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As the Benfica manager came at St James' Park and praised Newcastle's coach and his players, local supporters feared a difficult game. But such fears vanished thanks to a goal from the winger and a brace from substitute the forward, making sure Benfica's new manager did not inflict pain for Howe's team.

Game Flow and Initial Action

The Benfica boss had predicted that the home side would be very physical, but his own team displayed their own aggressive style. The visitors clearly delighted in breaking up the Magpies' early attempts to build a smooth passing rhythm.

Adding to Newcastle's issues, key players, Tonali and Joelinton, started on the bench as they were recovering from illness and a knock respectively.

Prior to the start, the two managers exchanged a perfunctory, reserved greeting, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had told his team to quiet the home fans by slowing Newcastle and lowering the intensity whenever possible.

Key Moments and Turning Points

Benfica's strategy yielded varied outcomes, but when Gordon and his teammates managed to dismantle the backline, they at first found it hard to create clear chances.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgian attacker Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after leaving the defender behind, he forced Nick Pope with a powerful strike that got an excellent one-handed save. No wonder the goalkeeper still hopes for an national team return in time for the World Cup.

Yet when Lukebakio directed a further attempt against the woodwork, Newcastle woke up. Murphy fired wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent close-range save from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last broke the deadlock.

The England winger's scorching pace had created problems for the Benfica coach all night, and he neatly side-footed the opener past Trubin after Murphy's quick cross into the box proved effective.

When the Magpies' hard, pressing game was not anticipated by the opposition, Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to deliver a ground ball across the face of goal for Gordon to finish.

Second Half and Decisive Changes

From the beginning, Benfica could not be blamed of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's side pushed forward with total abandon. The winger repeatedly showed an skill to unsettle Howe's defense, and the home team were probably grateful to reset at half-time.

The first half ended with the keeper again saving his team by tipping Lukebakio's left-foot around the goal frame, and as the teams emerged for the next period, everything seemed evenly poised.

While Anthony Gordon, evidently buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three European games this season, played with the determination of a winger aiming to alter the power balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had different plans.

Mourinho's No 11 had already shown that, while Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a born left-back, and Newcastle hearts were in mouths every time Lukebakio moved forward.

The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece over the bar from a well-placed position. Instead, this absorbing game continued to swing from end to end, persuading Newcastle's manager to bring on the midfielder and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, meanwhile, threw on an additional forward in Franjo Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a risk that backfired.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Match

Before that, Benfica, and especially their Portuguese defender Silva, had performed a fine job in restricting Woltemade's room and pushing the Germany striker deep. However, with right-back Dedic off, the backline was weakened, and the way was open for Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring wide player.

Newcastle's two changes was already paying off by the time Pope sent a superb throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the flight, Barnes was clear, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining commendable composure to fire a sublime strike past Trubin.

When Harvey Barnes slid a low effort through unfortunate the goalkeeper's legs after receiving Anthony Gordon's excellent through ball, it was all over. Mourinho had warned that the Magpies have several quick wingers, and three goals from a pair of wingers had destroyed his hopes of earning the team's first Champions League result of the season.