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When the Benfica manager arrived at St James' Park and praised Newcastle's coach and his squad, local fans were concerned about a tough game. However such worries disappeared thanks to a strike from Anthony Gordon and two more from replacement Harvey Barnes, ensuring Benfica's coach would not cause pain for Howe's team.

Game Dynamics and Early Action

The Benfica boss had predicted that the home side would be very physical, but his own team displayed their similar aggressive approach. The visitors certainly enjoyed disrupting the Magpies' initial efforts to build a smooth passing tempo.

Compounding Newcastle's issues, key midfielders, Tonali and Joelinton, began on the bench as they continued convalescing from sickness and a knock respectively.

Prior to the start, the two managers shared a perfunctory, cool greeting, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had instructed his side to quiet the home fans by slowing the game and reducing the temperature whenever possible.

Key Moments and Decisive Actions

The visitors' tactic produced mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and his teammates succeeded to break through the backline, they initially found it hard to generate clear chances.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgian winger Lukebakio almost demonstrated scoring skill when, after leaving the defender behind, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a powerful strike that got an excellent single-hand save. No wonder the goalkeeper still hopes for an England recall in time for the World Cup.

But when Lukebakio directed a further shot off the woodwork, the home side roused themselves. Murphy shot off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent close-range save from Guimaraes before Gordon at last opened the scoreless tie.

The England winger's scorching pace had caused problems for Mourinho all night, and he neatly side-footed the opener past the goalkeeper after Murphy's early ball into the box paid off.

When Newcastle's hard, high press was not anticipated by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to pass a low ball across the goal for Gordon to polish off.

Later Stages and Decisive Changes

From the beginning, Benfica could not be blamed of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now their players attacked with real freedom. The winger consistently showed an ability to unsettle Newcastle's defense, and the home team were likely relieved to reset at half-time.

The opening period concluded with the keeper once more saving his side by diverting the attacker's left-foot around the goal frame, and as the sides emerged for the second half, the match seemed finely poised.

While Gordon, evidently boosted by netting his fourth goal in three Champions League games this campaign, played with the zeal of a winger set to alter the power balance in his team's favor, Lukebakio had different ideas.

Mourinho's No 11 had previously emphasized that, while Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a natural left-back, and home fans were in mouths every time Lukebakio moved forward.

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Miley, filling in for Tonali, not headed a corner above the crossbar from a good position. Rather, this absorbing game continued to swing from one goal to the other, prompting Newcastle's manager to introduce Joelinton and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

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

Barnes Seals the Match

Until then, Benfica, and especially their Portuguese defender Silva, had performed a good job in restricting Nick Woltemade's room and forcing the German striker back. But now, with right-back Dedic off, the backline was underpowered, and the path was open for Harvey Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only attacking wide player.

The home side's two changes was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a superb throw in Barnes's direction. When Silva, on this occasion, misread the bounce, the winger was away, sprinting into the area before maintaining impressive composure to fire a superb strike past Trubin.

When Barnes slid a low effort through poor the goalkeeper's legs after meeting Gordon's excellent pass, it was all over. Mourinho had warned that Newcastle have several very fast wide attackers, and three goals from two wide men had shattered his hopes of securing Benfica's first European result of the campaign.