Achieving a miracle after 22 years, Newcastle delivers a bitter defeat to Mourinho

(Football results) - Harvey Barnes netted a brace as a substitute, leading Newcastle to a 3-0 win against Benfica and marking their first consecutive Champions League victories in 22 years.

Newcastle United maintained their strong form in the Champions League by defeating Benfica 3-0 at St James’ Park. On a fiery evening, Anthony Gordon opened the scoring before Harvey Barnes came off the bench to score twice, securing Newcastle’s first consecutive Champions League wins in 22 years.

Before the match, experts anticipated an intriguing duel between Eddie Howe and Jose Mourinho, who has only won three of 12 away games at Newcastle. Benfica started better, confidently creating the first dangerous chance. In the 15th minute, Dodi Lukebakio’s skillful curling shot hit the post, startling the home fans and goalkeeper Nick Pope.

However, Newcastle demonstrated that they didn’t need to dominate possession to make an impact. In the 32nd minute, during a quick counterattack, Bruno Guimaraes intercepted the ball and passed it to Jacob Murphy on the right wing. The English winger delivered a sharp cross into the six-yard box, where Anthony Gordon easily tapped it in to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.

Trailing, Benfica pushed forward to find an equalizer. But Newcastle’s defense stayed focused, and goalkeeper Nick Pope had an outstanding night. The English keeper repeatedly denied dangerous shots from Joao Neves and Rafa Silva, preserving the narrow advantage for his team.

Not only a reliable last line of defense, Pope also played a key role in the second goal. In the 70th minute, after catching a corner kick, he launched a hand throw over 65 meters past midfield, sparking a lightning-fast counterattack. Harvey Barnes, recently subbed on, sprinted down the right flank, entered the penalty area, and scored a precise angled shot to make it 2-0 for Newcastle.

The excitement didn’t end there. In the 83rd minute, Anthony Gordon and young striker Nick Woltemade combined skillfully, creating space for Barnes to break through and calmly finish past goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin, sealing a convincing 3-0 victory.

This was Barnes’ first brace for Newcastle since joining the club, also strongly confirming the squad depth of the “Magpies.” Anthony Gordon continued his impressive form with one goal and one assist, while Nick Pope was praised as the “silent hero” for his crucial saves.

With this win, Newcastle has earned two consecutive victories in the Champions League, something they hadn’t achieved since the 2002-2003 season. Eddie Howe’s team is showing genuine ambition upon returning to Europe’s most prestigious competition, while Mourinho’s Benfica continue to struggle and will need to work hard if they hope to advance beyond the group stage.