🔗 Share this article

When Jose Mourinho came at St James' Park and praised Newcastle's coach and his players, home supporters feared a difficult game. However such fears disappeared due to a strike from the winger and a brace from substitute Harvey Barnes, making sure the visitors' new manager would not cause pain for Howe's team.

Match Dynamics and Initial Exchanges

Mourinho had forecast that the home side would be very physical, but his own team displayed their similar aggressive style. Benfica certainly enjoyed disrupting Newcastle's early attempts to establish a fluent passing rhythm.

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

Prior to kick-off, the two managers exchanged a brief, cool embrace, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had told his team to quiet the home fans by slowing Newcastle and lowering the intensity at every chance.

Key Events and Decisive Actions

The visitors' strategy yielded mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and his teammates managed to dismantle the backline, they initially struggled to generate good opportunities.

Moreover, the Belgian winger Lukebakio almost demonstrated scoring skill when, after beating Dan Burn on the ground, he forced Nick Pope with a tremendous strike that required an excellent single-hand save. No wonder Pope retains hope for an England recall in time for the global tournament.

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

The England winger's scorching speed had created problems for the Benfica coach all evening, and he calmly slotted the opener past the goalkeeper after Murphy's quick ball into the box paid off.

On the occasion the Magpies' hard, high press was not anticipated by the opposition, Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a ground cross across the goal for Gordon to polish off.

Second Half and Match-Winning Substitutions

From the beginning, Benfica could not be blamed of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's players pushed forward with real freedom. The winger consistently showed an ability to destabilize Newcastle's defense, and the home team were probably relieved to regroup at the break.

The first half ended with Pope again saving his side by diverting Lukebakio's shot around the post, and as the sides came out for the next period, everything seemed evenly balanced.

While Anthony Gordon, evidently buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three Champions League games this season, played with the zeal of a wide player set to shift the power balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had other plans.

The manager's No 11 had previously shown that, while Dan Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a born left-back, and home hearts were nervous every time Lukebakio moved forward.

The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, filling in for Tonali, not directed a set-piece over the crossbar from a well-placed position. Instead, this thrilling contest continued to move from end to end, prompting Newcastle's manager to bring on the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

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

Harvey Barnes Seals the Game

Before that, Benfica, and especially their Portuguese defender Silva, had performed a fine job in limiting Nick Woltemade's space and pushing the German centre-forward back. However, with defender Dedic off, the backline was weakened, and the way was open for Harvey Barnes to prove that Gordon is not Howe's only attacking winger.

The home side's two changes was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a superb long throw in the substitute's path. When Silva, for once, misread the flight, Barnes was clear, accelerating into the area before keeping impressive composure to fire a superb shot past Trubin.

After Barnes rolled a low effort through poor Trubin's feet after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar pass, it was finished. Mourinho had cautioned that Newcastle have several quick wingers, and three goals from a pair of wide men had shattered his hopes of securing Benfica's first Champions League result of the season.