Harvey Barnes Scores Two Goals as The Magpies Overcome Portuguese Side and Jose Mourinho

When the Benfica manager arrived at St James' Park and complimented Newcastle's coach and his squad, home supporters were concerned about a difficult match. However such fears vanished due to a strike from the winger and two more from replacement the forward, making sure Benfica's new manager did not inflict any trouble for Newcastle.

Game Dynamics and Initial Exchanges

The Benfica boss had predicted that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his own team displayed their similar aggressive approach. The visitors certainly delighted in breaking up Newcastle's early efforts to build a smooth attacking rhythm.

Compounding Newcastle's issues, two players, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, began on the bench as they were recovering from sickness and injury each.

Prior to kick-off, the coaches shared a perfunctory, cool embrace, and it quickly became clear that Mourinho had told his side to subdue the home fans by delaying the game and lowering the temperature at every chance.

Key Moments and Decisive Actions

The visitors' strategy produced varied outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates succeeded to dismantle Benfica's defensive barricades, they initially struggled to create clear chances.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgian attacker Lukebakio nearly demonstrated scoring skill when, after beating the defender behind, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that got an terrific single-hand stop. It's no surprise Pope still hopes for an national team recall in time for the World Cup.

Yet when the winger hit a further attempt against the woodwork, the home side woke up. Jacob Murphy shot wide, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive close-range stop from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last opened the deadlock.

The England winger's scorching pace had created consternation for the Benfica coach all night, and he calmly side-footed the first goal past the goalkeeper after his teammate's early cross into the box paid off.

On the occasion the Magpies' hard, pressing game was not anticipated by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to deliver a ground ball across the face of goal for Gordon to finish.

Second Half and Decisive Substitutions

Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be accused of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now their players attacked with total freedom. The winger consistently displayed an skill to unsettle Newcastle's back four, and the Magpies were probably grateful to reset at the break.

The first half ended with Pope again rescuing his team by tipping the attacker's left-foot wide of the post, and as the sides came out for the next period, everything seemed evenly poised.

While Anthony Gordon, clearly boosted by scoring his fourth strike in three Champions League appearances this season, played with the determination of a wide player set to shift the power balance in Newcastle's favor, the Benfica attacker had other plans.

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

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not headed a corner over the crossbar from a good spot. Instead, this thrilling contest continued to move from end to end, persuading the coach to introduce the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

Mourinho, meanwhile, brought on an extra forward in Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a risk that backfired.

Barnes Seals the Match

Until then, the away team, and in particular their Portugal back Silva, had performed a good job in limiting Nick Woltemade's space and pushing Newcastle's Germany striker back. But now, with right-back Amar Dedic substituted, the backline was underpowered, and the way was open for Harvey Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring wide player.

The home side's two changes was already proving effective by the time Pope sent a superb throw in the substitute's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the bounce, the winger was clear, accelerating into the area before maintaining commendable composure to fire a superb strike past the keeper.

After Harvey Barnes slid a shot through poor Trubin's feet after receiving Gordon's excellent pass, it was finished. Mourinho had cautioned that the Magpies have four very fast wingers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wide men had destroyed his hopes of earning the team's first European result of the season.