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As Jose Mourinho came at St James' Park and praised Newcastle's coach and his squad, home supporters feared a tough game. But such fears disappeared due to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from replacement Harvey Barnes, making sure Benfica's coach did not inflict pain for Howe's team.

Match Dynamics and Initial Exchanges

The Benfica boss had forecast that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players displayed their own aggressive approach. The visitors certainly delighted in disrupting the Magpies' early attempts to build a fluent passing rhythm.

Adding to the home team's challenges, key players, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, started as substitutes as they were recovering from illness and injury respectively.

Before kick-off, the coaches shared a brief, cool greeting, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had instructed his side to subdue the crowd by slowing Newcastle and lowering the temperature whenever possible.

Key Moments and Decisive Actions

Benfica's strategy yielded mixed results, but when Gordon and his teammates succeeded to dismantle Benfica's backline, they at first found it hard to create good opportunities.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgium winger Lukebakio nearly demonstrated scoring skill when, after beating Dan Burn on the ground, he forced Nick Pope with a tremendous strike that got an excellent one-handed stop. It's no surprise Pope retains hope for an England return in time for the global tournament.

Yet when Lukebakio directed a further shot off the woodwork, Newcastle woke up. Murphy shot off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent close-range save from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last broke the scoreless tie.

The England winger's blazing speed had created consternation for Mourinho all night, and he neatly side-footed the opener past Trubin after his teammate's quick cross into the box proved effective.

When the Magpies' intense, pressing game was not anticipated by the opposition, Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to deliver a low ball across the goal for the winger to polish off.

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 their side attacked with total abandon. Lukebakio consistently displayed an skill to unsettle Howe's defense, and the Magpies were likely grateful to reset at the break.

The opening period concluded with Pope once more saving his team by diverting the attacker's left-foot around the post, and as the sides came out for the next period, everything seemed finely poised.

While Anthony Gordon, evidently buoyed by netting his fourth goal in three European appearances this season, played with the determination of a winger set to alter the power balance in his team's favor, Lukebakio had different ideas.

The manager's No 11 had already shown that, while Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a born full-back, and Newcastle fans were in mouths every time he moved forward.

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, deputising for Tonali, not headed a set-piece over the bar from a well-placed position. Rather, this absorbing contest continued to swing from end to end, persuading Newcastle's coach to introduce Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, threw on an extra forward in Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a gamble too far.

Barnes Wins the Match

Until then, the away team, and in particular their Portuguese back Antonio Silva, had performed a good job in limiting Woltemade's space and forcing Newcastle's German centre-forward back. However, with defender Dedic substituted, the defense was underpowered, and the path was clear for Harvey Barnes to prove that Gordon is not the manager's only attacking winger.

Newcastle's two changes was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper sent a wonderful long throw in Barnes's direction. When Silva, for once, misjudged the bounce, Barnes was away, sprinting into the area before maintaining impressive composure to lash a superb strike past the keeper.

When Barnes slid a shot through unfortunate Trubin's legs after meeting Anthony Gordon's excellent pass, it was all over. The Benfica manager had warned that Newcastle have several quick wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wide men had shattered his chances of earning Benfica's first European result of the campaign.