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When Jose Mourinho arrived at Newcastle's stadium and praised Eddie Howe and his squad, home supporters were concerned about a tough game. But those worries vanished thanks to a strike from Anthony Gordon and two more from substitute the forward, ensuring the visitors' new manager did not inflict any trouble for Howe's team.

Game Flow and Early Exchanges

The Benfica boss had forecast that the home side would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their similar combative approach. The visitors certainly enjoyed disrupting the Magpies' initial attempts to establish a smooth passing rhythm.

Adding to the home team's challenges, two midfielders, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, started as substitutes as they continued recovering from illness and a knock respectively.

Prior to the start, the coaches exchanged a perfunctory, reserved greeting, and it quickly became clear that Mourinho had told his side to subdue the crowd by delaying Newcastle and lowering the intensity at every chance.

Critical Events and Turning Points

The visitors' tactic yielded varied results, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to dismantle the defensive barricades, they at first struggled to create clear chances.

Additionally, the Belgium winger Dodi Lukebakio nearly showed 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 national team recall in time for the global tournament.

But when Lukebakio directed a further shot off the woodwork, Newcastle roused themselves. Jacob Murphy fired off target, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive close-range save from Guimaraes before Gordon finally opened the deadlock.

Gordon's blazing speed had created problems for the Benfica coach all night, and he calmly slotted the opener past the goalkeeper after his teammate's early cross into the area paid off.

On the occasion Newcastle's intense, high press was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to pass a ground cross across the goal for the winger to finish.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Changes

Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be accused of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's side pushed forward with total abandon. Lukebakio repeatedly showed an ability to unsettle Newcastle's back four, and the home team were likely relieved to reset at the break.

The first half concluded with the keeper again saving his side by diverting Lukebakio's shot around the post, and as the teams came out for the next period, the match seemed evenly poised.

While Anthony Gordon, evidently boosted by netting his fourth strike in three Champions League games this season, played with the zeal of a wide player set to shift the power balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had different plans.

Mourinho's No 11 had previously emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a born left-back, and Newcastle hearts were in mouths every time he advanced.

Howe might have felt easier had Miley, filling in for Tonali, not directed a set-piece over the bar from a well-placed position. Rather, this thrilling contest continued to swing from end to end, prompting Newcastle's manager to bring on the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

The Benfica boss, meanwhile, threw on an extra striker in Franjo Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a gamble that backfired.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Match

Before that, Benfica, and in particular their Portugal back Silva, had performed a fine job in restricting Nick Woltemade's space and forcing the German centre-forward back. However, with right-back Amar Dedic substituted, the backline was weakened, and the way was clear for Harvey Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring wide player.

The home side's two changes was already paying off by the time Pope sent a wonderful throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the flight, the winger was clear, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining commendable composure to lash a sublime shot past the keeper.

After Harvey Barnes rolled a shot through poor Trubin's legs after receiving Gordon's stellar pass, it was finished. Mourinho had warned that the Magpies have four very fast wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wide men had destroyed his hopes of earning Benfica's first European result of the season.