Barnes Scores Two Goals as Newcastle Defeat Benfica and Mourinho
When Jose Mourinho came at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Newcastle's coach and his squad, local fans feared a tough match. But such fears vanished thanks to a goal from Anthony Gordon and two more from replacement Harvey Barnes, making sure Benfica's new manager did not inflict any trouble for Howe's team.
Match Dynamics and Initial Exchanges
The Benfica boss had forecast that Newcastle would be very physical, but his own team displayed their own combative approach. The visitors certainly enjoyed disrupting Newcastle's early efforts to establish a smooth passing rhythm.
Adding to the home team's challenges, key midfielders, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, started as substitutes as they continued recovering from illness and injury each.
Before kick-off, the two managers exchanged a perfunctory, cool embrace, and it quickly became apparent that the Benfica coach had told his team to subdue the crowd by delaying Newcastle and reducing the temperature at every chance.
Critical Moments and Turning Points
The visitors' strategy yielded varied results, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to dismantle Benfica's defensive barricades, they at first found it hard to generate clear opportunities.
Moreover, the Belgian winger Dodi Lukebakio almost demonstrated scoring skill when, after beating the defender behind, he forced Nick Pope with a tremendous shot that got an terrific one-handed save. No wonder the goalkeeper retains hope for an England recall in time for the World Cup.
Yet when the winger directed a further shot off the post, Newcastle woke up. Murphy shot off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent close-range stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally opened the deadlock.
The England winger's blazing pace had created problems for Mourinho all evening, and he neatly slotted the first goal past the goalkeeper after his teammate's quick cross into the box paid off.
On the occasion the Magpies' intense, high press was not second-guessed by Benfica, Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to deliver a low ball across the goal for Gordon to polish off.
Second Half and Match-Winning Substitutions
From the beginning, Benfica could not be blamed of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's side attacked with real abandon. The winger repeatedly displayed an skill to destabilize Newcastle's back four, and the Magpies were probably grateful to reset at half-time.
The opening period concluded with the keeper again saving his side by diverting Lukebakio's left-foot wide of the post, and as the sides came out for the second half, everything seemed finely poised.
While Gordon, clearly buoyed by netting his fourth goal in three European appearances this season, played with the zeal of a wide player set to shift the power balance in Newcastle's favor, Lukebakio had different ideas.
The manager's No 11 had already shown that, while Dan Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a natural left-back, and home fans were nervous every time he moved forward.
Howe might have felt easier had Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not directed a set-piece above the crossbar from a good spot. Rather, this absorbing contest continued to move from end to end, persuading the coach to introduce Joelinton and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.
The Benfica boss, meanwhile, threw on an additional forward in Franjo Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a risk that backfired.
Harvey Barnes Seals the Match
Until then, the away team, and in particular their Portugal defender Antonio Silva, had performed a fine job in restricting Nick Woltemade's room and pushing the German centre-forward back. However, with defender Dedic off, the defense was weakened, and the way was open for Barnes to show that Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring winger.
Newcastle's double substitution was already proving effective by the time Pope sent a wonderful throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the bounce, Barnes was away, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining commendable composure to fire a sublime shot past the keeper.
After Barnes rolled a low effort through poor the goalkeeper's feet after receiving Gordon's excellent pass, it was all over. The Benfica manager had warned that the Magpies have several quick wingers, and three goals from two wide men had destroyed his chances of securing Benfica's first European result of the season.
