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When Jose Mourinho came at Newcastle's stadium and praised Eddie Howe and his players, local supporters were concerned about a tough game. But those worries vanished due to a goal from Anthony Gordon and two more from replacement Harvey Barnes, making sure the visitors' coach did not inflict any trouble for Howe's team.

Match Dynamics and Early Action

The Benfica boss had predicted that Newcastle would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their own aggressive style. The visitors certainly delighted in disrupting the Magpies' initial efforts to build a smooth passing tempo.

Adding to Newcastle's issues, two midfielders, Tonali and the Brazilian, started as substitutes as they were convalescing from sickness and a knock respectively.

Prior to the start, the two managers shared a brief, cool greeting, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had instructed his side to subdue the home fans by slowing Newcastle and lowering the intensity whenever possible.

Critical Events and Turning Points

Benfica's tactic produced varied results, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to dismantle Benfica's defensive barricades, they initially found it hard to create clear chances.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgian attacker Lukebakio nearly demonstrated how to finish when, after leaving the defender on the ground, he forced Nick Pope with a powerful shot that got an terrific one-handed save. No wonder Pope retains hope for an England return in time for the global tournament.

But when the winger directed another attempt against the woodwork, the home side woke up. Murphy fired off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent near-post stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally opened the deadlock.

Gordon's scorching speed had created problems for Mourinho all evening, and he neatly side-footed the first goal past Trubin after Murphy's quick ball into the area proved effective.

When Newcastle's intense, high press was not second-guessed by the opposition, Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was there to pass a ground cross across the face of goal for the winger to finish.

Second Half and Decisive Changes

Right from the start, Benfica could not be blamed of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's side pushed forward with total freedom. The winger repeatedly showed an skill to destabilize Howe's back four, and the Magpies were likely relieved to regroup at half-time.

The opening period ended with Pope once more saving his side by diverting Lukebakio's shot wide of the goal frame, and as the teams emerged for the next period, everything seemed finely poised.

If Gordon, evidently boosted by netting his fourth goal in three Champions League games this season, played with the zeal of a wide player set to shift the balance in Newcastle's direction, the Benfica attacker had different ideas.

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

Howe might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, filling in for Tonali, not headed a corner over the bar from a good position. Rather, this thrilling contest continued to swing from one goal to the other, persuading the manager to introduce the midfielder and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

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

Harvey Barnes Wins the Match

Before that, the away team, and especially their Portugal defender Antonio Silva, had performed a fine job in limiting Nick Woltemade's space and forcing Newcastle's Germany centre-forward back. But now, with right-back Dedic substituted, the defense was weakened, and the path was clear for Harvey Barnes to prove that Gordon is not Howe's only attacking winger.

The home side's two changes was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper sent a wonderful long throw in the substitute's direction. When Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the bounce, the winger was away, sprinting into the area before maintaining impressive poise to lash a superb strike past Trubin.

After Harvey Barnes slid a shot through poor the goalkeeper's legs after meeting Anthony Gordon's excellent pass, it was finished. Mourinho had cautioned that the Magpies have several quick wide attackers, and three goals from two wingers had destroyed his chances of earning Benfica's first European points of the campaign.