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When the Benfica manager arrived at St James' Park and praised Eddie Howe and his squad, home fans feared a tough match. But those worries disappeared thanks to a strike from the winger and a brace from substitute Harvey Barnes, ensuring Benfica's coach did not inflict pain for Howe's team.

Game Flow and Initial Action

Mourinho had forecast that the home side would be very physical, but his own team displayed their similar aggressive approach. Benfica certainly enjoyed breaking up Newcastle's initial attempts to establish a smooth attacking tempo.

Compounding the home team's issues, key midfielders, Tonali and the Brazilian, started on the bench as they continued convalescing from sickness and a knock each.

Prior to the start, the two managers shared a brief, reserved embrace, and it soon became apparent that Mourinho had instructed his side to subdue the crowd by delaying the game and reducing the temperature whenever possible.

Key Events and Turning Points

Benfica's tactic yielded varied results, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to dismantle Benfica's backline, they initially struggled to generate good chances.

Moreover, the Belgian attacker Lukebakio almost showed scoring skill when, after leaving the defender on the ground, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that required an terrific one-handed stop. It's no surprise the goalkeeper still hopes for an England return in time for the World Cup.

But when Lukebakio hit a further shot off the woodwork, the home side woke up. Murphy fired off target, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive close-range stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon finally opened the scoreless tie.

The England winger's scorching pace had caused problems for the Benfica coach all evening, and he calmly slotted the opener past the goalkeeper after his teammate's early cross into the box proved effective.

On the occasion the Magpies' intense, pressing game was not second-guessed by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to pass a ground cross across the face of goal for Gordon to finish.

Second Half and Decisive Changes

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be accused of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's side pushed forward with real freedom. Lukebakio consistently displayed an skill to destabilize Howe's back four, and the home team were probably relieved to regroup at half-time.

The first half ended with the keeper again saving his side by tipping the attacker's left-foot wide of the post, and as the teams emerged for the next period, the match seemed finely balanced.

If Anthony Gordon, evidently boosted by netting his fourth strike in three Champions League appearances this season, played with the zeal of a winger aiming to shift the power balance in his team's direction, the Benfica attacker had other ideas.

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

Howe might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece above the bar from a good position. Instead, this absorbing contest continued to move from one goal to the other, persuading Newcastle's coach to bring on the midfielder and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, threw on an additional striker in Franjo Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a risk that backfired.

Barnes Wins the Game

Until then, the away team, and especially their Portuguese defender Silva, had done a fine job in restricting Nick Woltemade's room and pushing the Germany centre-forward back. However, with defender Amar Dedic substituted, the backline was underpowered, and the path was open for Harvey Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring winger.

Newcastle's two changes was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a superb long throw in Barnes's path. When Silva, on this occasion, misread the flight, Barnes was clear, accelerating into the penalty box before keeping commendable composure to lash a sublime shot past Trubin.

After Barnes rolled a low effort through poor Trubin's feet after meeting Gordon's stellar through ball, it was finished. The Benfica manager had warned that Newcastle have several quick wide attackers, and three goals from two wide men had destroyed his chances of securing Benfica's first Champions League points of the campaign.