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When Jose Mourinho came at St James' Park and praised Eddie Howe and his squad, home fans were concerned about a tough match. But those fears vanished thanks to a strike from Anthony Gordon and two more from replacement Harvey Barnes, ensuring the visitors' new manager did not inflict any trouble for Howe's team.

Match Dynamics and Initial Action

The Benfica boss had predicted that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his own team showed their similar aggressive style. Benfica clearly delighted in breaking up Newcastle's initial attempts to build a fluent attacking rhythm.

Compounding Newcastle's challenges, key midfielders, Tonali and Joelinton, began on the bench as they continued recovering from illness and a knock respectively.

Before the start, the coaches exchanged a brief, reserved greeting, and it soon became clear that the Benfica coach had instructed his side to subdue the home fans by slowing Newcastle and reducing the intensity at every chance.

Critical Events and Turning Points

Benfica's tactic produced mixed results, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to break through Benfica's backline, they at first found it hard to create clear chances.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgium winger Dodi Lukebakio nearly demonstrated how to finish when, after leaving Dan Burn on the ground, he tested Nick Pope with a powerful shot that required an excellent single-hand save. No wonder the goalkeeper still hopes for an England return in time for the World Cup.

Yet when Lukebakio directed a further attempt off the post, Newcastle roused themselves. Murphy shot off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive near-post save from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally opened the scoreless tie.

The England winger's blazing speed had caused consternation for the Benfica coach all night, and he calmly slotted the opener past Trubin after his teammate's early ball into the box proved effective.

When Newcastle's intense, high press was not second-guessed by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to deliver a ground ball across the face of goal for the winger to polish off.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Changes

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be accused of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now their players pushed forward with real abandon. Lukebakio consistently showed an ability to destabilize Howe's back four, and the home team were probably grateful to regroup at half-time.

The first half ended with Pope once more rescuing his team by diverting Lukebakio's left-foot wide of the post, and as the teams came out for the next period, the match seemed finely balanced.

If Anthony Gordon, evidently boosted by scoring his fourth strike in three European appearances this season, played with the determination of a wide player aiming to alter the balance in his team's direction, the Benfica attacker had other plans.

Mourinho's No 11 had previously emphasized that, while Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a born full-back, and home hearts were nervous every time Lukebakio advanced.

Howe might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not directed a corner above the crossbar from a well-placed spot. Instead, this thrilling contest continued to swing from end to end, prompting Newcastle's manager to bring on Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, threw on an extra forward in Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a risk too far.

Barnes Seals the Game

Before that, Benfica, and especially their Portuguese back Silva, had performed a fine job in restricting Nick Woltemade's space and pushing Newcastle's German striker back. However, with defender Dedic off, the defense was weakened, and the path was clear for Barnes to prove that Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring winger.

Newcastle's two changes was already paying off by the time Pope dispatched a wonderful throw in the substitute's direction. When Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the flight, the winger was clear, accelerating into the penalty box before keeping commendable composure to fire a superb shot past Trubin.

When Harvey Barnes slid a low effort through unfortunate Trubin's legs after meeting Gordon's excellent pass, it was finished. Mourinho had warned that the Magpies have four very fast wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wingers had shattered his hopes of earning the team's first Champions League points of the campaign.