🔗 Share this article

When the Benfica manager came at St James' Park and complimented Newcastle's coach and his squad, local fans feared a tough match. But those worries disappeared due to a goal from Anthony Gordon and two more from replacement Harvey Barnes, ensuring the visitors' new manager would not cause pain for Newcastle.

Game Flow and Initial Action

Mourinho had forecast that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his own team displayed their similar combative style. Benfica clearly enjoyed breaking up Newcastle's initial efforts to build a smooth passing rhythm.

Compounding Newcastle's issues, key players, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, started as substitutes as they continued recovering from illness and injury each.

Prior to the start, the two managers exchanged a brief, reserved greeting, and it soon became apparent that Mourinho had instructed his side to subdue the home fans by slowing Newcastle and reducing the intensity at every chance.

Key Moments and Turning Points

The visitors' strategy yielded mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and his teammates succeeded to break through the backline, they initially found it hard to create clear chances.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgium attacker Lukebakio almost showed scoring skill when, after leaving the defender behind, he tested Nick Pope with a powerful shot that required an excellent one-handed stop. No wonder the goalkeeper retains hope for an England return in time for the global tournament.

But when the winger hit another attempt against the woodwork, the home side roused themselves. Jacob Murphy shot wide, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent near-post stop from Guimaraes before Gordon at last broke the deadlock.

The England winger's scorching speed had created problems for Mourinho all night, and he neatly side-footed the first goal past the goalkeeper after Murphy's early ball into the box proved effective.

On the occasion Newcastle's intense, high press was not second-guessed by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was available to pass a low ball across the goal for the winger to polish off.

Second Half and Decisive Changes

Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now their players pushed forward with real freedom. Lukebakio repeatedly displayed an ability to destabilize Howe's back four, and the Magpies were probably grateful to reset at the break.

The opening period concluded with Pope once more saving his side by tipping Lukebakio's left-foot wide of the goal frame, and as the teams came out for the next period, the match seemed finely balanced.

If Gordon, evidently boosted by netting his fourth goal in three European appearances this campaign, played with the zeal of a wide player aiming to shift the power balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had different plans.

Mourinho's winger had already emphasized that, while Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a born left-back, and Newcastle fans were in mouths every time Lukebakio advanced.

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Miley, deputising for Tonali, not directed a set-piece above the crossbar from a well-placed position. Instead, this absorbing game continued to move from end to end, persuading Newcastle's manager to bring on the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, meanwhile, brought on an additional forward in Franjo Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a risk that backfired.

Barnes Wins the Game

Until then, the away team, and especially their Portugal defender Silva, had performed a fine job in restricting Woltemade's space and forcing the German centre-forward back. However, with right-back Dedic off, the backline was underpowered, and the path was open for Harvey Barnes to prove that Gordon is not the manager's only attacking winger.

Newcastle's double substitution was already proving effective by the time Pope sent a wonderful throw in the substitute's direction. When Silva, for once, misread the bounce, the winger was clear, accelerating into the area before keeping commendable poise to fire a superb strike past Trubin.

After Barnes slid a low effort through unfortunate Trubin's legs after meeting Gordon's stellar through ball, it was all over. The Benfica manager had cautioned that the Magpies have several very fast wide attackers, and three goals from two wingers had shattered his hopes of earning the team's first Champions League points of the season.