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When Jose Mourinho arrived at St James' Park and praised Eddie Howe and his squad, local supporters feared a tough match. But such worries disappeared thanks to a strike from Anthony Gordon and two more from substitute the forward, making sure Benfica's coach did not inflict any trouble for Howe's team.

Game Dynamics and Initial Exchanges

Mourinho had forecast that the home side would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their similar aggressive approach. The visitors clearly delighted in breaking up the Magpies' early attempts to establish a smooth passing rhythm.

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

Before the start, the coaches exchanged a perfunctory, reserved greeting, and it soon became clear that the Benfica coach had told his team to subdue the crowd by delaying the game and reducing the temperature whenever possible.

Key Events and Turning Points

Benfica's strategy produced mixed outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates managed to dismantle the defensive barricades, they at first found it hard to create good chances.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgium attacker Dodi Lukebakio almost showed how to finish when, after beating the defender behind, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a powerful strike that got an excellent single-hand stop. It's no surprise the goalkeeper retains hope for an national team return in time for the World Cup.

Yet when the winger directed another attempt against the woodwork, the home side roused themselves. Jacob Murphy fired off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent near-post stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally broke the deadlock.

The England winger's blazing speed had created problems for Mourinho all night, and he calmly slotted the first goal past Trubin after Murphy's quick ball into the area paid off.

On the occasion the Magpies' hard, pressing game was not second-guessed by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was available to deliver a low ball across the face of goal for the winger to polish off.

Second Half and Decisive Substitutions

Right from the start, Benfica could not be accused of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now their side pushed forward with real freedom. Lukebakio consistently showed an skill to unsettle Newcastle's back four, and the Magpies were probably relieved to reset at the break.

The opening period ended with the keeper again rescuing his team by diverting Lukebakio's left-foot around the post, and as the teams came out for the next period, everything seemed finely balanced.

While Anthony Gordon, evidently buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three European appearances this season, played with the zeal of a wide player set to alter the balance in Newcastle's favor, Lukebakio had different plans.

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

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Miley, deputising for Tonali, not headed a corner over the crossbar from a good position. Rather, this thrilling contest continued to swing from one goal to the other, prompting Newcastle's coach to introduce the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, brought on an additional forward in Franjo Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a risk too far.

Barnes Wins the Match

Until then, Benfica, and in particular their Portuguese defender Silva, had done a good job in limiting Nick Woltemade's space and pushing Newcastle's German centre-forward back. But now, with defender Dedic substituted, the backline was underpowered, and the path was open for Harvey Barnes to show that Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring winger.

Newcastle's two changes was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a superb long throw in the substitute's direction. When Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the bounce, Barnes was clear, sprinting into the area before maintaining commendable poise to lash a sublime strike past Trubin.

After Harvey Barnes rolled a low effort through poor the goalkeeper's feet after receiving Gordon's excellent pass, it was finished. The Benfica manager had cautioned that the Magpies have four very fast wingers, and three goals from two wide men had destroyed his hopes of securing Benfica's first Champions League points of the campaign.