Barnes Fires Two Goals as Newcastle Defeat Benfica and Mourinho
When the Benfica manager came at St James' Park and complimented Newcastle's coach and his squad, local supporters were concerned about a tough game. However such worries vanished due to a strike from Anthony Gordon and two more from replacement Harvey Barnes, making sure Benfica's new manager did not inflict pain for Howe's team.
Game Flow and Initial Exchanges
The Benfica boss had forecast that the home side would be very physical, but his own team displayed their own combative style. Benfica clearly enjoyed breaking up Newcastle's initial attempts to establish a fluent passing tempo.
Compounding the home team's issues, two players, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, began as substitutes as they were convalescing from sickness and a knock respectively.
Prior to kick-off, the coaches shared a brief, cool embrace, and it quickly became apparent that the Benfica coach had told his side to subdue the home fans by slowing the game and lowering the temperature whenever possible.
Key Events and Turning Points
Benfica's tactic yielded varied outcomes, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to break through Benfica's backline, they at first struggled to generate good opportunities.
Moreover, the Belgium attacker Lukebakio nearly demonstrated how to finish when, after beating Dan Burn on the ground, he forced Nick Pope with a tremendous shot that got an terrific one-handed save. No wonder Pope still hopes for an England return in time for the World Cup.
But when the winger directed another attempt off the post, the home side roused themselves. Murphy fired wide, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent close-range stop from Guimaraes before Gordon at last opened the scoreless tie.
Gordon's scorching speed had created consternation for Mourinho all evening, and he neatly slotted the opener past Trubin after Murphy's early cross into the box proved effective.
On the occasion Newcastle's intense, pressing game was not anticipated by the opposition, Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was available to pass a low cross across the face of goal for Gordon to polish off.
Later Stages and Match-Winning Changes
From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now their players attacked with real abandon. The winger consistently displayed an ability to unsettle Newcastle's defense, and the home team were probably grateful to reset at half-time.
The first half ended with Pope once more rescuing his side by diverting Lukebakio's left-foot around the goal frame, and as the teams emerged for the next period, the match seemed evenly poised.
If Gordon, evidently buoyed by scoring his fourth strike in three European games this season, played with the determination of a wide player set to alter the power balance in Newcastle's favor, the Benfica attacker had other plans.
The manager's winger had already emphasized that, while Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a natural left-back, and home fans were nervous every time Lukebakio moved forward.
The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, deputising for Tonali, not headed a corner over the crossbar from a good position. Rather, this thrilling game continued to swing from one goal to the other, prompting the coach to bring on the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.
Mourinho, at the same time, threw on an additional striker in Franjo Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a gamble that backfired.
Barnes Seals the Match
Until then, Benfica, and in particular their Portuguese back Silva, had performed a fine job in limiting Nick Woltemade's room and forcing Newcastle's German centre-forward deep. But now, with defender Dedic substituted, the backline was weakened, and the path was clear for Harvey Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only attacking wide player.
The home side's double substitution was already paying off by the time Pope dispatched a superb long throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the flight, Barnes was clear, accelerating into the penalty box before keeping impressive composure to lash a sublime shot past Trubin.
After Barnes slid a shot through poor the goalkeeper's legs after meeting Anthony Gordon's excellent pass, it was finished. The Benfica manager had warned that the Magpies have four very fast wingers, and three goals from two wide men had shattered his chances of securing the team's first European result of the campaign.
