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As Jose Mourinho arrived at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his squad, local fans were concerned about a difficult match. But those fears disappeared thanks to a goal from Anthony Gordon and two more from replacement Harvey Barnes, ensuring the visitors' new manager did not inflict pain for Newcastle.

Match Flow and Early Action

The Benfica boss had predicted that the home side would be very physical, but his Benfica players displayed their own combative approach. The visitors clearly delighted in breaking up Newcastle's initial efforts to establish a smooth passing rhythm.

Adding to the home team's issues, key players, Tonali and Joelinton, started as substitutes as they continued recovering from illness and a knock respectively.

Before the start, the two managers exchanged a perfunctory, reserved greeting, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had instructed his team to subdue the crowd by delaying Newcastle and reducing the temperature whenever possible.

Key Moments and Decisive Actions

The visitors' strategy produced mixed results, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates succeeded to break through the backline, they at first struggled to create clear chances.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgium winger Lukebakio almost showed how to finish when, after beating the defender behind, he forced Nick Pope with a tremendous strike that required an terrific one-handed stop. It's no surprise Pope retains hope for an England recall in time for the global tournament.

But when Lukebakio directed another shot against the woodwork, the home side roused themselves. Jacob Murphy shot wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive near-post stop from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last opened the deadlock.

Gordon's blazing speed had created consternation for Mourinho all night, and he calmly slotted the opener past Trubin after his teammate's quick cross into the box proved effective.

On the occasion the Magpies' intense, pressing game was not second-guessed by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a ground ball across the face of goal for the winger to finish.

Second Half and Match-Winning Changes

Right from the start, Benfica could not be accused of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's side attacked with total abandon. The winger repeatedly displayed an ability to destabilize Howe's back four, and the Magpies were likely relieved to regroup at the break.

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

If Anthony Gordon, evidently buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three European games this season, played with the zeal of a winger aiming to shift the balance in his team's favor, Lukebakio had other plans.

Mourinho's winger had previously emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a natural full-back, and Newcastle fans were nervous every time he advanced.

Howe might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not directed a set-piece above the bar from a good position. Instead, this thrilling contest continued to swing from end to end, prompting the coach to introduce the midfielder and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, brought on an additional striker in Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a gamble too far.

Barnes Wins the Game

Until then, the away team, and in particular their Portuguese defender Silva, had done a fine job in limiting Nick Woltemade's space and pushing the German centre-forward deep. But now, with right-back 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 winger.

The home side's double substitution was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a wonderful long throw in Barnes's path. When Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the flight, the winger was clear, sprinting into the area before maintaining commendable poise to lash a sublime strike past the keeper.

When Harvey Barnes rolled a low effort through poor Trubin's legs after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar through ball, it was finished. The Benfica manager had cautioned that Newcastle have four very fast wingers, and a trio of strikes from two wide men had shattered his chances of securing the team's first Champions League points of the season.