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When Jose Mourinho came at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his squad, local fans feared a difficult match. However those worries vanished thanks to a goal from Anthony Gordon and two more from replacement the forward, ensuring the visitors' new manager would not cause any trouble for Howe's team.

Game Dynamics and Early Action

The Benfica boss had predicted that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his own team displayed their own combative style. The visitors certainly delighted in disrupting Newcastle's early attempts to build a fluent passing tempo.

Adding to Newcastle's challenges, two players, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, began on the bench as they were convalescing from sickness and injury respectively.

Before kick-off, the two managers shared a brief, cool greeting, and it quickly became apparent that the Benfica coach had instructed his side to subdue the home fans by delaying Newcastle and lowering the intensity at every chance.

Critical Moments and Turning Points

Benfica's tactic produced varied results, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to dismantle the backline, they initially struggled to create clear opportunities.

Additionally, the Belgian winger Lukebakio almost showed how to finish when, after beating the defender behind, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous shot that got an excellent single-hand save. No wonder Pope still hopes for an England recall in time for the global tournament.

But when the winger hit another shot against the post, the home side roused themselves. Jacob Murphy shot off target, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent near-post stop from Guimaraes before Gordon at last broke the scoreless tie.

Gordon's scorching speed had created problems for the Benfica coach all evening, and he neatly side-footed the first goal past the goalkeeper after Murphy's quick ball into the area proved effective.

When the Magpies' hard, pressing game was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a ground ball across the face of goal for the winger to polish off.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Substitutions

Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's side pushed forward with real abandon. The winger consistently displayed an skill to unsettle Newcastle's defense, and the Magpies were likely grateful to reset at the break.

The opening period ended with Pope once more saving his team by diverting the attacker's shot wide of the post, and as the sides came out for the next period, everything seemed finely poised.

If Gordon, clearly boosted by scoring his fourth strike in three European appearances this campaign, played with the determination of a winger aiming to shift the power balance in his team's favor, Lukebakio had other plans.

Mourinho's winger had already emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a natural full-back, and Newcastle hearts were in mouths every time he advanced.

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Miley, filling in for Tonali, not headed a corner above the bar from a good spot. Instead, this thrilling contest continued to move from end to end, persuading the manager to introduce Joelinton and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, brought on an extra forward in Franjo Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a risk that backfired.

Barnes Seals the Game

Before that, Benfica, and especially their Portuguese defender Silva, had performed a fine job in restricting Nick Woltemade's room and pushing Newcastle's Germany centre-forward back. But now, with defender Dedic off, the defense was underpowered, and the way was open for Barnes to show that Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring wide player.

The home side's two changes was already proving effective by the time Pope sent a wonderful long throw in the substitute's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the bounce, the winger was away, sprinting into the area before maintaining commendable composure to lash a superb shot past Trubin.

After Harvey Barnes rolled a low effort through poor Trubin's legs after meeting Gordon's excellent through ball, it was finished. Mourinho had warned that Newcastle have several quick wingers, and a trio of strikes from two wide men had shattered his chances of securing the team's first Champions League points of the season.