🔗 Share this article

When the Benfica manager came at St James' Park and praised Eddie Howe and his squad, local supporters were concerned about a tough match. But those fears disappeared due to a strike from the winger and two more from replacement Harvey Barnes, ensuring the visitors' new manager would not cause any trouble for Howe's team.

Game Dynamics and Early Action

Mourinho had predicted that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players displayed their own combative style. Benfica certainly enjoyed breaking up the Magpies' early efforts to establish a fluent attacking rhythm.

Compounding Newcastle's issues, key midfielders, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, started as substitutes as they were convalescing from sickness and a knock each.

Before kick-off, the coaches shared a perfunctory, reserved embrace, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had instructed his side to quiet the crowd by slowing the game and lowering the intensity whenever possible.

Critical Events and Decisive Actions

Benfica's tactic produced mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to break through the defensive barricades, they initially struggled to create clear opportunities.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgian winger Lukebakio nearly demonstrated how to finish when, after leaving the defender behind, he tested Nick Pope with a tremendous shot that required an excellent single-hand stop. It's no surprise Pope still hopes for an England return in time for the global tournament.

Yet when the winger hit a further attempt off the woodwork, the home side woke up. Murphy fired wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent near-post save from Guimaraes before Gordon finally opened the scoreless tie.

Gordon's blazing pace had created problems for the Benfica coach all evening, and he calmly side-footed the first goal past the goalkeeper after Murphy's quick cross into the box paid off.

When the Magpies' intense, high press was not second-guessed by Benfica, Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a ground ball across the goal for the winger to polish off.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Changes

Right from the start, Benfica could not be blamed of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now their players attacked with real freedom. Lukebakio repeatedly showed an skill to unsettle Newcastle's defense, and the Magpies were probably relieved to regroup at half-time.

The first half ended with Pope again rescuing his team by diverting the attacker's left-foot wide of the post, and as the sides came out for the second half, everything seemed finely balanced.

If Anthony Gordon, evidently buoyed by scoring his fourth strike in three Champions League games this campaign, played with the zeal of a wide player aiming to shift the balance in his team's favor, Lukebakio had different plans.

The manager's No 11 had previously shown that, while Dan Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a natural full-back, and Newcastle hearts were nervous every time he moved forward.

Howe might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, filling in for Tonali, not directed a corner above the crossbar from a good spot. Instead, this absorbing contest continued to move from end to end, persuading the manager to bring on Joelinton and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

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

Harvey Barnes Wins the Game

Before that, Benfica, and especially their Portuguese back Antonio Silva, had done a fine job in restricting Nick Woltemade's space and forcing the Germany striker deep. But now, with defender Amar Dedic substituted, the defense was underpowered, and the path was clear for Harvey Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only attacking wide player.

Newcastle's two changes was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a wonderful throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, for once, misjudged the flight, Barnes was away, accelerating into the penalty box before maintaining commendable composure to lash a superb shot past Trubin.

After Barnes slid a shot through unfortunate Trubin's feet after receiving Anthony Gordon's excellent pass, it was all over. Mourinho had warned that Newcastle have several very fast wingers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wide men had shattered his hopes of securing the team's first European result of the campaign.