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As Jose Mourinho came at St James' Park and complimented Eddie Howe and his players, local supporters feared a difficult match. But those fears vanished due to a goal from Anthony Gordon and a brace from replacement Harvey Barnes, making sure Benfica's new manager did not inflict any trouble for Howe's team.

Game Dynamics and Initial Action

The Benfica boss had forecast that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players displayed their similar combative style. Benfica certainly enjoyed breaking up Newcastle's initial attempts to establish a smooth attacking rhythm.

Adding to the home team's challenges, key midfielders, Tonali and Joelinton, started on the bench as they continued convalescing from illness and injury respectively.

Before the start, the coaches exchanged a brief, reserved greeting, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had told his team to subdue the home fans by delaying the game and reducing the temperature at every chance.

Key Events and Decisive Actions

The visitors' tactic yielded varied outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates succeeded to dismantle the defensive barricades, they at first struggled to create clear chances.

Additionally, the Belgian winger Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after beating the defender behind, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that got an terrific one-handed stop. It's no surprise the goalkeeper still hopes for an England recall in time for the global tournament.

But when Lukebakio directed a further shot against the post, Newcastle roused themselves. Murphy fired off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent close-range save from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally opened the scoreless tie.

The England winger's blazing speed had caused consternation for the Benfica coach all evening, and he calmly slotted the opener past Trubin after Murphy's quick cross into the area paid off.

On the occasion the Magpies' hard, pressing game was not anticipated by the opposition, Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to deliver a ground cross across the goal for the winger to polish off.

Later Stages and Decisive Substitutions

From the beginning, Benfica could not be accused of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's players pushed forward with total abandon. Lukebakio repeatedly showed an skill to unsettle Howe's defense, and the Magpies were likely grateful to regroup at the break.

The opening period concluded with Pope again rescuing his team by tipping Lukebakio's left-foot wide of the post, and as the teams came out for the next period, everything seemed evenly balanced.

While Gordon, clearly buoyed by netting his fourth strike in three Champions League appearances this season, played with the determination of a winger set to alter the power balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had other ideas.

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

Howe might have felt easier had Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not headed a corner above the bar from a good spot. Rather, this thrilling contest continued to move from end to end, prompting Newcastle's manager to introduce the midfielder and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

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

Harvey Barnes Wins the Match

Until then, Benfica, and especially their Portugal defender Silva, had done a fine job in restricting Woltemade's room and forcing the German centre-forward deep. But now, with defender Amar Dedic off, the defense was weakened, and the path was clear for Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring winger.

The home side's two changes was already paying off by the time Pope dispatched a wonderful throw in Barnes's path. When Silva, for once, misjudged the bounce, Barnes was clear, sprinting into the penalty box before keeping commendable composure to lash a sublime shot past Trubin.

After Barnes rolled a low effort through unfortunate the goalkeeper's feet after receiving Anthony Gordon's excellent through ball, it was all over. The Benfica manager had warned that the Magpies have four quick wide attackers, and three goals from two wingers had shattered his hopes of securing the team's first European points of the season.