Harvey Barnes Scores Twice as Newcastle Defeat Benfica and Mourinho
When the Benfica manager arrived at St James' Park and praised Eddie Howe and his squad, local supporters were concerned about a tough match. But those worries disappeared thanks to a goal from Anthony Gordon and a brace from substitute the forward, making sure Benfica's coach did not inflict pain for Howe's team.
Game Dynamics and Early Action
Mourinho had predicted that the home side would be very physical, but his own team displayed their own combative style. Benfica certainly delighted in breaking up Newcastle's initial attempts to build a fluent attacking tempo.
Compounding the home team's issues, key midfielders, Tonali and the Brazilian, began as substitutes as they continued convalescing from illness and a knock each.
Before the start, the two managers shared a perfunctory, cool greeting, and it soon became clear that Mourinho had instructed his side to quiet the home fans by delaying Newcastle and reducing the temperature at every chance.
Critical 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 create clear chances.
Additionally, Benfica's Belgian attacker Lukebakio almost showed how to finish when, after leaving the defender behind, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that got an excellent one-handed stop. No wonder the goalkeeper retains hope for an national team return in time for the global tournament.
But when Lukebakio hit another shot off the post, Newcastle roused themselves. Jacob Murphy fired off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent near-post stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last broke the scoreless tie.
The England winger's blazing speed had created consternation for the Benfica coach all night, and he neatly side-footed the opener past the goalkeeper after Murphy's early ball into the area paid off.
On the occasion the Magpies' hard, pressing game was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was there to pass a ground cross across the goal for Gordon to polish off.
Later Stages and Match-Winning Changes
From the beginning, Benfica could not be blamed of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now their players attacked with real abandon. Lukebakio consistently displayed an skill to unsettle Howe's defense, and the Magpies were probably relieved to reset at the break.
The opening period ended with the keeper again saving his team by diverting Lukebakio's left-foot around the post, and as the sides emerged for the next period, everything seemed finely balanced.
While Anthony Gordon, clearly boosted by netting his fourth goal in three Champions League games this season, played with the determination of a wide player aiming to shift the power balance in his team's favor, the Benfica attacker had other ideas.
Mourinho's No 11 had previously emphasized that, while Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a born left-back, and Newcastle hearts were nervous every time Lukebakio advanced.
The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, deputising for Tonali, not headed a set-piece over the bar from a well-placed spot. Instead, this absorbing game continued to swing from end to end, persuading the manager to introduce Joelinton and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.
The Benfica boss, meanwhile, threw on an extra striker in Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a gamble that backfired.
Harvey Barnes Seals the Match
Before that, the away team, and in particular their Portugal back Antonio Silva, had performed a fine job in restricting Woltemade's space and pushing the German striker back. But now, with defender Dedic substituted, the backline was weakened, and the path was open for Harvey Barnes to prove that Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring winger.
The home side's two changes was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper sent a wonderful long throw in Barnes's direction. When Antonio Silva, for once, misread the flight, the winger was away, sprinting into the area before maintaining commendable composure to fire a sublime strike past Trubin.
When Barnes slid a low effort through unfortunate Trubin's legs after meeting Anthony Gordon's excellent through ball, it was finished. Mourinho had cautioned that Newcastle have several quick wingers, and a trio of strikes from two wingers had shattered his chances of earning Benfica's first European result of the season.