Harvey Barnes Scores Twice as The Magpies Defeat Portuguese Side and Mourinho
When the Benfica manager came at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Eddie Howe and his players, local fans were concerned about a tough match. However such worries vanished thanks to a strike from the winger and a brace from replacement Harvey Barnes, ensuring the visitors' coach did not inflict pain for Newcastle.
Match Flow and Early Action
The Benfica boss had predicted that the home side would be very physical, but his own team displayed their similar combative approach. The visitors clearly delighted in breaking up Newcastle's initial attempts to build a fluent attacking tempo.
Compounding Newcastle's issues, key players, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, started on the bench as they continued convalescing from sickness and injury each.
Before the start, the two managers shared a brief, cool embrace, and it quickly became apparent that the Benfica coach had told his team to quiet the home fans by delaying Newcastle and lowering the intensity whenever possible.
Critical Moments and Decisive Actions
The visitors' strategy produced varied outcomes, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to break through Benfica's defensive barricades, they initially found it hard to create clear chances.
Moreover, Benfica's Belgian attacker Dodi Lukebakio nearly showed how to finish when, after beating Dan Burn behind, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a powerful strike that required an terrific one-handed save. No wonder the goalkeeper retains hope for an England return in time for the World Cup.
Yet when the winger hit a further shot off the woodwork, Newcastle woke up. Murphy fired wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive close-range stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon at last opened the scoreless tie.
The England winger's blazing pace had created consternation for the Benfica coach all evening, and he neatly side-footed the first goal past Trubin after Murphy's early ball into the area proved effective.
When Newcastle's hard, high press was not second-guessed by the opposition, Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to pass a ground cross across the face of goal for the winger to polish off.
Later Stages and Match-Winning 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 total freedom. The winger consistently showed an ability to unsettle Newcastle's back four, and the Magpies were probably grateful to reset at half-time.
The first half concluded with Pope once more rescuing his side by diverting Lukebakio's left-foot around the post, and as the teams emerged for the second half, everything seemed finely balanced.
If Anthony Gordon, evidently buoyed by scoring his fourth strike in three Champions League appearances this campaign, played with the zeal of a wide player set to shift the power balance in his team's direction, the Benfica attacker had other plans.
Mourinho's winger had already emphasized that, while Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a natural full-back, and Newcastle hearts were nervous every time he advanced.
Howe might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece over the crossbar from a good position. Instead, this absorbing contest continued to move from one goal to the other, persuading the coach to bring on the midfielder and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.
Mourinho, at the same time, brought on an additional striker in Franjo Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a risk that backfired.
Barnes Wins the Game
Before that, Benfica, and in particular their Portuguese defender Silva, had done a good job in limiting Nick Woltemade's space and forcing the Germany centre-forward deep. But now, with defender Amar Dedic substituted, the backline was weakened, and the path was open for Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only attacking winger.
Newcastle's double substitution was already proving effective by the time Pope sent a wonderful long throw in Barnes's path. When Silva, for once, misjudged the bounce, Barnes was away, accelerating into the penalty box before maintaining impressive composure to fire a superb strike past Trubin.
When Barnes slid a shot through unfortunate Trubin's feet after receiving Gordon's excellent through ball, it was finished. Mourinho had warned that Newcastle have several quick wingers, and three goals from two wide men had destroyed his hopes of earning the team's first European result of the campaign.