Barnes Fires Twice as The Magpies Overcome Portuguese Side and Jose Mourinho

As the Benfica manager came at Newcastle's stadium and praised Eddie Howe and his squad, home supporters were concerned about a difficult match. However such worries disappeared thanks to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from replacement Harvey Barnes, ensuring Benfica's coach would not cause any trouble for Newcastle.

Match Flow and Early Exchanges

The Benfica boss had forecast that Newcastle would be very physical, but his own team showed their similar aggressive style. The visitors certainly enjoyed disrupting Newcastle's early efforts to build a smooth passing tempo.

Compounding Newcastle's issues, key players, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, began as substitutes as they continued convalescing from sickness and injury each.

Prior to kick-off, the coaches shared a brief, reserved embrace, and it quickly became clear that Mourinho had told his side to subdue the home fans by delaying the game and lowering the temperature whenever possible.

Critical Events and Turning Points

Benfica's tactic produced varied outcomes, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to break through Benfica's backline, they at first found it hard to generate clear chances.

Moreover, the Belgium winger Lukebakio nearly demonstrated how to finish when, after leaving the defender on the ground, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous shot that required an terrific one-handed save. It's no surprise the goalkeeper still hopes for an national team return in time for the global tournament.

But when Lukebakio hit a further attempt against the woodwork, Newcastle roused themselves. Murphy fired wide, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive close-range stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon finally opened the scoreless tie.

Gordon's scorching pace had caused problems for Mourinho all evening, and he calmly slotted the opener past the goalkeeper after his teammate's quick cross into the box paid off.

On the occasion Newcastle's hard, pressing game was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a ground ball across the face of goal for Gordon to polish off.

Later Stages and Decisive Substitutions

Right from the start, Benfica could not be accused of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now their players attacked with real abandon. The winger consistently displayed an ability to destabilize Howe's defense, and the home team were probably grateful to regroup at half-time.

The opening period concluded with the keeper once more rescuing his team by tipping the attacker's left-foot wide of the post, and as the sides came out for the next period, everything seemed evenly balanced.

If Gordon, clearly buoyed 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 favor, Lukebakio had other ideas.

The manager's No 11 had already emphasized that, while Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a natural left-back, and home hearts were in mouths every time he advanced.

The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Miley, deputising for Tonali, not directed a set-piece over the crossbar from a good position. Rather, this absorbing game continued to move from one goal to the other, persuading Newcastle's coach to bring on the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, brought on an additional forward in Franjo Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a gamble too far.

Harvey Barnes Wins the Match

Until then, the away team, and in particular their Portugal defender Silva, had done a good job in limiting Woltemade's room and forcing Newcastle's Germany centre-forward deep. But now, with defender Amar Dedic off, the defense was weakened, and the path was clear for Harvey Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring winger.

Newcastle's double substitution was already paying off by the time Pope dispatched a superb throw in the substitute's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the flight, Barnes was away, accelerating into the penalty box before maintaining commendable composure to lash a sublime shot past the keeper.

After Barnes slid a low effort through unfortunate the goalkeeper's legs after receiving Anthony Gordon's stellar through ball, it was finished. The Benfica manager had cautioned that Newcastle have several very fast wingers, and three goals from two wide men had destroyed his chances of securing Benfica's first Champions League result of the campaign.