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As Jose Mourinho came at Newcastle's stadium and praised Eddie Howe and his squad, local fans were concerned about a tough match. However such worries disappeared thanks to a goal from Anthony Gordon and a brace from replacement Harvey Barnes, making sure Benfica's coach did not inflict any trouble for Newcastle.

Game Dynamics and Initial Action

The Benfica boss had forecast that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players showed their similar combative approach. Benfica clearly delighted in disrupting the Magpies' initial attempts to build a smooth attacking rhythm.

Adding to Newcastle's issues, key midfielders, Tonali and Joelinton, began as substitutes as they continued convalescing from sickness and a knock each.

Before the start, the two managers exchanged a brief, reserved embrace, and it quickly became apparent that the Benfica coach had told his side to quiet the crowd by delaying the game and reducing the intensity whenever possible.

Key Events and Decisive Actions

The visitors' tactic yielded mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to dismantle the defensive barricades, they at first struggled to create good opportunities.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgium winger Dodi Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after beating the defender behind, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a powerful strike that required an terrific single-hand stop. No wonder the goalkeeper retains hope for an England recall in time for the World Cup.

Yet when the winger directed a further attempt against the post, the home side roused themselves. Jacob Murphy fired wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive close-range save from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally broke the scoreless tie.

Gordon's scorching speed had created consternation for Mourinho all night, and he calmly side-footed the opener past the goalkeeper after Murphy's early ball into the box paid off.

When Newcastle's hard, high press was not anticipated by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was there to deliver a ground ball across the face of goal for Gordon to finish.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Substitutions

From the beginning, Benfica could not be accused of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's side pushed forward with total abandon. The winger repeatedly displayed an ability to destabilize Howe's defense, and the Magpies were likely relieved to reset at the break.

The first half concluded with the keeper once more saving his team by diverting Lukebakio's shot wide of the post, and as the teams emerged for the next period, everything seemed evenly balanced.

While Anthony Gordon, evidently boosted by netting his fourth goal in three European games this season, played with the zeal of a winger aiming to alter the balance in his team's direction, Lukebakio had different plans.

Mourinho's winger had already shown that, while Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a born left-back, and home fans were in mouths every time he moved forward.

Howe might have relaxed had Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not directed a corner above the crossbar from a well-placed position. Rather, this absorbing contest continued to swing from end to end, persuading the manager to introduce the midfielder and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, meanwhile, brought on an extra striker in Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a gamble too far.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Game

Until then, Benfica, and especially their Portuguese defender Antonio Silva, had performed a fine job in limiting Nick Woltemade's space and pushing Newcastle's Germany striker deep. But now, with right-back Dedic substituted, the defense was underpowered, and the way was open for Harvey Barnes to prove that Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring wide player.

The home side's two changes was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a superb throw in the substitute's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the bounce, the winger was away, sprinting into the penalty box before keeping impressive poise to lash a superb shot past the keeper.

After Barnes rolled a low effort through unfortunate the goalkeeper's legs after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar pass, it was finished. Mourinho had warned that Newcastle have four very fast wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wide men had destroyed his chances of securing the team's first Champions League result of the campaign.