🔗 Share this article

As Jose Mourinho arrived at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Eddie Howe and his squad, local supporters feared a difficult match. However such worries vanished due to a goal from the winger and a brace from replacement Harvey Barnes, ensuring the visitors' coach did not inflict pain for Newcastle.

Game Flow and Early Exchanges

Mourinho had forecast that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his own team displayed their own combative approach. Benfica clearly enjoyed disrupting the Magpies' initial efforts to build a smooth attacking rhythm.

Compounding the home team's challenges, two midfielders, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, began on the bench as they continued recovering from sickness and injury each.

Prior to the start, the coaches shared a brief, cool embrace, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had instructed his team to quiet the crowd by slowing Newcastle and reducing the temperature at every chance.

Critical Events and Decisive Actions

Benfica's tactic produced mixed outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to dismantle the defensive barricades, they at first found it hard to generate good opportunities.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgium winger Lukebakio nearly demonstrated scoring skill when, after leaving the defender on the ground, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a powerful strike that got an terrific single-hand stop. It's no surprise the goalkeeper retains hope for an national team return in time for the global tournament.

Yet when the winger hit another shot against the woodwork, Newcastle roused themselves. Jacob Murphy shot off target, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent close-range stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon finally broke the deadlock.

The England winger's blazing speed had caused consternation for Mourinho all evening, and he calmly slotted the opener past the goalkeeper after his teammate's early cross into the area proved effective.

When Newcastle's hard, high press was not second-guessed by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was available to deliver a low cross across the face of goal for Gordon to finish.

Second Half and Match-Winning Substitutions

Right from the start, Benfica could not be blamed of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now their players pushed forward with total abandon. Lukebakio consistently displayed an skill to unsettle Newcastle's back four, and the Magpies were probably grateful to reset at the break.

The opening period ended with Pope 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 evenly poised.

If Gordon, evidently buoyed by netting his fourth strike in three Champions League appearances this campaign, played with the determination of a winger set to shift the power balance in Newcastle's favor, Lukebakio had different ideas.

Mourinho's No 11 had previously shown that, while Dan Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a born full-back, and home hearts were nervous every time he advanced.

Howe might have relaxed had Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not directed a corner above the crossbar from a good position. Rather, this thrilling game continued to swing from end to end, persuading Newcastle's coach to introduce 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 perhaps prove a risk that backfired.

Barnes Seals the Match

Until then, Benfica, and especially their Portuguese defender Antonio Silva, had performed a good job in limiting Woltemade's room and forcing the German centre-forward back. However, with right-back Amar Dedic substituted, the defense was underpowered, and the way was clear for Barnes to show that Gordon is not the manager's only attacking wide player.

The home side's two changes was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a superb long throw in the substitute's path. When Silva, on this occasion, misread the flight, Barnes was clear, sprinting into the area before keeping impressive composure to lash a sublime shot past the keeper.

When Barnes rolled a low effort through poor the goalkeeper's legs after receiving Gordon's excellent pass, it was finished. The Benfica manager had cautioned that the Magpies have several very fast wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wide men had shattered his hopes of earning Benfica's first Champions League points of the season.