🔗 Share this article Harvey Barnes Fires Twice as The Magpies Defeat Portuguese Side and Mourinho When the Benfica manager came at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Eddie Howe and his players, local fans were concerned about a tough game. However those fears vanished due to a strike from Anthony Gordon and two more from substitute Harvey Barnes, making sure Benfica's coach would not cause pain for Newcastle. Game Dynamics and Initial Action Mourinho had predicted that the home side would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their similar combative style. Benfica certainly enjoyed disrupting the Magpies' early efforts to establish a smooth attacking rhythm. Adding to the home team's issues, two players, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, started as substitutes as they continued convalescing from illness and injury respectively. Before kick-off, the coaches exchanged a brief, reserved greeting, and it soon became clear that the Benfica coach had instructed his team to subdue the home fans by slowing the game and reducing the intensity whenever possible. Key Moments and Turning Points The visitors' tactic yielded mixed results, but when Gordon and his teammates succeeded to dismantle Benfica's backline, they at first struggled to create clear opportunities. Moreover, the Belgian winger Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after leaving Dan Burn behind, he tested Nick Pope with a tremendous strike that got an terrific one-handed stop. No wonder the goalkeeper still hopes for an national team recall in time for the World Cup. But when the winger hit another attempt off the post, the home side roused themselves. Murphy shot off target, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent near-post stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon at last opened the scoreless tie. The England winger's scorching pace had created consternation for the Benfica coach all night, and he calmly side-footed the first goal past Trubin after Murphy's early ball into the area proved effective. On the occasion the Magpies' intense, high press was not second-guessed by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a ground ball across the goal for the winger to polish off. Second Half and Match-Winning Substitutions Right from the start, Benfica could not be blamed of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's side pushed forward with real abandon. Lukebakio consistently showed an skill to destabilize Newcastle's defense, and the home team were likely relieved to regroup at the break. The opening period concluded with Pope once more rescuing his side by diverting the attacker's shot wide of the post, and as the teams came out for the second half, the match seemed finely poised. While Gordon, clearly buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three European appearances this season, played with the determination of a wide player set to shift the balance in Newcastle's favor, the Benfica attacker had different plans. The manager's No 11 had already shown that, while Dan Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a born full-back, and home fans were in mouths every time he advanced. The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not directed a set-piece above the bar from a good position. Instead, this absorbing game continued to swing from end to end, prompting Newcastle's coach to introduce Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy. Mourinho, meanwhile, brought on an additional striker in Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a risk that backfired. Harvey Barnes Seals the Game Until then, the away team, and especially their Portugal back Antonio Silva, had done a good job in restricting Nick Woltemade's space and forcing the German striker back. However, with right-back Dedic substituted, the defense was weakened, and the path was open for Harvey Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only attacking wide player. Newcastle's double substitution was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper sent a superb throw in the substitute's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the flight, Barnes was clear, accelerating into the penalty box before maintaining impressive composure to fire a superb strike past the keeper. When Harvey Barnes rolled a low effort through unfortunate the goalkeeper's legs after receiving Gordon's stellar through ball, it was finished. Mourinho had cautioned that Newcastle have four very fast wingers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wide men had shattered his hopes of earning the team's first European points of the campaign.