, the home side roused themselves. Murphy shot wide, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive close-range stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon finally broke the deadlock.
The England winger's blazing pace had caused consternation for the Benfica coach all night, and he calmly slotted the first goal past the goalkeeper after his teammate's quick ball into the box proved effective.
On the occasion the Magpies' hard, pressing game was not anticipated by the opposition, Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a ground cross across the face of goal for the winger to polish off.
Second Half and Match-Winning Changes
Right from the start, Benfica could not be blamed of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now their players attacked with real freedom. Lukebakio consistently showed an skill to unsettle Newcastle's back four, and the Magpies were likely grateful to reset at the break.
The opening period ended with the keeper once more saving his side by tipping Lukebakio's left-foot wide of the goal frame, and as the teams came out for the next period, everything seemed evenly balanced.
If Gordon, clearly buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three European appearances this campaign, played with the zeal of a winger set to alter the power balance in his team's direction, Lukebakio had other plans.
Mourinho's winger had already shown that, while Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a natural full-back, and home fans were nervous every time Lukebakio advanced.
Howe might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, deputising for Tonali, not directed a corner above the bar from a well-placed position. Rather, this thrilling game continued to move from one goal to the other, persuading the manager to bring on the midfielder and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.
The Benfica boss, meanwhile, brought on an extra striker in Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a risk that backfired.
Barnes Wins the Match
Until then, the away team, and in particular their Portugal back Silva, had done a fine job in restricting Woltemade's space and pushing Newcastle's German striker back. However, with defender Amar Dedic off, the backline was weakened, and the path was open for Harvey Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring wide player.
Newcastle's two changes was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper sent a wonderful throw in the substitute's path. When Silva, for once, misjudged the flight, Barnes was away, accelerating into the penalty box before maintaining impressive composure to fire a sublime strike past Trubin.
When Harvey Barnes rolled a low effort through unfortunate the goalkeeper's legs after meeting Gordon's stellar pass, it was all over. Mourinho had cautioned that Newcastle have four quick wingers, and three goals from two wide men had destroyed his chances of earning Benfica's first European result of the campaign.