Harvey Barnes Scores Two Goals as Newcastle Overcome Benfica and Mourinho

As Jose Mourinho arrived at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his players, local supporters were concerned about a difficult match. However such worries vanished thanks to a goal from the winger and two more from replacement the forward, making sure the visitors' coach would not cause pain for Newcastle.

Game Flow and Initial Exchanges

Mourinho had forecast that the home side would be very physical, but his Benfica players displayed their own aggressive style. Benfica clearly delighted in disrupting Newcastle's initial efforts to build a fluent passing rhythm.

Adding to the home team's issues, two midfielders, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, started as substitutes as they continued convalescing from sickness and injury respectively.

Prior to the start, the two managers shared a brief, cool greeting, and it soon became apparent that the Benfica coach had instructed his team to subdue the crowd by delaying the game and reducing the intensity at every chance.

Key Events and Turning Points

Benfica's strategy produced varied results, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to break through Benfica's backline, they at first struggled to generate clear chances.

Additionally, the Belgian winger Dodi Lukebakio nearly showed scoring skill when, after leaving the defender behind, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that got an excellent single-hand save. No wonder Pope still hopes for an England return in time for the global tournament.

Yet when Lukebakio directed another attempt off the post, the home side roused themselves. Jacob Murphy fired off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent close-range stop from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally broke the deadlock.

Gordon's scorching pace had created problems for Mourinho all night, and he calmly slotted the opener past the goalkeeper after Murphy's early ball into the area proved effective.

On the occasion Newcastle's intense, pressing game was not second-guessed by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was there to pass a low cross across the face of goal for Gordon to polish off.

Second Half and Decisive Substitutions

Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now their players pushed forward with real freedom. The winger repeatedly showed an skill to destabilize Newcastle's defense, and the home team were probably grateful to reset at the break.

The first half ended with the keeper once more saving his team by diverting the attacker's shot around the post, and as the sides emerged for the second half, the match seemed finely balanced.

While Gordon, evidently boosted by netting his fourth goal in three European appearances this season, played with the determination of a wide player set to shift the balance in his team's favor, Lukebakio had different ideas.

Mourinho's No 11 had previously emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a natural left-back, and Newcastle hearts were nervous every time he moved forward.

Howe might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, deputising for Tonali, not headed a corner above the bar from a well-placed position. Rather, this absorbing game continued to move from end to end, prompting Newcastle's coach to bring on Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, threw on an additional forward in Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a gamble that backfired.

Barnes Seals the Match

Until then, Benfica, and especially their Portugal back Silva, had performed a good job in restricting Woltemade's space and pushing Newcastle's Germany striker deep. However, with right-back Dedic off, the backline was underpowered, and the path was clear for Harvey Barnes to show that Gordon is not the manager's only attacking winger.

The home side's two changes was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a wonderful throw in the substitute's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the flight, the winger was away, accelerating into the penalty box before maintaining commendable composure to fire a sublime shot past the keeper.

After Harvey Barnes slid a shot through poor the goalkeeper's legs after meeting Gordon's excellent pass, it was finished. The Benfica manager had cautioned that Newcastle have several quick wide attackers, and three goals from a pair of wingers had destroyed his hopes of securing the team's first European points of the season.