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When the Benfica manager came at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Eddie Howe and his players, home fans feared a difficult match. However such worries disappeared thanks to a goal from the winger and a brace from replacement Harvey Barnes, ensuring the visitors' coach did not inflict any trouble for Newcastle.

Game Dynamics and Initial Action

Mourinho had predicted that the home side would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their similar combative approach. The visitors certainly enjoyed breaking up the Magpies' initial attempts to establish a fluent attacking rhythm.

Adding to Newcastle's issues, two midfielders, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, started on the bench as they continued convalescing from sickness and injury each.

Before kick-off, the coaches shared a perfunctory, reserved greeting, and it soon became clear that the Benfica coach had told his side to subdue the home fans by delaying Newcastle and lowering the temperature whenever possible.

Critical Moments and Decisive Actions

Benfica's strategy yielded mixed results, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to dismantle Benfica's defensive barricades, they at first found it hard to create good opportunities.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgian winger Lukebakio nearly showed scoring skill when, after leaving the defender on the ground, he forced Nick Pope with a powerful strike that got an excellent single-hand save. No wonder Pope retains hope for an England recall in time for the World Cup.

Yet when Lukebakio hit a further shot off the post, Newcastle woke up. Murphy fired off target, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent close-range stop from Guimaraes before Gordon at last broke the deadlock.

Gordon's scorching speed had caused consternation for the Benfica coach all evening, and he calmly slotted the opener past Trubin after Murphy's early ball into the area proved effective.

When Newcastle's hard, high press was not second-guessed by Benfica, Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was there to pass a low cross across the goal for Gordon to finish.

Second Half and Decisive Substitutions

From the beginning, Benfica could not be blamed of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's players pushed forward with real abandon. The winger consistently displayed an skill to unsettle Howe's back four, and the Magpies were probably relieved to reset at the break.

The opening period concluded with the keeper once more saving his team by diverting Lukebakio's shot wide of the post, and as the teams came out for the second half, the match seemed evenly balanced.

If Gordon, evidently buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three European appearances this season, played with the zeal of a winger set to shift the balance in Newcastle's favor, the Benfica attacker had other ideas.

Mourinho's No 11 had already shown that, while Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a natural left-back, and home fans were nervous every time he advanced.

Howe might have felt easier had Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not directed a corner over the bar from a good position. Instead, this absorbing game continued to swing from one goal to the other, prompting the manager to introduce Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, meanwhile, threw on an extra forward in Franjo Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a gamble that backfired.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Game

Until then, the away team, and especially their Portugal back Silva, had done a fine job in restricting Nick Woltemade's space and forcing the German centre-forward back. However, with defender Amar Dedic off, the backline was weakened, and the path was open for Barnes to show that Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring wide player.

Newcastle's double substitution was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper sent a superb long throw in Barnes's path. When Silva, for once, misread the flight, Barnes was clear, accelerating into the penalty box before maintaining impressive poise to lash a sublime shot past the keeper.

When Harvey Barnes slid a low effort through poor Trubin's legs after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar through ball, it was all over. Mourinho had warned that the Magpies have several very fast wingers, and a trio of strikes from two wingers had shattered his chances of securing Benfica's first European points of the campaign.