Barnes Scores Twice as The Magpies Defeat Portuguese Side and Jose Mourinho
When Jose Mourinho came at St James' Park and praised Newcastle's coach and his squad, home fans feared a tough match. However those worries disappeared thanks to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from substitute the forward, ensuring the visitors' new manager would not cause pain for Newcastle.
Game Flow and Initial Action
The Benfica boss had forecast that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players showed their own combative approach. Benfica clearly delighted in breaking up the Magpies' initial attempts to establish a smooth passing tempo.
Adding to Newcastle's challenges, key players, Tonali and Joelinton, started on the bench as they were convalescing from illness and a knock each.
Prior to kick-off, the two managers exchanged a perfunctory, reserved greeting, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had instructed his team to subdue the crowd by delaying the game and reducing the intensity at every chance.
Key Events and Decisive Actions
Benfica's tactic yielded varied results, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to break through the defensive barricades, they initially struggled to create clear chances.
Additionally, Benfica's Belgian winger Dodi Lukebakio almost showed how to finish when, after leaving Dan Burn behind, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a powerful strike that required an terrific one-handed stop. No wonder the goalkeeper retains hope for an England return in time for the World Cup.
Yet when Lukebakio hit a further attempt off the post, Newcastle roused themselves. Murphy fired off target, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive close-range stop from Guimaraes before Gordon finally broke the deadlock.
The England winger's blazing pace had caused problems for Mourinho all evening, and he neatly side-footed the opener past the goalkeeper after his teammate's quick ball into the box proved effective.
On the occasion the Magpies' hard, pressing game was not anticipated by the opposition, Murphy, preferred over Ā£55m Anthony Elanga, was available to deliver a ground ball across the goal for Gordon to polish off.
Second Half and Decisive Changes
From the beginning, Benfica could not be blamed of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's players pushed forward with real freedom. Lukebakio consistently showed an ability to destabilize Howe's back four, and the home team were likely relieved to regroup at half-time.
The opening period ended with Pope once more saving his team by tipping the attacker's left-foot around the goal frame, and as the teams emerged for the next period, everything seemed evenly poised.
If Anthony Gordon, evidently boosted by netting his fourth goal in three European appearances this campaign, played with the zeal of a winger aiming to alter the balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had different plans.
Mourinho's No 11 had previously shown that, while Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a natural left-back, and Newcastle hearts were nervous every time Lukebakio moved forward.
Howe might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece above the crossbar from a well-placed position. Rather, this absorbing game continued to swing from end to end, prompting Newcastle's coach to introduce the midfielder and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.
Mourinho, at the same time, brought on an extra striker in Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a gamble that backfired.
Barnes Wins the Game
Until then, Benfica, and in particular their Portugal back Silva, had performed a fine job in restricting Nick Woltemade's room and forcing Newcastle's Germany centre-forward deep. However, with right-back Amar Dedic substituted, the defense was weakened, and the path was clear for Harvey Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring wide player.
Newcastle's double substitution was already paying off by the time Pope dispatched a superb throw in the substitute's direction. When Antonio Silva, for once, misjudged the bounce, the winger was clear, accelerating into the penalty box before keeping commendable poise to fire a sublime shot past the keeper.
After Harvey Barnes rolled a shot through unfortunate Trubin's feet after receiving Anthony Gordon's excellent through ball, it was all over. The Benfica manager had cautioned that Newcastle have four very fast wingers, and three goals from two wingers had shattered his chances of earning Benfica's first European result of the campaign.
