🔗 Share this article

When Jose Mourinho arrived at St James' Park and complimented Newcastle's coach and his players, local fans were concerned about a tough match. However those fears vanished due to a goal from Anthony Gordon and a brace from substitute the forward, ensuring the visitors' coach did not inflict pain for Newcastle.

Game Dynamics and Early Exchanges

Mourinho had predicted that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his own team displayed their similar combative approach. Benfica certainly delighted in disrupting Newcastle's early attempts to build a smooth attacking rhythm.

Adding to Newcastle's challenges, two midfielders, Tonali and Joelinton, began on the bench as they continued convalescing from illness and injury respectively.

Prior to the start, the two managers shared a brief, reserved greeting, and it soon became apparent that Mourinho had instructed his side to subdue the crowd by delaying Newcastle and lowering the intensity at every chance.

Critical Events and Turning Points

The visitors' tactic yielded mixed results, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to dismantle the defensive barricades, they at first found it hard to generate clear chances.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgium attacker Dodi Lukebakio almost showed how to finish when, after leaving the defender on the ground, he tested Nick Pope with a powerful strike that required an terrific one-handed stop. No wonder Pope retains hope for an England recall in time for the global tournament.

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

The England winger's blazing pace had caused consternation for Mourinho all evening, and he calmly side-footed the first goal past Trubin after Murphy's quick cross into the box proved effective.

When Newcastle's intense, pressing game was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to deliver a low ball across the face of goal for Gordon to polish off.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Changes

From the beginning, Benfica could not be blamed of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's side pushed forward with total freedom. The winger consistently displayed an ability to unsettle Howe's defense, and the Magpies were probably relieved to reset at half-time.

The first half concluded with the keeper once more saving his side by diverting the attacker's left-foot wide of the post, and as the sides came out for the next period, everything seemed finely poised.

While Anthony Gordon, evidently boosted by scoring his fourth goal in three European appearances this season, played with the determination of a wide player set to alter the power balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had other ideas.

The manager's winger had previously emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a natural left-back, and home fans were in mouths every time Lukebakio moved forward.

Howe might have felt easier had Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not directed a corner above the crossbar from a well-placed spot. Instead, this absorbing contest continued to move from end to end, prompting Newcastle's manager to introduce the midfielder and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, meanwhile, threw on an extra forward in Franjo Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a gamble too far.

Harvey Barnes Wins the Game

Before that, Benfica, and in particular their Portuguese back Antonio Silva, had done a fine job in restricting Nick Woltemade's space and pushing Newcastle's Germany striker back. However, with right-back Amar Dedic off, the backline was underpowered, and the way was clear for Harvey Barnes to show that Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring wide player.

Newcastle's two changes was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper sent a superb throw in Barnes's direction. When Silva, on this occasion, misread the flight, Barnes was away, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining impressive poise to lash a superb strike past the keeper.

After Harvey Barnes slid a shot through unfortunate Trubin's feet after receiving Gordon's excellent through ball, it was finished. Mourinho had warned that the Magpies have four very fast wide attackers, and three goals from two wide men had shattered his chances of earning the team's first Champions League result of the campaign.