Barnes Fires Twice as Newcastle Defeat Portuguese Side and Mourinho
As Jose Mourinho came at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his players, home fans feared a difficult game. But such fears vanished due to a strike from Anthony Gordon and two more from substitute the forward, ensuring Benfica's new manager did not inflict pain for Howe's team.
Game Dynamics and Initial Action
Mourinho had predicted that Newcastle would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their similar aggressive approach. Benfica clearly delighted in breaking up Newcastle's early efforts to build a smooth passing tempo.
Compounding Newcastle's challenges, key players, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, started as substitutes as they continued convalescing from sickness and a knock respectively.
Before the start, the coaches shared a brief, cool embrace, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had told his side to subdue the home fans by delaying Newcastle and lowering the temperature at every chance.
Key Moments and Turning Points
The visitors' strategy produced varied results, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to dismantle Benfica's defensive barricades, they at first found it hard to create good chances.
Additionally, Benfica's Belgium winger Dodi Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after beating the defender behind, he tested Nick Pope with a powerful shot that required an excellent one-handed save. It's no surprise the goalkeeper retains hope for an England return in time for the global tournament.
But when the winger hit another shot off the post, Newcastle roused themselves. Murphy fired off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive close-range save from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon at last broke the deadlock.
Gordon's blazing pace had caused consternation for Mourinho all night, and he neatly slotted the first goal past Trubin after Murphy's quick cross into the area paid off.
On the occasion Newcastle's intense, high press was not second-guessed by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was there to pass a low ball across the goal for Gordon to finish.
Later Stages and Decisive Substitutions
Right from the start, Benfica could not be blamed of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now their players pushed forward with real abandon. The winger repeatedly showed an skill to unsettle Newcastle's back four, and the home team were likely grateful to reset at half-time.
The first half ended with Pope again saving his team by diverting the attacker's left-foot wide of the goal frame, and as the sides came out for the second half, everything seemed evenly balanced.
If Anthony Gordon, evidently buoyed by scoring his fourth strike in three Champions League games this campaign, played with the zeal of a winger set to alter the balance in his team's direction, the Benfica attacker had other plans.
The manager's No 11 had already emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a born left-back, and Newcastle fans were nervous every time Lukebakio advanced.
Howe might have felt easier had Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece over the bar from a good spot. Instead, this absorbing game continued to swing from one goal to the other, persuading Newcastle's manager to introduce the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.
The Benfica boss, at the same time, threw on an extra striker in Franjo Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a gamble too far.
Harvey Barnes Seals the Game
Until then, the away team, and in particular their Portugal defender Antonio Silva, had done a good job in limiting Nick Woltemade's room and pushing Newcastle's Germany centre-forward back. However, with right-back Amar Dedic off, the backline was underpowered, and the way was open for Harvey Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only attacking winger.
Newcastle's double substitution was already proving effective by the time Pope sent a wonderful long throw in the substitute's path. When Silva, for once, misjudged the flight, the winger was away, accelerating into the penalty box before keeping impressive poise to fire a superb strike past Trubin.
When Harvey Barnes rolled a shot through unfortunate Trubin's feet after meeting Gordon's stellar pass, it was all over. Mourinho had cautioned that the Magpies have four quick wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wingers had destroyed his hopes of earning Benfica's first Champions League points of the campaign.
