🔗 Share this article

When the Benfica manager came at St James' Park and complimented Newcastle's coach and his players, local supporters were concerned about a difficult match. However such fears disappeared due to a strike from the winger and a brace from replacement the forward, ensuring the visitors' new manager would not cause pain for Howe's team.

Game Flow and Early Action

The Benfica boss had forecast that Newcastle would be very physical, but his Benfica players displayed their similar combative approach. The visitors clearly delighted in breaking up Newcastle's early efforts to establish a smooth attacking rhythm.

Compounding Newcastle's issues, two midfielders, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, started on the bench as they continued convalescing from sickness and injury respectively.

Prior to the start, the two managers exchanged a perfunctory, cool embrace, and it soon became clear that Mourinho had instructed his side to quiet the home fans by delaying Newcastle and reducing the intensity whenever possible.

Key Events and Turning Points

The visitors' tactic produced mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to dismantle Benfica's defensive barricades, they initially found it hard to generate good chances.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgium winger Dodi Lukebakio almost showed how to finish when, after leaving Dan Burn on the ground, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous shot that got an excellent single-hand stop. It's no surprise the goalkeeper retains hope for an national team return in time for the World Cup.

Yet when Lukebakio hit a further shot off the post, the home side woke up. Jacob Murphy shot wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent near-post save from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last broke the scoreless tie.

The England winger's scorching pace had created problems for Mourinho all night, and he calmly side-footed the first goal past the goalkeeper after his teammate's quick cross into the area proved effective.

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

Second Half and Decisive Changes

From the beginning, Benfica could not be blamed of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's side pushed forward with total freedom. Lukebakio repeatedly showed an skill to unsettle Howe's defense, and the Magpies were probably relieved to reset at half-time.

The opening period ended with Pope again saving his side by diverting Lukebakio's shot wide of the post, and as the sides emerged for the next period, everything seemed evenly balanced.

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

Mourinho's No 11 had already shown that, while Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a born left-back, and home fans were in mouths every time Lukebakio moved forward.

Howe might have relaxed had Miley, filling in for Tonali, not directed a set-piece above the crossbar from a well-placed position. Rather, this thrilling contest continued to swing from one goal to the other, prompting the manager to introduce Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, brought on an additional striker in Franjo Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a gamble too far.

Harvey Barnes Wins the Game

Before that, the away team, and in particular their Portugal back Silva, had performed a good job in restricting Woltemade's space and forcing the Germany striker back. But now, with defender Amar Dedic substituted, the backline was underpowered, and the path was open for Barnes to show that Gordon is not Howe's only attacking winger.

Newcastle's two changes was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a superb long throw in the substitute's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the flight, the winger was away, sprinting into the area before keeping impressive composure to fire a superb strike past Trubin.

After Barnes rolled a low effort through poor Trubin's feet after receiving Anthony Gordon's stellar pass, it was finished. Mourinho had warned that Newcastle have four very fast wingers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wingers had destroyed his chances of securing the team's first Champions League points of the campaign.