Harvey Barnes Scores Two Goals as Newcastle Defeat Portuguese Side and Mourinho
As Jose Mourinho arrived at St James' Park and complimented Eddie Howe and his players, home supporters were concerned about a tough game. However those worries vanished due to a goal from the winger and a brace from replacement the forward, ensuring the visitors' coach did not inflict any trouble for Howe's team.
Game Flow and Initial Exchanges
The Benfica boss had predicted that Newcastle would be very physical, but his own team showed their similar aggressive approach. The visitors clearly delighted in breaking up Newcastle's initial efforts to build a fluent attacking rhythm.
Compounding the home team's challenges, key midfielders, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, began as substitutes as they were convalescing from illness and injury respectively.
Before the start, the two managers exchanged a perfunctory, cool embrace, and it quickly became clear that Mourinho had instructed his side to subdue the crowd by delaying the game and lowering the intensity whenever possible.
Critical Events and Turning Points
The visitors' strategy produced varied results, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to break through Benfica's backline, they at first struggled to create good opportunities.
Additionally, the Belgian attacker Dodi Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after leaving the defender on the ground, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a powerful strike that got an excellent one-handed save. It's no surprise the goalkeeper retains hope for an England return in time for the global tournament.
Yet when the winger directed a further shot against the woodwork, the home side woke up. Jacob Murphy shot wide, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent close-range stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last broke the deadlock.
The England winger's scorching speed had created consternation for the Benfica coach all evening, and he calmly slotted the first goal past Trubin after Murphy's quick ball into the box paid off.
When Newcastle's hard, high press was not anticipated by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was there to pass a low cross across the goal for the winger to polish off.
Second Half and Match-Winning Changes
From the beginning, Benfica could not be blamed of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's side pushed forward with real freedom. The winger consistently showed an ability to destabilize Howe's back four, and the home team were probably relieved to reset at the break.
The first half ended with the keeper again rescuing his team by tipping Lukebakio's shot wide of the goal frame, and as the sides emerged for the next period, the match seemed finely poised.
While Gordon, clearly buoyed by netting his fourth goal in three Champions League games this campaign, played with the determination of a wide player set to shift the balance in his team's favor, the Benfica attacker had different ideas.
The manager's winger had already shown that, while Dan Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a born full-back, and home fans were nervous every time he advanced.
The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Miley, deputising for Tonali, not headed a corner above the bar from a good position. Instead, this absorbing game continued to move from one goal to the other, prompting the manager to bring on the midfielder and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.
Mourinho, at the same time, threw on an extra striker in Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a risk that backfired.
Harvey Barnes Wins the Match
Before that, the away team, and in particular their Portugal back Antonio Silva, had performed a good job in limiting Woltemade's space and forcing the Germany striker deep. However, with right-back Dedic off, the defense was underpowered, and the way was clear for Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only attacking winger.
Newcastle's two changes was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper sent a wonderful long throw in Barnes's direction. When Antonio Silva, for once, misjudged the flight, Barnes was away, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining commendable poise to fire a sublime strike past the keeper.
After Barnes slid a shot through unfortunate the goalkeeper's legs after receiving Anthony Gordon's stellar through ball, it was all over. Mourinho had cautioned that the Magpies have four very fast wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wide men had destroyed his chances of earning the team's first Champions League points of the campaign.
