Barnes Fires Two Goals as The Magpies Defeat Portuguese Side and Mourinho

When Jose Mourinho arrived at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his squad, home fans feared a tough match. However such worries vanished due to a goal from Anthony Gordon and two more from replacement Harvey Barnes, making sure Benfica's new manager would not cause pain for Howe's team.

Match Flow and Early Exchanges

The Benfica boss had forecast that the home side would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their similar aggressive style. The visitors clearly delighted in breaking up Newcastle's initial attempts to build a fluent passing rhythm.

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

Before kick-off, the two managers shared a perfunctory, reserved greeting, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had instructed his team to quiet the crowd by slowing Newcastle and lowering the intensity at every chance.

Critical Moments and Decisive Actions

Benfica's tactic yielded varied results, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to dismantle Benfica's backline, they at first found it hard to generate clear chances.

Additionally, the Belgium winger Lukebakio nearly demonstrated scoring skill when, after beating Dan Burn behind, he forced Nick Pope with a powerful strike that got an excellent one-handed save. No wonder the goalkeeper retains hope for an national team recall in time for the global tournament.

But when the winger hit another attempt against the woodwork, the home side roused themselves. Murphy fired off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent near-post stop from Guimaraes before Gordon finally broke the deadlock.

Gordon's scorching pace had created problems for the Benfica coach all evening, and he neatly side-footed the opener past Trubin after Murphy's early cross into the box proved effective.

When Newcastle's hard, high press was not anticipated by the opposition, Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was there to deliver a ground ball across the face of goal for Gordon to polish off.

Later Stages and Decisive Substitutions

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be accused of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's players attacked with total abandon. Lukebakio consistently showed an ability to unsettle Newcastle's defense, and the home team were probably relieved to reset at half-time.

The opening period concluded with the keeper again rescuing his team by diverting Lukebakio's shot wide of the goal frame, and as the sides came out for the second half, everything seemed finely poised.

If Gordon, evidently buoyed by scoring his fourth strike in three Champions League appearances this campaign, played with the zeal of a winger aiming to shift the balance in his team's direction, the Benfica attacker had different ideas.

The manager's No 11 had previously shown that, while Dan Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a natural left-back, and home hearts were in mouths every time Lukebakio moved forward.

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Miley, deputising for Tonali, not headed a set-piece above the crossbar from a well-placed position. Instead, this absorbing game continued to move from end to end, prompting Newcastle's coach to introduce Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, threw on an additional forward in Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a gamble too far.

Barnes Wins the Match

Before that, the away team, and in particular their Portuguese defender Antonio Silva, had done a fine job in limiting Woltemade's space and forcing the German centre-forward back. But now, with right-back Dedic off, the defense was weakened, and the way was clear for Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only attacking wide player.

The home side's two changes was already proving effective by the time Pope dispatched a superb throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the bounce, Barnes was clear, accelerating into the area before keeping commendable composure to fire a sublime strike past Trubin.

After Harvey Barnes slid a low effort through poor Trubin's legs after meeting Gordon's excellent pass, it was all over. Mourinho had cautioned that the Magpies have four very fast wingers, and a trio of strikes from two wingers had shattered his chances of earning Benfica's first Champions League result of the season.