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As Jose Mourinho came at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Eddie Howe and his players, local fans feared a difficult game. But those fears vanished thanks to a strike from the winger and a brace from substitute the forward, making sure the visitors' coach would not cause pain for Howe's team.

Match Dynamics and Initial Exchanges

The Benfica boss had predicted that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his own team showed their own aggressive style. Benfica certainly enjoyed disrupting the Magpies' initial attempts to build a smooth passing rhythm.

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

Prior to the start, the two managers exchanged a brief, reserved greeting, and it soon became clear that Mourinho had told his side to subdue the crowd by slowing Newcastle and reducing the temperature whenever possible.

Key Moments and Decisive Actions

Benfica's tactic yielded varied outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates managed to break through Benfica's backline, they initially found it hard to generate clear chances.

Moreover, the Belgium attacker Lukebakio almost demonstrated scoring skill when, after beating the defender on the ground, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous strike that required an excellent one-handed stop. No wonder Pope retains hope for an national team return in time for the global tournament.

But when the winger directed another attempt against the post, Newcastle woke up. Jacob Murphy fired off target, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent close-range save from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally broke the scoreless tie.

The England winger's blazing pace had created consternation for the Benfica coach all evening, and he calmly side-footed the opener past Trubin after his teammate's quick cross into the box proved effective.

When the Magpies' intense, high press was not second-guessed by the opposition, Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was available to pass a low cross across the goal for the winger to finish.

Later Stages and Decisive Substitutions

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now their side pushed forward with total freedom. The winger consistently displayed an skill to unsettle Howe's defense, and the Magpies were probably relieved to reset at half-time.

The opening period ended with the keeper once more rescuing his team by diverting Lukebakio's shot wide of the post, and as the sides came out for the second half, everything seemed finely balanced.

While Gordon, evidently buoyed by netting his fourth strike in three European games this season, played with the determination of a wide player aiming to alter the balance in Newcastle's direction, the Benfica attacker had different plans.

Mourinho's No 11 had previously shown that, while Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a natural left-back, and Newcastle fans were in mouths every time Lukebakio advanced.

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Miley, deputising for Tonali, not headed a corner above the bar from a well-placed position. Instead, this thrilling game continued to move from end to end, persuading Newcastle's manager to introduce the midfielder and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, brought on an additional forward in Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a risk too far.

Barnes Seals the Game

Until then, Benfica, and in particular their Portuguese defender Silva, had performed a good job in restricting Nick Woltemade's space and forcing Newcastle's Germany striker back. But now, with defender Amar Dedic substituted, the defense was weakened, and the path was clear for Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring winger.

The home side's double substitution was already proving effective by the time Pope sent a wonderful throw in Barnes's direction. When Silva, for once, misjudged the bounce, Barnes was away, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining commendable poise to fire a sublime shot past Trubin.

When Harvey Barnes rolled a shot through unfortunate Trubin's legs after receiving Gordon's excellent through ball, it was all over. Mourinho had warned that the Magpies have several very fast wide attackers, and three goals from two wingers had destroyed his hopes of securing the team's first European points of the campaign.