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When Jose Mourinho came at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his squad, home supporters were concerned about a difficult game. But such worries vanished thanks to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from substitute Harvey Barnes, making sure the visitors' new manager would not cause any trouble for Howe's team.

Match Flow and Initial Action

The Benfica boss had predicted that Newcastle would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their own aggressive style. Benfica clearly enjoyed disrupting Newcastle's initial attempts to build a smooth passing tempo.

Adding to Newcastle's challenges, key midfielders, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, started on the bench as they continued recovering from sickness and a knock respectively.

Prior to the start, the coaches exchanged a brief, cool embrace, and it soon became apparent that Mourinho had told his team to subdue the home fans by slowing the game and reducing the temperature whenever possible.

Key Moments and Turning Points

Benfica's strategy yielded varied results, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to break through Benfica's backline, they at first struggled to generate good opportunities.

Additionally, the Belgium attacker Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after leaving Dan Burn behind, he forced Nick Pope with a powerful strike that required an terrific single-hand save. No wonder the goalkeeper retains hope for an national team return in time for the World Cup.

Yet when the winger hit another shot against the woodwork, Newcastle woke up. Jacob Murphy shot wide, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive near-post stop from Guimaraes before Gordon at last broke the scoreless tie.

The England winger's scorching speed had caused problems for the Benfica coach all night, and he calmly slotted the opener past Trubin after Murphy's early ball into the box proved effective.

When the Magpies' hard, pressing game was not second-guessed by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a ground cross across the face of goal for Gordon to polish off.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Changes

Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be accused of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's players attacked with real freedom. The winger consistently showed an ability to destabilize Newcastle's back four, and the Magpies were probably grateful to regroup at half-time.

The first half concluded with Pope again rescuing his side by diverting Lukebakio's shot around the goal frame, and as the sides emerged for the next period, the match seemed evenly balanced.

If Gordon, clearly boosted by scoring his fourth strike in three Champions League appearances this season, played with the zeal of a winger set to shift the balance in Newcastle's favor, Lukebakio had different plans.

The manager's No 11 had already shown that, while Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a born left-back, and home fans were nervous every time Lukebakio advanced.

Howe might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not directed a set-piece over the bar from a well-placed spot. Instead, this absorbing contest continued to swing from end to end, prompting the manager to introduce Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

Mourinho, meanwhile, brought on an additional forward in Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a gamble too far.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Match

Until then, the away team, and especially their Portuguese back Silva, had performed a fine job in limiting Woltemade's room and forcing Newcastle's German centre-forward deep. However, with defender Amar Dedic off, the defense was underpowered, and the path was clear for Harvey Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only attacking wide player.

The home side's two changes was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper sent a wonderful throw in the substitute's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the bounce, the winger was away, accelerating into the area before keeping commendable composure to lash a superb strike past Trubin.

When Barnes rolled a low effort through unfortunate the goalkeeper's feet after meeting Gordon's excellent through ball, it was all over. The Benfica manager had warned that the Magpies have four very fast wingers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wide men had destroyed his hopes of securing Benfica's first Champions League result of the season.