Barnes Scores Twice as Newcastle Defeat Benfica and Jose Mourinho
When the Benfica manager arrived at St James' Park and complimented Newcastle's coach and his squad, home supporters feared a difficult match. But such fears vanished due to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from replacement the forward, ensuring Benfica's new manager did not inflict pain for Newcastle.
Match Dynamics and Early Action
The Benfica boss had predicted that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players displayed their similar combative style. Benfica certainly delighted in disrupting the Magpies' early attempts to establish a smooth passing tempo.
Compounding the home team's challenges, key players, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, started as substitutes as they were recovering from illness and injury each.
Prior to kick-off, the two managers shared a perfunctory, reserved greeting, and it soon became clear that the Benfica coach had instructed his team to subdue the home fans by slowing the game and reducing the temperature whenever possible.
Critical Moments and Turning Points
The visitors' tactic yielded mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and his teammates succeeded to break through Benfica's backline, they at first struggled to generate clear chances.
Additionally, Benfica's Belgium winger Dodi Lukebakio nearly showed how to finish when, after beating Dan Burn behind, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous strike that required an terrific single-hand save. It's no surprise the goalkeeper retains hope for an national team return in time for the global tournament.
Yet when Lukebakio hit a further attempt against the post, Newcastle roused themselves. Murphy shot off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive near-post stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last opened the scoreless tie.
Gordon's blazing speed had caused consternation for Mourinho all night, and he neatly slotted the first goal past the goalkeeper after his teammate's quick ball into the box paid off.
On the occasion Newcastle's hard, high press was not anticipated by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a low ball across the face of goal for Gordon to finish.
Later Stages and Match-Winning Substitutions
From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be accused of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's players pushed forward with total freedom. The winger consistently displayed an ability to destabilize Howe's back four, and the home team were probably relieved to regroup at the break.
The opening period ended with the keeper again saving his team by tipping the attacker's shot wide of the post, and as the sides emerged for the second half, everything seemed finely poised.
While Anthony Gordon, clearly boosted by netting his fourth strike in three Champions League appearances this campaign, played with the zeal of a winger aiming to shift the power balance in Newcastle's direction, the Benfica attacker had other ideas.
Mourinho's winger had already shown that, while Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a born full-back, and Newcastle hearts were nervous every time Lukebakio advanced.
Howe might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not headed a corner above the bar from a well-placed spot. Rather, this thrilling game continued to move from end to end, prompting the coach to bring on the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.
The Benfica boss, at the same time, threw on an extra forward in Franjo Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a gamble that backfired.
Harvey Barnes Wins the Match
Until then, the away team, and in particular their Portugal back Antonio Silva, had performed a fine job in restricting Nick Woltemade's room and pushing the German striker deep. But now, with right-back Dedic substituted, the backline was underpowered, and the way was clear for Harvey Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring wide player.
The home side's two changes was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a wonderful long throw in the substitute's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the bounce, the winger was clear, accelerating into the area before maintaining impressive poise to lash a superb strike past Trubin.
When Barnes slid a shot through poor the goalkeeper's feet after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar through ball, it was all over. The Benfica manager had cautioned that Newcastle have several very fast wingers, and three goals from two wingers had destroyed his chances of earning Benfica's first European result of the season.
