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Sports | Match Report | Newcastle United vs Benfica
Newcastle Delivers dominant display as Eddie Howe’s men soar past the Portuguese side.
Newcastle United beat Portuguese side Benfica 3-0 in the Champions league, with goals from Anthony Gordon (32) and substitute Harvey Barnes (70,83) sealing a convincing win at St James’ Park.
| Stat | Newcastle | Benfica |
| Possession | 52 | 48 |
| Expected Goals (xG) | 2.63 | 0.33 |
| Shots | 19 | 7 |
| Shots on Target | 10 | 2 |
| Saves | 2 | 7 |
Substitutions
Newcastle United
63’ — Harvey Barnes for Jacob Murphy 63’ — Joelinton for Jacob Ramsey 85’ — William Osula for Nick Woltemade 85’ — Anthony Elanga for Anthony Gordon 90’ — Joe Willock for Bruno Guimarães
63’ — Harvey Barnes for Jacob Murphy 63’ — Joelinton for Jacob Ramsey 85’ — William Osula for Nick Woltemade 85’ — Anthony Elanga for Anthony Gordon 90’ — Joe Willock for Bruno Guimarães
Benfica
63’ — Franjo Ivanović for Amar Dedić
63’ — Franjo Ivanović for Amar Dedić
A supercharged Display at St James’
It’s been a season of ups and downs for Newcastle United – blowing hot and cold – but last night’s win over Benfica had passages of play so electric that the mains power source might as well have been disconnected from the stadium. A supercharged display that lit up Tyneside.
It was a performance that will come as a refreshing sight for manager Eddie Howe, whose side have struggled to replicate their European Intensity in the Premier League. Time and again, they’ve looked worthy of points domestically, only for results to fall away.
Even during matches, that inconsistency often reappears – blistering starts, followed by flat spells where the balloon seems to have popped.
First-Half Fireworks
For the opening half hour, that familiar pattern threatened to resurface. Newcastle started brightly, pressing high and full of energy, but José Mourinho’s Benfica had the better chances.
Winger Dodi Lukebakio displayed real threat on the right flank – a test that defender Dan Burn simply couldn’t handle, forcing two fine saves from Nick Pope and even rattling the post with a thunderous strike from the edge of the box. The Belgian was Benfica’s main outlet – break the press and run for the hills.
A tactic that was showing success until Newcastle’s early pressure paid off. Malick Thiaw won the ball high up the pitch and presented it to Bruno Guimarães, who split the defence wide open with a perfect through-ball to Jacob Murphy on the by-line, and squared unselfishly for Anthony Gordon to tap home.
1-0 Newcastle, 32 minutes played.
It was the essence of an Eddie Howe team – “intensity is our identity” – a mantra that’s felt more myth than reality at times this season.
The remainder of the first half offered few chances, aside from the inevitable touchline theatrics of Mourinho, as Newcastle held a narrow lead at the break.
Second-Half Shift
When the teams re-emerged, Mourinho carried his trademark swagger down the tunnel – a man seemingly ready to unleash chaos and break Geordie hearts. But instead, it was Newcastle who dominated.
Gordon shone again, probing the defence and dictating play. For a player who’s battled injury and suspension hangovers for so long, it was a performance that hinted at his redemption in the weeks to come.
As the match entered its final stages, Newcastle remained the better side but couldn’t find the second goal to kill it. The tension at St James’ began to rise – a nervous whisper, the fear of another late sucker-punch to add to the catalogue.
Pope to the Rescue – and Barnes Off Like a Rocket
Then, with twenty minutes remaining, the most unlikely of sources provided a moment of magic. Newcastle goalkeeper, Nick Pope – a man not short of stick himself – whose distribution has a big red question mark planted beside it whenever it’s brought up in conversation.
The goalkeeper intercepted a routine cross, and at first, seemed to do nothing more than delay another wave of Benfica pressure. But when he spotted Harvey Barnes racing down the right, he launched a pinpoint 65-yard superhuman throw perfectly into his stride.
It cleared the entire Benfica backline and put Barnes clean through on goal. He set himself and slipped the ball under Anatoliy Trubin from the tightest of angles.
2-0 Newcastle, 72 minutes played
With that, the Geordies found their swagger. Gordon pulled the strings, 6 foot 7 striker Nick Woltemade – who had a quiet game by his standards – flicked and tricked, and the atmosphere erupted once more.
Ten minutes later, a brilliant one-touch move sealed it. Gordon fed Woltemade centrally, the striker held off his marker and flicked the ball back to Gordon, who slid in Barnes. Calm and clinical, the winger slotted between Trubin’s legs and nestled the net once more.
3-0 Newcastle, 83 minutes played.
Full-Time: Game,Set, and Six Points
A statement performance under the floodlights of St James’ Park – the Magpies are alive and soaring in Europe once again.
For Eddie Howe, this was more than three points. It was a return to rhythm, belief, and identity, a night when Newcastle reignited their spark.
A refreshing contrast to last weekend’s 2-1 defeat to Brighton, and perhaps the start of something special – beginning with Fulham’s visit to Tyneside of Saturday.
