Barnes Scores Twice as Newcastle Overcome Portuguese Side and Jose Mourinho

When Jose Mourinho came at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Newcastle's coach and his players, home fans were concerned about a tough game. However those fears vanished due to a goal from the winger and two more from substitute the forward, making sure the visitors' coach did not inflict any trouble for Howe's team.

Game Dynamics and Early Exchanges

Mourinho had predicted that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players displayed their similar combative style. The visitors clearly enjoyed disrupting Newcastle's early efforts to build a fluent passing rhythm.

Adding to the home team's challenges, key midfielders, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, began as substitutes as they continued recovering from sickness and a knock each.

Prior to kick-off, the two managers exchanged a perfunctory, reserved greeting, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had instructed his team to subdue the crowd by delaying the game and lowering the intensity whenever possible.

Key Moments and Turning Points

Benfica's strategy yielded mixed results, but when Gordon and his teammates succeeded to dismantle Benfica's backline, they at first found it hard to generate good opportunities.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgian attacker Lukebakio nearly demonstrated how to finish when, after beating the defender behind, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous strike that required an excellent one-handed save. It's no surprise Pope still hopes for an England recall in time for the World Cup.

But when the winger hit another shot against the woodwork, Newcastle roused themselves. Murphy fired off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive near-post stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last opened the scoreless tie.

The England winger's blazing pace had created problems for Mourinho all night, and he calmly slotted the opener past the goalkeeper after Murphy's early ball into the box paid off.

On the occasion the Magpies' intense, high press was not second-guessed by the opposition, Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to deliver a ground ball across the face of goal for Gordon to polish off.

Second Half and Decisive Changes

Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now their players pushed forward with total freedom. The winger consistently displayed an ability to destabilize Howe's defense, and the Magpies were likely relieved to reset at the break.

The first half ended with Pope again rescuing his team by diverting the attacker's shot around the goal frame, and as the sides emerged for the next period, the match seemed finely poised.

While Gordon, clearly buoyed by netting his fourth strike in three Champions League games this season, played with the determination of a winger aiming to alter the power balance in Newcastle's direction, the Benfica attacker had different ideas.

Mourinho's winger had previously emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a born full-back, and home fans were nervous every time Lukebakio advanced.

Howe might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece above the crossbar from a good spot. Rather, this thrilling game continued to move from one goal to the other, persuading Newcastle's coach to bring on Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, brought on an extra forward in Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a gamble that backfired.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Game

Before that, the away team, and in particular their Portugal back Antonio Silva, had performed a fine job in limiting Woltemade's room and pushing Newcastle's Germany striker deep. But now, with defender Amar Dedic substituted, the defense was underpowered, and the path was open for Barnes to show that Gordon is not Howe's only attacking wide player.

Newcastle's two changes was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper sent a wonderful throw in the substitute's path. When Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the bounce, Barnes was clear, sprinting into the area before maintaining commendable composure to fire a superb shot past the keeper.

When Harvey Barnes slid a shot through poor Trubin's feet after receiving Gordon's stellar pass, it was finished. The Benfica manager had cautioned that Newcastle have four quick wingers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wingers had shattered his chances of earning Benfica's first Champions League points of the season.