Barnes Scores Twice as Newcastle Defeat Portuguese Side and Mourinho
When the Benfica manager arrived at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Newcastle's coach and his squad, local fans were concerned about a tough game. But those worries vanished due to a strike from the winger and two more from replacement Harvey Barnes, making sure Benfica's coach did not inflict pain for Newcastle.
Match Flow and Early Exchanges
The Benfica boss had forecast that Newcastle would be very physical, but his Benfica players displayed their similar combative style. Benfica clearly delighted in disrupting Newcastle's early attempts to build a smooth attacking rhythm.
Compounding the home team's challenges, key midfielders, Tonali and the Brazilian, started as substitutes as they continued recovering from illness and injury respectively.
Prior to kick-off, the two managers exchanged a brief, reserved embrace, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had told his team to quiet the crowd by slowing the game and lowering the temperature whenever possible.
Key Moments and Decisive Actions
The visitors' tactic produced mixed outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates managed to break through the defensive barricades, they initially struggled to create clear opportunities.
Moreover, Benfica's Belgium winger Dodi Lukebakio nearly demonstrated scoring skill when, after leaving Dan Burn behind, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous 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.
Yet when Lukebakio hit another shot off the post, Newcastle roused themselves. Murphy shot wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive close-range save from Guimaraes before Gordon finally opened the deadlock.
Gordon's blazing pace had created consternation for the Benfica coach all evening, and he neatly slotted the opener past the goalkeeper after his teammate's early cross into the box paid off.
On the occasion Newcastle's intense, pressing game was not second-guessed by the opposition, Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to deliver a ground cross across the goal for Gordon to polish off.
Later Stages and Match-Winning Substitutions
Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be accused of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now their side pushed forward with total freedom. The winger consistently displayed an ability to unsettle Howe's defense, and the home team were probably relieved to regroup at half-time.
The first half concluded with Pope again saving his side by tipping the attacker's shot around the post, and as the teams emerged for the next period, everything seemed evenly poised.
If Anthony Gordon, evidently buoyed by netting his fourth goal in three European games this campaign, played with the zeal of a wide player set to shift the power balance in his team's direction, Lukebakio had different plans.
The manager's No 11 had previously shown that, while Dan Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a natural left-back, and home hearts were nervous every time he moved forward.
Howe might have relaxed had Miley, filling in for Tonali, not directed a corner above the crossbar from a good spot. Rather, this absorbing contest continued to swing from end to end, persuading the manager to bring on Joelinton and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.
The Benfica boss, meanwhile, threw on an additional striker in Franjo Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a risk too far.
Harvey Barnes Wins the Match
Until then, Benfica, and especially their Portugal defender Silva, had performed a good job in limiting Nick Woltemade's room and pushing the German striker deep. However, with right-back Dedic substituted, the defense was underpowered, 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 proving effective by the time Pope sent a wonderful long throw in the substitute's path. When Silva, on this occasion, misread the bounce, the winger was away, accelerating into the area before keeping impressive poise to fire a sublime shot past the keeper.
After Barnes rolled a shot through poor Trubin's feet after receiving Anthony Gordon's stellar through ball, it was all over. Mourinho had warned that Newcastle have several quick wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wingers had destroyed his hopes of earning the team's first Champions League points of the season.
