Harvey Barnes Scores Twice as The Magpies Overcome Portuguese Side and Mourinho

As the Benfica manager arrived at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his players, local supporters were concerned about a tough match. But those fears disappeared due to a strike from the winger and a brace from replacement the forward, making sure the visitors' new manager did not inflict pain for Newcastle.

Game Dynamics and Initial Exchanges

The Benfica boss had forecast that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his own team displayed their similar combative style. The visitors certainly enjoyed disrupting Newcastle's early attempts to build a smooth attacking rhythm.

Adding to Newcastle's challenges, two midfielders, Tonali and Joelinton, began as substitutes as they continued convalescing from illness and injury respectively.

Prior to kick-off, the two managers shared a brief, cool greeting, and it quickly became clear that Mourinho had instructed his side to subdue the crowd by slowing Newcastle and lowering the temperature whenever possible.

Critical Events and Turning Points

Benfica's tactic produced varied results, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates managed to break through the backline, they at first found it hard to create clear opportunities.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgian attacker Dodi Lukebakio almost showed how to finish when, after leaving the defender on the ground, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that got an excellent one-handed stop. It's no surprise Pope retains hope for an national team return in time for the global tournament.

Yet when the winger hit a further attempt against the post, the home side woke up. Murphy shot off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive close-range stop from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally opened the deadlock.

The England winger's blazing pace had caused problems for Mourinho all night, and he neatly side-footed the first goal past Trubin after Murphy's early cross into the area paid off.

When Newcastle's intense, high press was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was available to pass a low ball across the goal for Gordon to finish.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Changes

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be accused of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's side pushed forward with total abandon. Lukebakio repeatedly showed an skill to destabilize Newcastle's defense, and the Magpies were likely grateful to regroup at the break.

The opening period ended with the keeper once more rescuing his team by tipping the attacker's shot around the goal frame, and as the teams came out for the second half, everything seemed finely poised.

If Anthony Gordon, evidently boosted by scoring his fourth strike in three European appearances this campaign, played with the determination of a winger aiming to alter the balance in his team's direction, Lukebakio had different plans.

The manager's No 11 had previously emphasized that, while Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a born left-back, and home fans were in mouths every time he moved forward.

Howe might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, deputising for Tonali, not headed a set-piece over the crossbar from a good position. Instead, this absorbing contest continued to move from end to end, persuading Newcastle's manager to introduce Joelinton and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

The Benfica boss, meanwhile, threw on an additional striker in Franjo Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a gamble that backfired.

Harvey Barnes Wins the Match

Until then, Benfica, and in particular their Portuguese back Antonio Silva, had done a fine job in restricting Woltemade's room and forcing Newcastle's German centre-forward deep. However, with right-back Dedic off, the backline was weakened, and the way was clear for Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only attacking winger.

Newcastle's double substitution was already paying off by the time Pope dispatched a superb long throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, for once, misjudged the bounce, Barnes was clear, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining impressive poise to lash a superb shot past Trubin.

After Harvey Barnes slid a low effort through poor Trubin's legs after meeting Gordon's stellar pass, it was finished. The Benfica manager had cautioned that Newcastle have several very fast wingers, and three goals from a pair of wide men had shattered his hopes of earning Benfica's first European points of the campaign.