Barnes Fires Twice as Newcastle Defeat Benfica and Mourinho

When Jose Mourinho came at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his players, local supporters feared a difficult game. But such worries vanished due to a goal from the winger and a brace from replacement the forward, ensuring Benfica's new manager did not inflict pain for Newcastle.

Game Flow and Initial Action

Mourinho had forecast that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players displayed their similar combative approach. Benfica certainly delighted in disrupting Newcastle's initial efforts to establish a smooth passing rhythm.

Adding to Newcastle's challenges, key midfielders, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, started on the bench as they continued recovering from sickness and a knock respectively.

Before the start, the coaches exchanged a perfunctory, reserved greeting, and it soon became apparent that the Benfica coach had instructed his side to quiet the home fans by delaying the game and lowering the temperature at every chance.

Key Moments and Decisive Actions

The visitors' strategy produced mixed results, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates succeeded to dismantle Benfica's backline, they at first struggled to create good chances.

Additionally, the Belgian winger Lukebakio nearly showed scoring skill when, after leaving the defender on the ground, he forced Nick Pope with a tremendous strike that required an terrific one-handed save. It's no surprise the goalkeeper retains hope for an national team return in time for the global tournament.

But when the winger hit a further shot off the woodwork, the home side roused themselves. Jacob Murphy fired wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent near-post stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last broke the scoreless tie.

The England winger's scorching pace had caused consternation for the Benfica coach all night, and he neatly side-footed the opener past the goalkeeper after Murphy's quick ball into the box paid off.

On the occasion the Magpies' hard, pressing game was not anticipated by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to deliver a ground cross across the goal for the winger to finish.

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 players pushed forward with real abandon. Lukebakio repeatedly displayed an ability to unsettle Newcastle's defense, and the home team were probably grateful to reset at the break.

The first half ended with Pope once more saving his side by tipping Lukebakio's shot wide of the post, and as the teams came out for the second half, everything seemed evenly balanced.

If Gordon, evidently buoyed by netting his fourth strike in three Champions League games this season, played with the zeal of a winger set to alter the power balance in his team's direction, the Benfica attacker had other ideas.

The manager's winger had previously shown that, while Dan Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a natural full-back, and home fans were in mouths every time Lukebakio moved forward.

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not directed a set-piece above the crossbar from a good position. Instead, this thrilling contest continued to swing from end to end, prompting the coach to introduce the midfielder and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, brought on an additional forward in Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a risk too far.

Barnes Wins the Match

Until then, the away team, and in particular their Portugal back Antonio Silva, had done a fine job in restricting Woltemade's room and pushing Newcastle's German striker back. However, with defender Amar Dedic off, the backline was weakened, and the way was open for Barnes to show that 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 throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the bounce, Barnes was away, accelerating into the area before maintaining commendable poise to lash a superb strike past Trubin.

After Harvey Barnes rolled a shot through poor the goalkeeper's legs after meeting Gordon's excellent through ball, it was all over. The Benfica manager had cautioned that the Magpies have several quick wingers, and three goals from a pair of wide men had shattered his hopes of earning the team's first Champions League result of the campaign.