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As Jose Mourinho came at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Newcastle's coach and his squad, local supporters were concerned about a difficult match. However those fears vanished thanks to a goal from Anthony Gordon and a brace from substitute the forward, ensuring the visitors' new manager did not inflict any trouble for Howe's team.

Game Dynamics and Initial Action

Mourinho had predicted that Newcastle would be very physical, but his Benfica players displayed their own combative approach. The visitors certainly enjoyed breaking up the Magpies' initial attempts to establish a smooth attacking tempo.

Compounding the home team's issues, two midfielders, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, began as substitutes as they continued recovering from illness and injury respectively.

Before the start, the coaches shared a brief, reserved embrace, and it soon became clear that the Benfica coach had told his team to quiet the home fans by slowing Newcastle and reducing the intensity at every chance.

Key Events and Decisive Actions

Benfica's strategy produced varied outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates managed to break through Benfica's defensive barricades, they at first found it hard to generate clear chances.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgian winger Dodi Lukebakio nearly demonstrated how to finish when, after leaving the defender behind, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous strike that required an terrific one-handed stop. No wonder Pope still hopes for an England return in time for the global tournament.

But when the winger hit another shot off the woodwork, the home side roused themselves. Jacob Murphy fired off target, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive close-range stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon finally broke the deadlock.

The England winger's scorching pace had created consternation for the Benfica coach all evening, and he neatly slotted the first goal past the goalkeeper after his teammate's quick cross into the area paid off.

On the occasion Newcastle's hard, pressing game was not second-guessed by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to deliver a ground cross across the goal for Gordon to polish off.

Second Half and Decisive Changes

Right from the start, Benfica could not be accused of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's side attacked with total abandon. Lukebakio repeatedly showed an ability to destabilize Newcastle's defense, and the home team were probably relieved to regroup at the break.

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 second half, the match seemed finely poised.

While Gordon, evidently buoyed by netting his fourth goal in three European appearances this campaign, played with the zeal of a winger set to alter the balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had other ideas.

Mourinho's No 11 had already emphasized that, while Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a natural full-back, and home hearts were in mouths every time he moved forward.

The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece over the bar from a good spot. Rather, this thrilling contest continued to move from end to end, persuading the manager to bring on the midfielder and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

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

Barnes Wins the Match

Before that, the away team, and in particular their Portugal defender Silva, had performed a fine job in limiting Nick Woltemade's space and pushing Newcastle's Germany centre-forward deep. However, with defender Dedic substituted, the defense was underpowered, and the path was clear for Harvey Barnes to prove that Gordon is not the manager's only attacking wide player.

The home side's double substitution was already proving effective by the time Pope sent a superb throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, for once, misread the bounce, Barnes was away, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining commendable composure to fire a superb strike past the keeper.

After Harvey Barnes slid a low effort through unfortunate Trubin's feet after receiving Anthony Gordon's stellar pass, it was finished. Mourinho had cautioned that the Magpies have four quick wingers, and three goals from two wide men had shattered his hopes of earning the team's first European points of the season.