Harvey Barnes Fires Two Goals as Newcastle Overcome Portuguese Side and Jose Mourinho

When the Benfica manager came at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his players, local fans were concerned about a tough game. However those worries disappeared thanks to a strike from the winger and two more from replacement the forward, making sure Benfica's new manager would not cause pain for Howe's team.

Match Flow and Initial Action

The Benfica boss had forecast that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players displayed their own combative approach. Benfica clearly enjoyed disrupting Newcastle's early efforts to build a smooth passing tempo.

Adding to the home team's issues, two midfielders, Tonali and Joelinton, started as substitutes as they continued convalescing from sickness and a knock respectively.

Before kick-off, the coaches exchanged a perfunctory, cool embrace, and it soon became clear that Mourinho had told his side to subdue the crowd by slowing Newcastle and reducing the intensity whenever possible.

Key Events and Turning Points

Benfica's strategy produced mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and his teammates succeeded to dismantle the defensive barricades, they initially found it hard to generate clear opportunities.

Additionally, the Belgian winger Dodi Lukebakio almost showed how to finish when, after leaving the defender on the ground, he forced Nick Pope with a powerful shot that got an terrific single-hand stop. It's no surprise Pope still hopes for an national team return in time for the global tournament.

But when Lukebakio hit another shot off the post, Newcastle woke up. Murphy shot wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent close-range save from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally opened the deadlock.

Gordon's scorching speed had created consternation for the Benfica coach all night, and he calmly side-footed the first goal past the goalkeeper after his teammate's quick ball into the box paid off.

On the occasion Newcastle's hard, high press was not anticipated by the opposition, Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to deliver a ground cross across the goal for the winger to finish.

Second Half and Decisive Substitutions

Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be accused of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's side attacked with total freedom. The winger repeatedly displayed an ability to unsettle Howe's back four, and the home team were likely grateful to reset at half-time.

The first half concluded with Pope once more rescuing his side by tipping Lukebakio's left-foot wide of the goal frame, and as the teams came out for the second half, everything seemed evenly balanced.

While Gordon, clearly boosted by netting his fourth goal in three European games this season, played with the determination of a winger aiming to shift the power balance in Newcastle's favor, the Benfica attacker had different plans.

The manager's No 11 had previously emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a natural full-back, and Newcastle hearts were nervous every time Lukebakio advanced.

The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not directed a corner above the crossbar from a well-placed position. Rather, this absorbing game continued to swing from one goal to the other, persuading Newcastle's manager to introduce Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, threw on an additional striker in Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a risk too far.

Harvey Barnes Wins the Game

Before that, Benfica, and in particular their Portugal defender Silva, had performed a good job in restricting Woltemade's room and pushing the German striker back. But now, with defender Dedic off, the backline was underpowered, and the way was clear for Harvey Barnes to prove that Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring wide player.

Newcastle's two changes was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a wonderful long throw in the substitute's path. When Antonio Silva, for once, misread the bounce, Barnes was clear, accelerating into the area before maintaining commendable composure to lash a superb shot past the keeper.

When Barnes rolled a low effort through poor the goalkeeper's legs after receiving Gordon's excellent pass, it was finished. Mourinho had cautioned that the Magpies have several very fast wingers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wingers had shattered his chances of securing Benfica's first European result of the season.