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As Jose Mourinho arrived at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Newcastle's coach and his squad, home fans were concerned about a tough match. However such worries vanished thanks to a strike from Anthony Gordon and two more from substitute Harvey Barnes, ensuring Benfica's new manager did not inflict any trouble for Newcastle.

Game Dynamics and Early Action

Mourinho had forecast that the home side would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their similar aggressive style. The visitors certainly enjoyed disrupting Newcastle's initial attempts to establish a smooth passing tempo.

Compounding the home team's issues, two players, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, began on the bench as they were recovering from sickness and a knock respectively.

Before kick-off, the two managers shared a perfunctory, reserved embrace, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had told his side to subdue the home fans by slowing the game and reducing the intensity whenever possible.

Critical Moments and Turning Points

The visitors' tactic yielded varied results, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates managed to dismantle Benfica's defensive barricades, they at first struggled to create good opportunities.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgian winger Dodi Lukebakio nearly showed scoring skill when, after leaving Dan Burn on the ground, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous shot that required an terrific single-hand stop. It's no surprise the goalkeeper retains hope for an national team return in time for the global tournament.

But when Lukebakio directed another attempt off the post, the home side roused themselves. Murphy fired wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive close-range save from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally broke the scoreless tie.

Gordon's blazing speed had caused consternation for Mourinho all evening, and he neatly side-footed the first goal past Trubin after his teammate's quick cross into the box proved effective.

On the occasion Newcastle's intense, pressing game was not second-guessed by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a ground cross across the goal for Gordon to polish off.

Later Stages and Decisive Changes

From the beginning, Benfica could not be accused of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now their players pushed forward with total abandon. Lukebakio consistently showed an skill to unsettle Newcastle's back four, and the Magpies were likely relieved to regroup at half-time.

The opening period ended with the keeper again saving his team by diverting Lukebakio's left-foot wide of the post, and as the sides emerged for the second half, the match seemed evenly balanced.

While Anthony Gordon, clearly buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three European appearances this season, played with the zeal of a winger set to alter the power balance in his team's direction, the Benfica attacker had different plans.

The manager's winger had previously shown that, while Dan Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a natural left-back, and home hearts were in mouths every time he advanced.

Howe might have felt easier had Miley, deputising for Tonali, not headed a corner above the crossbar from a well-placed spot. Rather, this absorbing game continued to move from end to end, prompting the coach to bring on the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

Mourinho, meanwhile, brought on an additional striker in Franjo Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a gamble too far.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Match

Before that, Benfica, and in particular their Portugal defender Antonio Silva, had done a good job in restricting Nick Woltemade's room and pushing Newcastle's Germany striker back. But now, with defender Dedic substituted, the backline was underpowered, and the way was open for Harvey Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring wide player.

The home side's double substitution was already paying off by the time Pope dispatched a wonderful throw in the substitute's direction. When Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the bounce, Barnes was away, accelerating into the penalty box before maintaining impressive poise to fire a sublime strike past Trubin.

When Harvey Barnes rolled a low effort through poor the goalkeeper's legs after meeting Anthony Gordon's excellent through ball, it was all over. Mourinho had cautioned that Newcastle have four very fast wide attackers, and three goals from two wide men had destroyed his hopes of earning the team's first European points of the season.