Barnes Fires Two Goals as Newcastle Defeat Benfica and Mourinho

As the Benfica manager came at St James' Park and complimented Newcastle's coach and his players, home supporters feared a tough game. But such fears vanished thanks to a goal from Anthony Gordon and two more from substitute Harvey Barnes, ensuring the visitors' coach did not inflict any trouble for Howe's team.

Game Dynamics and Initial Exchanges

The Benfica boss had predicted that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his own team displayed their similar combative style. The visitors certainly enjoyed disrupting Newcastle's initial efforts to establish a smooth attacking tempo.

Compounding the home team's challenges, two midfielders, Tonali and the Brazilian, started on the bench as they continued convalescing from sickness and a knock respectively.

Before the start, the coaches exchanged a brief, reserved greeting, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had instructed his side to quiet the crowd by delaying the game and lowering the intensity at every chance.

Key Moments and Decisive Actions

The visitors' strategy produced varied outcomes, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to dismantle Benfica's defensive barricades, they at first struggled to create good opportunities.

Moreover, the Belgium attacker Lukebakio nearly demonstrated how to finish when, after beating Dan Burn on the ground, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous strike that required an excellent one-handed save. No wonder the goalkeeper still hopes for an England recall in time for the global tournament.

But when the winger hit a further attempt off the post, the home side roused themselves. Murphy shot wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent near-post save from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon at last broke the deadlock.

Gordon's blazing pace had caused consternation for the Benfica coach all evening, and he calmly side-footed the opener past the goalkeeper after Murphy's early ball into the box paid off.

On the occasion Newcastle's intense, high press was not anticipated by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was there to deliver a ground ball across the face of goal for Gordon to finish.

Second Half and Match-Winning Substitutions

From the beginning, Benfica could not be blamed of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now their players pushed forward with real abandon. The winger repeatedly displayed an skill to destabilize Newcastle's defense, and the Magpies were likely grateful to reset at half-time.

The opening period ended with Pope again saving his side by tipping the attacker's left-foot wide of the goal frame, and as the teams emerged for the second half, the match seemed finely poised.

If Anthony Gordon, clearly buoyed by netting his fourth goal in three Champions League appearances this campaign, played with the determination of a winger set to shift the power balance in Newcastle's direction, the Benfica attacker had other plans.

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

Howe might have felt easier had Miley, deputising for Tonali, not directed a corner over the crossbar from a well-placed position. Instead, this absorbing game continued to swing from end to end, persuading the coach to bring on Joelinton and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, brought on an additional forward in Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a risk too far.

Harvey Barnes Wins the Game

Until then, the away team, and especially their Portugal defender Silva, had performed a good job in restricting Nick Woltemade's space and pushing the German centre-forward deep. However, with right-back Amar Dedic substituted, the defense was underpowered, and the way was open for Harvey Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only attacking wide player.

Newcastle's double substitution was already paying off by the time Pope sent a wonderful long throw in the substitute's direction. When Antonio Silva, for once, misjudged the bounce, the winger was away, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining impressive poise to fire a sublime strike past Trubin.

When Barnes rolled a low effort through unfortunate the goalkeeper's feet after meeting Gordon's stellar pass, it was finished. Mourinho had cautioned that Newcastle have several very fast wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wingers had shattered his chances of securing Benfica's first European points of the season.