Harvey Barnes Fires Twice as Newcastle Overcome Benfica and Jose Mourinho

As the Benfica manager arrived at St James' Park and complimented Newcastle's coach and his squad, home supporters feared a tough match. But those fears vanished due to a strike from Anthony Gordon and two more from substitute the forward, ensuring Benfica's new manager did not inflict pain for Howe's team.

Match Flow and Early Exchanges

The Benfica boss had predicted that the home side would be very physical, but his own team showed their similar aggressive style. Benfica certainly delighted in breaking up Newcastle's early efforts to establish a fluent attacking rhythm.

Compounding Newcastle's challenges, key midfielders, Tonali and the Brazilian, began as substitutes as they were recovering from illness and injury each.

Prior to the start, the two managers shared a brief, reserved embrace, and it soon became apparent that Mourinho had told his team to subdue the crowd by delaying Newcastle and lowering the temperature whenever possible.

Critical Moments and Turning Points

The visitors' strategy yielded mixed results, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to dismantle the defensive barricades, they initially struggled to create good opportunities.

Moreover, the Belgian winger Lukebakio nearly demonstrated scoring skill when, after leaving Dan Burn on the ground, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that required an excellent one-handed stop. No wonder the goalkeeper retains hope for an England return in time for the global tournament.

Yet when the winger hit a further shot off the woodwork, Newcastle roused themselves. Jacob Murphy shot off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent near-post save from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally broke the deadlock.

The England winger's blazing pace had created problems for Mourinho all night, and he calmly side-footed the first goal past Trubin after Murphy's quick cross into the area paid off.

When the Magpies' hard, pressing game was not anticipated by the opposition, Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was there to deliver a low ball across the goal for the winger to polish off.

Second Half and Decisive Changes

Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now their players attacked with total abandon. The winger repeatedly displayed an ability to destabilize Newcastle's defense, and the Magpies were probably relieved to regroup at the break.

The first half concluded with the keeper once more rescuing his team by diverting the attacker's shot around the goal frame, and as the teams emerged for the next period, everything seemed finely poised.

While Gordon, clearly boosted by netting his fourth strike in three European appearances this season, played with the zeal of a winger set to alter the power balance in his team's direction, Lukebakio had different plans.

Mourinho's winger had already shown that, while Dan Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a born left-back, and home hearts were nervous every time he advanced.

Howe might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not headed a corner over the crossbar from a well-placed position. Rather, this thrilling game continued to move from end to end, persuading the manager to introduce Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, brought on an additional striker in Franjo Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a gamble too far.

Harvey Barnes Wins the Game

Before that, the away team, and especially their Portuguese defender Antonio Silva, had done a fine job in limiting Woltemade's space and pushing Newcastle's German striker back. However, with defender Amar Dedic off, the backline was underpowered, and the way was clear for Harvey Barnes to show that Gordon is not Howe's only attacking winger.

The home side's double substitution was already paying off by the time Pope dispatched a superb long throw in Barnes's path. When Silva, for once, misjudged the flight, Barnes was clear, sprinting into the penalty box before keeping commendable poise to fire a sublime shot past Trubin.

After Harvey Barnes rolled a shot through poor Trubin's feet after receiving Anthony Gordon's excellent pass, it was all over. Mourinho had warned that the Magpies have several very fast wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from two wide men had shattered his chances of earning Benfica's first European result of the season.