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When the Benfica manager arrived at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Newcastle's coach and his squad, home fans were concerned about a difficult game. However such fears disappeared due 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.

Match Dynamics and Initial Exchanges

The Benfica boss had predicted that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his own team displayed their similar aggressive style. Benfica certainly enjoyed disrupting Newcastle's early efforts to build a fluent passing rhythm.

Compounding Newcastle's challenges, key midfielders, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, began on the bench as they were recovering from illness and a knock each.

Before kick-off, the two managers shared a brief, reserved greeting, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had instructed his team to quiet the crowd by delaying the game and lowering the temperature whenever possible.

Critical Events and Decisive Actions

The visitors' strategy yielded mixed outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to dismantle Benfica's defensive barricades, they at first struggled to create good chances.

Moreover, the Belgian attacker Dodi Lukebakio nearly showed scoring skill when, after beating the defender behind, he forced Nick Pope with a tremendous shot that got an terrific one-handed save. It's no surprise Pope still hopes for an national team return in time for the global tournament.

Yet when the winger directed a further attempt against the woodwork, Newcastle woke up. Murphy shot off target, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive close-range stop from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally broke the deadlock.

The England winger's blazing pace had caused problems for Mourinho all night, and he calmly side-footed the opener past Trubin after Murphy's quick cross into the box paid off.

On the occasion the Magpies' intense, pressing game was not anticipated by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to deliver a ground ball across the goal for the winger to finish.

Second Half and Match-Winning Changes

Right from the start, Benfica could not be accused of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now their side pushed forward with real abandon. Lukebakio consistently displayed an skill to destabilize Newcastle's back four, and the Magpies were likely relieved to regroup at half-time.

The opening period ended with the keeper again saving his team by tipping Lukebakio's left-foot around the goal frame, and as the teams emerged for the next period, the match seemed evenly poised.

If Gordon, clearly buoyed by netting his fourth goal in three European games this campaign, played with the zeal of a winger set to alter the balance in his team's direction, Lukebakio had other plans.

The manager's No 11 had previously shown that, while Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a natural left-back, and Newcastle hearts were nervous every time he advanced.

Howe might have relaxed had Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece above the bar from a good spot. Instead, this absorbing contest continued to move from end to end, prompting the coach to bring on Joelinton and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, threw on an extra forward in Franjo Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a gamble too far.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Game

Until then, Benfica, and especially their Portugal defender Antonio Silva, had performed a fine job in restricting Nick Woltemade's room and pushing Newcastle's Germany centre-forward back. However, with defender Dedic substituted, the defense was weakened, and the way was clear for Barnes to show that Gordon is not the manager's only attacking winger.

The home side's double substitution was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper sent a wonderful throw in the substitute's path. When Antonio Silva, for once, misjudged the flight, the winger was clear, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining commendable composure to fire a sublime shot past Trubin.

When Barnes rolled a shot through poor the goalkeeper's legs after receiving Anthony Gordon's excellent pass, it was finished. The Benfica manager had cautioned that the Magpies have several quick wingers, and three goals from a pair of wide men had destroyed his hopes of earning Benfica's first European result of the campaign.