🔗 Share this article

When Jose Mourinho arrived at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Newcastle's coach and his squad, home fans were concerned about a difficult game. But such fears disappeared due to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from substitute Harvey Barnes, ensuring Benfica's coach would not cause pain for Howe's team.

Match Flow and Initial Action

The Benfica boss had forecast that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players showed their similar aggressive approach. Benfica certainly enjoyed breaking up Newcastle's initial attempts to establish a fluent attacking tempo.

Adding to Newcastle's challenges, two players, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, began as substitutes as they were recovering from sickness and injury respectively.

Before the start, the coaches shared a brief, cool greeting, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had told his side to quiet the crowd by slowing Newcastle and lowering the temperature at every chance.

Critical Moments and Decisive Actions

Benfica's strategy produced mixed results, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to break through the defensive barricades, they initially struggled to generate clear chances.

Moreover, the Belgian winger Lukebakio almost showed scoring skill when, after beating Dan Burn behind, he tested Nick Pope with a tremendous shot that required an excellent one-handed save. It's no surprise Pope retains hope for an England recall in time for the World Cup.

Yet when Lukebakio hit another attempt off the post, the home side woke up. Murphy shot off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent close-range stop from Guimaraes before Gordon finally opened the deadlock.

Gordon's scorching pace had caused problems for Mourinho all evening, and he neatly slotted the first goal past Trubin after his teammate's quick ball into the area paid off.

On the occasion the Magpies' hard, pressing game was not second-guessed by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to pass a low cross across the goal for Gordon to finish.

Second Half and Decisive Substitutions

From the beginning, Benfica could not be blamed of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now their players attacked with total freedom. Lukebakio consistently displayed an ability to destabilize Howe's back four, and the Magpies were probably relieved to reset at the break.

The first half ended with the keeper again saving his team by diverting Lukebakio's shot around the post, and as the sides emerged for the next period, the match seemed evenly balanced.

If Gordon, clearly buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three Champions League games this season, played with the determination of a winger set to shift the power balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had other ideas.

The manager's No 11 had already shown that, while Dan Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a natural left-back, and home fans were nervous every time Lukebakio advanced.

Howe might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, filling in for Tonali, not directed a corner over the crossbar from a good position. Instead, this thrilling game continued to move from end to end, persuading Newcastle's manager to introduce the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, meanwhile, brought on an additional striker in Franjo Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a risk that backfired.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Game

Before that, Benfica, and in particular their Portugal back Silva, had performed a good job in restricting Nick Woltemade's space and forcing the Germany centre-forward back. But now, with defender Amar Dedic substituted, the backline was underpowered, and the path was open for Barnes to prove that Gordon is not the manager's only attacking winger.

The home side's double substitution was already paying off by the time Pope sent a superb long throw in Barnes's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the flight, Barnes was clear, accelerating into the area before keeping impressive poise to lash a superb strike past the keeper.

When Harvey Barnes rolled a shot through unfortunate the goalkeeper's feet after meeting Gordon's stellar through ball, it was all over. The Benfica manager had cautioned that Newcastle have four quick wingers, and three goals from two wingers had destroyed his hopes of securing the team's first European result of the campaign.