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When Jose Mourinho came at Newcastle's stadium and praised Eddie Howe and his squad, home supporters feared a difficult match. But those worries disappeared due to a goal from the winger and a brace from substitute Harvey Barnes, ensuring the visitors' coach did not inflict pain for Newcastle.

Match Dynamics and Initial Action

The Benfica boss had predicted that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his own team showed their own combative approach. Benfica clearly delighted in disrupting the Magpies' initial attempts to build a smooth passing tempo.

Compounding the home team's challenges, two players, Tonali and the Brazilian, began as substitutes as they were convalescing from illness and injury each.

Prior to the start, the coaches shared a perfunctory, cool greeting, and it soon became apparent that Mourinho had told his side to subdue the crowd by slowing the game and reducing the intensity at every chance.

Critical Moments and Decisive Actions

Benfica's strategy yielded mixed results, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates succeeded to dismantle the backline, they initially struggled to create clear chances.

Additionally, the Belgian winger Lukebakio almost showed scoring skill when, after beating the defender on the ground, he forced Nick Pope with a tremendous shot that required an terrific one-handed save. No wonder the goalkeeper still hopes for an national team return in time for the global tournament.

But when the winger directed a further shot off the post, the home side woke up. Jacob Murphy shot off target, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive close-range stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon finally opened the deadlock.

Gordon's scorching pace had caused consternation for the Benfica coach all evening, and he calmly slotted the opener past Trubin after Murphy's early ball into the area paid off.

On the occasion the Magpies' hard, high press was not anticipated by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to deliver a ground ball across the face of goal for Gordon to polish off.

Later Stages and Decisive Changes

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be accused of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now their players pushed forward with real abandon. The winger consistently displayed an ability to destabilize Howe's back four, and the Magpies were likely relieved to reset at half-time.

The opening period concluded with Pope again saving his side by tipping the attacker's shot wide of the goal frame, and as the sides emerged for the second half, everything seemed finely poised.

If Anthony Gordon, clearly boosted by scoring his fourth goal in three European appearances this campaign, played with the determination of a wide player set to alter the power balance in his team's favor, the Benfica attacker had different plans.

Mourinho's winger had already emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a natural left-back, and Newcastle fans were nervous every time Lukebakio moved forward.

The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece above the crossbar from a well-placed position. Rather, this absorbing contest continued to move from end to end, persuading Newcastle's coach to introduce the midfielder and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, meanwhile, brought on an extra striker in Franjo Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a risk too far.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Match

Before that, Benfica, and in particular their Portugal back Silva, had done a fine job in restricting Nick Woltemade's space and pushing Newcastle's Germany centre-forward deep. However, with right-back Dedic substituted, the defense was weakened, and the way was clear for Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring wide player.

Newcastle's two changes was already proving effective by the time Pope dispatched a superb throw in Barnes's direction. When Silva, for once, misjudged the bounce, the winger was clear, accelerating into the penalty box before keeping impressive poise to fire a sublime strike past Trubin.

After Barnes rolled a shot through unfortunate the goalkeeper's legs after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar through ball, it was finished. Mourinho had cautioned that the Magpies have four very fast wingers, and three goals from a pair of wingers had shattered his chances of earning the team's first Champions League result of the season.