Harvey Barnes Scores Two Goals as The Magpies Overcome Portuguese Side and Mourinho

As the Benfica manager came at St James' Park and complimented Newcastle's coach and his players, local fans feared a tough match. But those fears disappeared thanks to a strike from Anthony Gordon and two more from replacement Harvey Barnes, ensuring Benfica's coach would not cause any trouble for Howe's team.

Match Flow and Initial Action

Mourinho had forecast that Newcastle would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their own aggressive approach. Benfica clearly enjoyed breaking up Newcastle's early efforts to build a smooth attacking rhythm.

Compounding the home team's issues, two midfielders, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, began on the bench as they were convalescing from illness and a knock respectively.

Prior to the start, the two managers exchanged a brief, cool embrace, and it soon became apparent that Mourinho had instructed his side to quiet the home fans by delaying the game and lowering the temperature whenever possible.

Key Events and Decisive Actions

The visitors' strategy yielded varied outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates succeeded to dismantle the backline, they at first found it hard to create good opportunities.

Additionally, the Belgium winger Lukebakio nearly demonstrated how to finish when, after beating Dan Burn behind, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that got an excellent single-hand stop. It's no surprise Pope still hopes for an national team return in time for the World Cup.

But when Lukebakio hit another attempt against the post, the home side roused themselves. Murphy shot off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive close-range save from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally opened the deadlock.

Gordon's scorching speed had created consternation for Mourinho all night, and he calmly slotted the first goal past Trubin after Murphy's early ball into the box proved effective.

On the occasion Newcastle's hard, pressing game was not anticipated by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to deliver a ground cross across the goal for the winger to polish off.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Changes

Right from the start, Benfica could not be blamed of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now their players attacked with total freedom. The winger consistently displayed an ability to unsettle Howe's back four, and the home team were probably grateful to reset at the break.

The opening period concluded with Pope again rescuing his team by diverting the attacker's shot wide of the goal frame, and as the teams came out for the second half, everything seemed evenly balanced.

If Anthony Gordon, evidently boosted by scoring his fourth goal in three Champions League games this season, played with the zeal of a wide player aiming to shift the power balance in his team's favor, the Benfica attacker had other ideas.

The manager's winger had previously shown that, while Dan Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a natural left-back, and home hearts were nervous every time Lukebakio advanced.

Howe might have felt easier had Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not headed a corner over the crossbar from a well-placed position. Rather, this absorbing contest continued to move from end to end, prompting Newcastle's coach to bring on the midfielder and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, threw on an additional striker in Franjo Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a gamble that backfired.

Barnes Seals the Match

Until then, Benfica, and especially their Portugal back Silva, had done a fine job in restricting Woltemade's room and forcing the Germany striker deep. However, with right-back Dedic off, the defense was weakened, and the way was clear for Harvey Barnes to prove that Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring winger.

The home side's double substitution was already paying off by the time Pope sent a wonderful long throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, for once, misread the flight, Barnes was clear, sprinting into the area before keeping commendable poise to fire a superb strike past Trubin.

When Harvey Barnes rolled a low effort through poor Trubin's feet after meeting Anthony Gordon's excellent through ball, it was finished. The Benfica manager had warned that the Magpies have several very fast wingers, and three goals from a pair of wingers had shattered his hopes of earning Benfica's first Champions League points of the campaign.