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When Jose Mourinho arrived at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his players, local supporters were concerned about a tough game. However such worries vanished thanks to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from substitute the forward, making sure the visitors' new manager did not inflict pain for Howe's team.

Game Dynamics and Initial Action

The Benfica boss had predicted that the home side would be very physical, but his own team showed their similar aggressive approach. Benfica clearly delighted in disrupting Newcastle's early efforts to establish a fluent attacking tempo.

Compounding the home team's challenges, two players, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, started as substitutes as they were recovering from illness and a knock respectively.

Before kick-off, the coaches exchanged a perfunctory, cool greeting, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had told his side to quiet the crowd by delaying the game and reducing the temperature whenever possible.

Critical Events and Turning Points

The visitors' tactic produced varied outcomes, but when Gordon and his teammates succeeded to break through the defensive barricades, they initially found it hard to create clear chances.

Additionally, the Belgium winger Dodi Lukebakio nearly showed how to finish when, after leaving the defender on the ground, he forced Nick Pope with a powerful strike that required an excellent single-hand stop. No wonder Pope retains hope for an England recall in time for the global tournament.

Yet when Lukebakio hit a further attempt off the woodwork, the home side woke up. Jacob Murphy shot wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent close-range stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last broke the scoreless tie.

The England winger's blazing speed had caused problems for Mourinho all evening, and he calmly side-footed the opener past the goalkeeper after Murphy's quick cross into the area proved effective.

On the occasion the Magpies' intense, pressing game was not second-guessed by the opposition, Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to deliver a low ball across the goal for the winger to finish.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Changes

From the beginning, Benfica could not be accused of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's side attacked with real freedom. Lukebakio consistently displayed an ability to destabilize Newcastle's back four, and the home team were likely grateful to regroup at half-time.

The first half ended with the keeper once more saving his team by diverting Lukebakio's shot around the goal frame, and as the teams came out for the next period, the match seemed evenly balanced.

While Gordon, clearly buoyed by scoring his fourth strike in three European games this campaign, played with the zeal of a winger set to alter the power balance in Newcastle's direction, the Benfica attacker had other ideas.

The manager's No 11 had already emphasized that, while Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a born full-back, and home hearts were nervous every time Lukebakio advanced.

Howe might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, filling in for Tonali, not directed a corner above the crossbar from a well-placed spot. Rather, this absorbing game continued to swing from end to end, prompting Newcastle's manager to introduce the midfielder and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, threw on an additional striker in Franjo Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a risk too far.

Harvey Barnes Wins the Match

Before that, the away team, and in particular their Portugal back Antonio Silva, had done a fine job in limiting Nick Woltemade's room and pushing the Germany striker back. However, with right-back Dedic off, the defense was underpowered, and the path was open for Harvey Barnes to prove that Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring wide player.

Newcastle's double substitution was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper sent a superb long throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the flight, Barnes was away, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining commendable poise to fire a superb strike past Trubin.

When Harvey Barnes rolled a low effort through unfortunate Trubin's feet after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar through ball, it was finished. The Benfica manager had cautioned that Newcastle have four very fast wingers, and three goals from a pair of wide men had shattered his chances of earning the team's first European result of the season.