Barnes Scores Twice as Newcastle Overcome Portuguese Side and Jose Mourinho

As the Benfica manager arrived at St James' Park and praised Newcastle's coach and his players, local supporters were concerned about a difficult game. But such fears disappeared due to a goal from Anthony Gordon and two more from replacement the forward, ensuring Benfica's new manager would not cause any trouble for Newcastle.

Match Dynamics and Initial Action

The Benfica boss had forecast that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his own team showed their own aggressive approach. The visitors clearly delighted in breaking up Newcastle's initial attempts to build a fluent passing tempo.

Compounding Newcastle's issues, key midfielders, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, started on the bench as they were convalescing from sickness and injury respectively.

Prior to kick-off, the two managers exchanged a brief, reserved greeting, and it soon became apparent that the Benfica coach had told his side to quiet the crowd by delaying the game and lowering the temperature whenever possible.

Key Events and Decisive Actions

The visitors' tactic yielded varied results, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates managed to break through the backline, they initially found it hard to generate good opportunities.

Additionally, the Belgium attacker Dodi Lukebakio nearly demonstrated scoring skill when, after beating the defender behind, he tested Nick Pope with a tremendous shot that got an excellent one-handed stop. It's no surprise Pope still hopes for an England return in time for the World Cup.

But when the winger directed another shot off the post, Newcastle roused themselves. Murphy fired wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent near-post save from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon at last opened the deadlock.

The England winger's scorching pace had caused problems for the Benfica coach all night, and he neatly slotted the opener past Trubin after his teammate's quick cross into the area proved effective.

On the occasion Newcastle's hard, high press was not second-guessed by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to deliver a low cross across the face of goal for the winger to polish off.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Substitutions

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's players attacked with real freedom. Lukebakio consistently showed an skill to destabilize Howe's defense, and the home team were likely grateful to regroup at the break.

The first half concluded with Pope again rescuing his side by diverting Lukebakio's left-foot around the post, and as the teams emerged for the next period, everything seemed finely poised.

While Gordon, clearly buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three Champions League games this campaign, played with the determination of a wide player aiming to alter the power balance in his team's favor, the Benfica attacker had other plans.

The manager's winger had previously shown that, while Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a born full-back, and home fans were nervous every time Lukebakio moved forward.

The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, deputising for Tonali, not headed a set-piece above the bar from a well-placed position. Rather, this thrilling contest continued to move from end to end, persuading the coach to bring on Joelinton and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, threw on an additional striker in Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a gamble too far.

Barnes Wins the Game

Until then, the away team, and especially their Portugal back Antonio Silva, had performed a fine job in limiting Nick Woltemade's room and pushing the German striker deep. However, with right-back Dedic off, the defense was weakened, and the way was clear for Harvey Barnes to show that Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring winger.

The home side's double substitution was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a superb throw in Barnes's direction. When Antonio Silva, for once, misjudged the flight, the winger was away, sprinting into the penalty box before keeping commendable composure to fire a superb shot past the keeper.

When Harvey Barnes rolled a low effort through unfortunate Trubin's feet after meeting Anthony Gordon's excellent pass, it was all over. Mourinho had warned that Newcastle have four quick wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from two wingers had destroyed his chances of earning Benfica's first European result of the season.