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As Jose Mourinho came at St James' Park and complimented Newcastle's coach and his players, home fans were concerned about a difficult game. However such fears vanished due to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from substitute the forward, ensuring Benfica's coach would not cause pain for Howe's team.

Match Dynamics and Initial Action

Mourinho had forecast that the home side would be very physical, but his own team showed their own aggressive style. The visitors clearly delighted in disrupting Newcastle's initial attempts to build a fluent attacking tempo.

Compounding Newcastle's challenges, two midfielders, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, began as substitutes as they continued convalescing from sickness and a knock each.

Prior to kick-off, the two managers exchanged a perfunctory, reserved embrace, and it soon became clear that the Benfica coach had instructed his team to subdue the crowd by slowing Newcastle and lowering the intensity at every chance.

Key Events and Turning Points

Benfica's tactic produced mixed outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates managed to dismantle the defensive barricades, they initially found it hard to create good chances.

Additionally, the Belgium attacker Dodi Lukebakio nearly showed scoring skill when, after beating the defender on the ground, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a powerful strike that got an terrific single-hand stop. No wonder the goalkeeper retains hope for an England return in time for the global tournament.

Yet when the winger directed another attempt against the woodwork, Newcastle roused themselves. Jacob Murphy fired off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent close-range stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally broke the scoreless tie.

The England winger's scorching speed had caused consternation for the Benfica coach all night, and he neatly side-footed the opener past the goalkeeper after his teammate's early ball into the area proved effective.

When the Magpies' hard, pressing game was not anticipated by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a low ball across the face of goal for Gordon to finish.

Second Half and Match-Winning Substitutions

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's side pushed forward with real abandon. Lukebakio repeatedly showed an ability to unsettle Howe's defense, and the home team were likely relieved to reset at the break.

The first half concluded with Pope again rescuing his side by tipping the attacker's shot around the goal frame, and as the sides came out for the next period, the match seemed finely poised.

While Anthony Gordon, evidently buoyed by netting his fourth goal in three European games this campaign, played with the zeal of a winger set to shift the power balance in Newcastle's favor, the Benfica attacker had different plans.

The manager's No 11 had already shown that, while Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a natural full-back, and Newcastle hearts were in mouths every time Lukebakio moved forward.

Howe might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, filling in for Tonali, not directed a set-piece above the crossbar from a good spot. Rather, this thrilling contest continued to move from end to end, prompting the manager to introduce Joelinton and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

Mourinho, meanwhile, threw on an additional striker in Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a risk too far.

Barnes Seals the Game

Before that, the away team, and especially their Portugal defender Silva, had performed a good job in restricting Nick Woltemade's space and forcing the German striker back. But now, with defender Dedic substituted, the defense was weakened, 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 proving effective by the time Pope dispatched a wonderful long throw in Barnes's direction. When Antonio Silva, for once, misread the bounce, Barnes was away, accelerating into the area before maintaining commendable poise to lash a superb shot past the keeper.

When Harvey Barnes slid a shot through poor the goalkeeper's feet after meeting Anthony Gordon's excellent through ball, it was all over. The Benfica manager had warned that the Magpies have four very fast wingers, and three goals from a pair of wide men had destroyed his chances of earning the team's first Champions League points of the season.