Newcastle 3-0 Benfica
Champions League, Tue, Oct 21, 2025
Shots
19 - 7
Shots on Target
10 - 2
Possession
52% - 48%
Pass Completion
84% - 81%
Corners
12 - 8
Fouls
16 - 7
Yellow Cards
1 - 1
Red Cards
0 - 0
&c
To the delight (probably) of visiting manager Jose Mourinho, Newcastle blew Benfica away with a front-foot, all action display under the lights at St James' Park.
That said, it was a wobbly start in which the visitors had several good chances, including the lively Lukebakio rattling the post.
However, Gordon continued his dazzling form in this competition, arriving at the back post to finish a lovely move involving Bruno and the returning Jacob Murphy.
Nick Pope was already having another fine night between the sticks but elevated himself to creator with a 65 (sixty five!) yard throw to set substitute Harvey Barnes away down the right, who powered away from several defenders and finished brilliantly into the far corner.
This puts Nick Pope ahead of a certain sulky Swedish striker in Champions League goal contributions this season.
And Barnes repeated the trick in the final ten minutes to seal a superb win to follow up the demolition of USG.
With as many wins in three European games as we have in eight league games, the challenge now is translating the performances to the stuttering domestic campaign before it's too late.
Gordon managing to reproduce his searing European form would go a long way to help.
