Newcastle United 3–0 Benfica: Gordon and Barnes Inspire Eddie Howe’s Side to Dominant Champions League Victory
Newcastle United made it two wins in a row in the Champions League after cruising to a commanding 3–0 victory over Benfica at St James’ Park.
Anthony Gordon broke the deadlock in the first half before substitute Harvey Barnes came off the bench to net twice, sealing a statement win for Eddie Howe’s men.
The result lifts Newcastle to seventh in the Champions League group stage standings with six points from three matches. Under the new format, the top eight teams progress automatically to the last-16, while sides placed ninth to 24th will enter a seeded play-off round.
Next up for the Magpies is a home clash against Spanish side Athletic Club on November 5. Howe’s men will then travel to Marseille and Bayer Leverkusen before facing PSV Eindhoven at home in the new year, and closing out the group stage away to defending champions Paris Saint-Germain in January.
For Benfica, the defeat marks a third consecutive loss in the competition. It also continues a tough start for José Mourinho, who has now suffered back-to-back European defeats to Chelsea and Newcastle since taking charge of the Portuguese giants.
Reflecting on the match, Mourinho gave a typically honest verdict on the St James’ Park atmosphere:
“I think it was beautiful,” he said. “But to be honest, in the first half it was quiet. The fans sensed it wasn’t an easy game, and Benfica were probably closer to scoring. They brought some energy in set-pieces — which is normal when you face a physical team like Newcastle — but overall it was calm.
In the second half, the second goal killed the game. After that, Newcastle played freely, and the crowd enjoyed it. It was a nice, fair atmosphere — no problems, good refereeing, and very professional. A quiet St James’ Park, in the best way.”
Eddie Howe, meanwhile, praised his team’s response following recent criticism of his attacking players after the loss to Brighton.
“It was a really strong performance,” Howe said. “Even in the first half, I thought we created good chances and stayed patient. We scored three excellent goals and always looked a threat.
There were moments where we had to defend properly — they’re a big danger from set pieces — but overall, I’m delighted. It’s a massive result for us.”
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