Barnes Fires Two Goals as Newcastle Defeat Portuguese Side and Jose Mourinho
As the Benfica manager arrived at St James' Park and praised Newcastle's coach and his squad, local supporters feared a difficult match. But those worries vanished thanks to a goal from Anthony Gordon and a brace from replacement Harvey Barnes, making sure Benfica's coach did not inflict any trouble for Newcastle.
Game Dynamics and Early Exchanges
The Benfica boss had forecast that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his own team showed their similar combative style. The visitors certainly delighted in breaking up the Magpies' early attempts to build a smooth attacking tempo.
Adding to Newcastle's issues, key midfielders, Tonali and Joelinton, began as substitutes as they continued convalescing from sickness and a knock respectively.
Prior to the start, the coaches shared a brief, reserved greeting, and it soon became clear that Mourinho had told his side to quiet the crowd by delaying Newcastle and lowering the intensity at every chance.
Key Events and Turning Points
The visitors' strategy produced varied outcomes, but when Gordon and his teammates managed to break through the backline, they initially struggled to generate good opportunities.
Moreover, Benfica's Belgian attacker Lukebakio nearly demonstrated how to finish when, after beating Dan Burn on the ground, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous shot that required an terrific single-hand save. No wonder Pope retains hope for an England return in time for the World Cup.
Yet when the winger hit a further attempt off the woodwork, Newcastle woke up. Murphy fired wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive near-post stop from Guimaraes before Gordon finally opened the deadlock.
Gordon's blazing speed had created problems for Mourinho all evening, and he calmly side-footed the first goal past the goalkeeper after Murphy's early ball into the box paid off.
On the occasion Newcastle's hard, pressing game was not second-guessed by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was available to pass a low cross across the face of goal for Gordon to polish off.
Second Half and Decisive Substitutions
Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now their side pushed forward with real abandon. The winger repeatedly showed an ability to destabilize Newcastle's back four, and the home team were probably relieved to regroup at the break.
The first half concluded with Pope again saving his team by diverting Lukebakio's left-foot wide of the goal frame, and as the sides emerged for the second half, everything seemed evenly balanced.
If Gordon, evidently buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three Champions League games this campaign, played with the determination of a wide player set to alter the power balance in his team's favor, Lukebakio had other ideas.
Mourinho's No 11 had previously emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a natural full-back, and home fans were in mouths every time he advanced.
The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Miley, deputising for Tonali, not directed a corner over the crossbar from a good spot. Rather, this thrilling contest continued to swing from one goal to the other, persuading the coach to bring on Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.
Mourinho, meanwhile, threw on an extra forward in Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a gamble that backfired.
Barnes Seals the Match
Until then, the away team, and especially their Portugal back Antonio Silva, had done a good job in limiting Woltemade's space and forcing Newcastle's German centre-forward deep. But now, with defender Dedic off, the defense was weakened, and the way was open for Harvey Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only attacking wide player.
The home side's two changes was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a wonderful long throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the flight, Barnes was away, accelerating into the penalty box before maintaining commendable poise to lash a sublime strike past Trubin.
When Barnes rolled a shot through unfortunate Trubin's legs after meeting Anthony Gordon's excellent through ball, it was all over. Mourinho had warned that Newcastle have four quick wide attackers, and three goals from two wide men had destroyed his chances of earning the team's first European points of the campaign.