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When the Benfica manager arrived at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his squad, local fans were concerned about a difficult game. However such worries vanished thanks to a strike from Anthony Gordon and two more from substitute the forward, ensuring Benfica's coach would not cause any trouble for Newcastle.

Match Flow and Early Action

The Benfica boss had predicted that Newcastle would be very physical, but his Benfica players displayed their own aggressive approach. Benfica clearly delighted in disrupting Newcastle's initial efforts to build a smooth passing rhythm.

Adding to the home team's issues, two midfielders, Tonali and the Brazilian, began as substitutes as they continued recovering from sickness and injury each.

Before the start, the coaches exchanged a brief, cool embrace, and it soon became apparent that the Benfica coach had told his team to subdue the crowd by delaying Newcastle and reducing the temperature at every chance.

Critical Events and Decisive Actions

Benfica's strategy yielded varied outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to break through the backline, they initially struggled to create good opportunities.

Moreover, the Belgian winger Dodi Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after beating Dan Burn on the ground, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous strike that got an excellent single-hand stop. It's no surprise the goalkeeper retains hope for an England recall in time for the global tournament.

Yet when the winger hit another attempt off the post, the home side woke up. Jacob Murphy shot wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent close-range save from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last broke the scoreless tie.

Gordon's scorching speed had created problems for Mourinho all night, and he neatly slotted the first goal past the goalkeeper after his teammate's quick cross into the area paid off.

On the occasion the Magpies' hard, pressing game was not anticipated by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was there to deliver a low ball across the face of goal for Gordon to finish.

Second Half and Match-Winning Substitutions

Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now their side pushed forward with real abandon. Lukebakio consistently displayed an ability to destabilize Howe's defense, and the Magpies were likely relieved to regroup at the break.

The opening period concluded with the keeper again saving his side by tipping the attacker's shot wide of the goal frame, and as the sides emerged for the next period, the match seemed evenly poised.

If Gordon, clearly buoyed by netting his fourth strike in three European games this campaign, played with the zeal of a winger aiming to alter the power balance in Newcastle's favor, Lukebakio had other plans.

The manager's No 11 had previously shown that, while Dan Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a born full-back, and home hearts were nervous every time he moved forward.

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not headed a corner above the bar from a well-placed spot. Instead, this thrilling contest continued to swing from one goal to the other, prompting Newcastle's coach to bring on Joelinton and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

Mourinho, meanwhile, threw on an additional striker in Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a gamble too far.

Barnes Wins the Game

Before that, the away team, and in particular their Portuguese back Antonio Silva, had performed a fine job in restricting Woltemade's room and pushing the Germany centre-forward back. But now, with defender Amar Dedic substituted, the defense was underpowered, and the way was clear for Barnes to prove that Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring winger.

The home side's double substitution was already proving effective by the time Pope dispatched a superb throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the bounce, the winger was away, sprinting into the area before maintaining impressive composure to fire a sublime shot past the keeper.

After Harvey Barnes slid a low effort through poor the goalkeeper's feet after receiving Gordon's excellent through ball, it was finished. The Benfica manager had warned that Newcastle have several quick wide attackers, and three goals from a pair of wide men had destroyed his chances of earning the team's first Champions League points of the campaign.