Barnes Scores Twice as Newcastle Defeat Benfica and Jose Mourinho
When the Benfica manager arrived at St James' Park and praised Newcastle's coach and his players, local fans were concerned about a difficult match. But those fears vanished due to a strike from the winger and two more from replacement the forward, ensuring the visitors' new manager would not cause any trouble for Howe's team.
Game Dynamics and Initial Action
Mourinho had forecast that Newcastle would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their similar aggressive approach. The visitors clearly enjoyed breaking up the Magpies' early efforts to establish a smooth passing tempo.
Compounding Newcastle's issues, two players, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, began on the bench as they were recovering from illness and a knock each.
Prior to the start, the two managers exchanged a brief, cool greeting, and it quickly became clear that Mourinho had instructed his side to quiet the home fans by delaying Newcastle and lowering the intensity at every chance.
Critical Events and Turning Points
The visitors' strategy produced varied outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates managed to dismantle the defensive barricades, they initially struggled to generate good opportunities.
Additionally, the Belgian attacker Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after beating Dan Burn on the ground, he tested Nick Pope with a powerful shot that got an excellent single-hand save. No wonder the goalkeeper still hopes for an national team recall in time for the World Cup.
But when Lukebakio directed a further shot off the post, the home side roused themselves. Jacob Murphy shot wide, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent close-range save from Guimaraes before Gordon finally broke the scoreless tie.
Gordon's scorching pace had caused problems for Mourinho all evening, and he calmly side-footed the opener past the goalkeeper after Murphy's quick ball into the area proved effective.
When Newcastle's intense, high press was not second-guessed by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was there to pass a low ball across the goal for Gordon to finish.
Later Stages and Decisive Changes
Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now their players pushed forward with total freedom. The winger repeatedly displayed an skill to unsettle Howe's defense, and the home team were likely grateful to reset at the break.
The opening period ended with Pope once more saving his team by diverting Lukebakio's left-foot around the post, and as the sides emerged for the second half, everything seemed evenly poised.
While Gordon, clearly buoyed by netting his fourth goal in three Champions League appearances this campaign, played with the determination of a winger set to alter the power balance in his team's favor, Lukebakio had different ideas.
The manager's No 11 had already emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a born left-back, and home fans were in mouths every time he moved forward.
Howe might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not directed a corner above the bar from a well-placed spot. Rather, this thrilling contest continued to move from one goal to the other, prompting the manager to introduce Joelinton and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.
The Benfica boss, meanwhile, threw on an extra striker in Franjo Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a gamble that backfired.
Harvey Barnes Seals the Game
Until then, the away team, and in particular their Portugal back Silva, had done a good job in limiting Nick Woltemade's space and pushing Newcastle's Germany striker deep. But now, with defender Dedic off, the defense was underpowered, and the way was open for Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring winger.
The home side's two changes was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a wonderful long throw in the substitute's path. When Antonio Silva, for once, misread the bounce, the winger was clear, sprinting into the area before maintaining commendable composure to fire a superb shot past the keeper.
When Barnes slid a shot through poor the goalkeeper's feet after meeting Gordon's excellent through ball, it was all over. Mourinho had cautioned that the Magpies have four very fast wingers, and a trio of strikes from two wingers had destroyed his chances of securing the team's first Champions League result of the campaign.
