Barnes Fires Twice as Newcastle Overcome Portuguese Side and Jose Mourinho

As the Benfica manager arrived at St James' Park and complimented Newcastle's coach and his squad, home supporters were concerned about a tough match. However those worries vanished due to a goal from Anthony Gordon and two more from replacement the forward, ensuring the visitors' new manager would not cause pain for Newcastle.

Match Flow and Initial Exchanges

Mourinho had forecast that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players showed their similar aggressive approach. The visitors certainly enjoyed disrupting Newcastle's initial efforts to establish a smooth attacking rhythm.

Adding to the home team's issues, two midfielders, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, began on the bench as they were convalescing from illness and a knock respectively.

Before kick-off, the coaches shared a perfunctory, cool embrace, and it soon became apparent that Mourinho had instructed his side to subdue the home fans by delaying the game and lowering the temperature at every chance.

Key Events and Decisive Actions

The visitors' strategy yielded mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to break through Benfica's defensive barricades, they at first struggled to create clear opportunities.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgian attacker Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after beating Dan Burn on the ground, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous shot that got an terrific one-handed save. No wonder the goalkeeper still hopes for an national team recall in time for the World Cup.

Yet when the winger hit a further attempt against the post, Newcastle roused themselves. Murphy shot wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent near-post save from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last opened the deadlock.

Gordon's blazing pace had created consternation for the Benfica coach all night, and he calmly slotted the opener past Trubin after his teammate's quick ball into the box proved effective.

When Newcastle's hard, pressing game was not anticipated by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a ground cross across the goal for Gordon to finish.

Second Half and Match-Winning Changes

Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now their side pushed forward with real abandon. Lukebakio repeatedly displayed an ability to unsettle Newcastle's back four, and the Magpies were likely grateful to regroup at half-time.

The opening period ended with Pope again saving his side by diverting Lukebakio's shot around the goal frame, and as the teams came out for the next period, everything seemed finely balanced.

If Anthony Gordon, clearly buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three Champions League appearances this campaign, played with the determination of a winger aiming to alter the power balance in his team's direction, Lukebakio had different plans.

The manager's No 11 had already shown that, while Dan Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a natural full-back, and Newcastle hearts were in mouths every time Lukebakio moved forward.

Howe might have felt easier had Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not directed a set-piece above the crossbar from a good position. Instead, this absorbing game continued to swing from one goal to the other, prompting the coach to introduce Joelinton and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, brought on an extra forward in Franjo Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a risk that backfired.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Match

Before that, the away team, and especially their Portugal defender Silva, had performed a fine job in restricting Nick Woltemade's space and pushing Newcastle's German striker back. But now, with right-back Dedic substituted, the defense was weakened, and the path was open for Harvey Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only attacking winger.

The home side's double substitution was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper sent a superb long throw in the substitute's direction. When Silva, for once, misjudged the bounce, the winger was away, accelerating into the area before maintaining impressive poise to fire a superb strike past the keeper.

After Barnes slid a shot through poor the goalkeeper's feet after receiving Anthony Gordon's excellent through ball, it was all over. The Benfica manager had cautioned that the Magpies have four quick wide attackers, and three goals from two wingers had destroyed his hopes of securing Benfica's first European result of the campaign.