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

As the Benfica manager came at St James' Park and complimented Newcastle's coach and his squad, local supporters feared a tough match. However such worries vanished due to a strike from the winger and a brace from substitute Harvey Barnes, making sure the visitors' new manager would not cause any trouble for Newcastle.

Game Flow and Early Exchanges

Mourinho had forecast that Newcastle would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their own aggressive approach. The visitors certainly delighted in breaking up the Magpies' early attempts to build a fluent passing tempo.

Adding to the home team's issues, two players, Tonali and Joelinton, began on the bench as they continued recovering from illness and injury each.

Before the start, the two managers exchanged a brief, cool embrace, and it soon became clear that Mourinho had instructed his team to quiet the home fans by slowing Newcastle and reducing the intensity whenever possible.

Key Moments and Turning Points

Benfica's strategy produced mixed results, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to dismantle Benfica's defensive barricades, they initially struggled to generate clear chances.

Additionally, the Belgian attacker Dodi Lukebakio nearly demonstrated how to finish when, after leaving the defender behind, he tested Nick Pope with a powerful strike that got an terrific single-hand save. No wonder Pope still hopes for an England return in time for the global tournament.

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

Gordon's scorching speed had created consternation for Mourinho all evening, and he calmly slotted the opener past Trubin after Murphy's early cross into the area proved effective.

On the occasion Newcastle's hard, pressing game was not anticipated by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to pass a low cross across the face of goal for the winger to finish.

Later Stages and Decisive Substitutions

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now their side pushed forward with total abandon. The winger consistently showed an ability to destabilize Newcastle's back four, and the Magpies were probably grateful to regroup at the break.

The opening period concluded with Pope once more saving his team by diverting the attacker's left-foot around the goal frame, and as the sides came out for the second half, the match seemed evenly balanced.

If Gordon, evidently boosted by netting his fourth strike in three Champions League games this season, played with the determination of a wide player set to alter the power balance in his team's direction, Lukebakio had different ideas.

The manager's winger had previously emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a natural full-back, and home fans were nervous every time he advanced.

The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not headed a corner over the crossbar from a well-placed position. Instead, this thrilling contest continued to move from one goal to the other, prompting the coach to bring on Joelinton and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, meanwhile, brought on an extra striker in Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a gamble that backfired.

Barnes Wins the Match

Before that, the away team, and especially their Portuguese back Silva, had performed a fine job in limiting Woltemade's room and pushing the Germany centre-forward deep. But now, with right-back Dedic substituted, the backline was weakened, and the path was clear for Barnes to show that Gordon is not Howe's only attacking wide player.

Newcastle's two changes was already proving effective by the time Pope sent a wonderful long throw in the substitute's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the bounce, the winger was clear, accelerating into the area before maintaining commendable composure to fire a sublime shot past the keeper.

When Barnes rolled a shot through unfortunate the goalkeeper's legs after receiving Gordon's stellar pass, it was finished. The Benfica manager had warned that Newcastle have several very fast wingers, and three goals from two wingers had shattered his hopes of earning the team's first European points of the campaign.