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As Jose Mourinho arrived at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Newcastle's coach and his players, local fans were concerned about a tough match. But those worries disappeared due to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from substitute the forward, making sure the visitors' coach would not cause pain for Newcastle.

Game Dynamics and Early Action

Mourinho had predicted that the home side would be very physical, but his Benfica players displayed their own aggressive approach. Benfica clearly delighted in breaking up Newcastle's early efforts to establish a fluent passing tempo.

Compounding Newcastle's challenges, two midfielders, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, began as substitutes as they were recovering from illness and injury each.

Prior to kick-off, the two managers shared a perfunctory, reserved greeting, and it quickly became clear that Mourinho had instructed his team to subdue the crowd by delaying the game and reducing the intensity at every chance.

Critical Moments and Turning Points

The visitors' strategy produced mixed results, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to dismantle Benfica's backline, they initially found it hard to create clear opportunities.

Additionally, the Belgian winger Lukebakio nearly demonstrated how to finish when, after leaving Dan Burn behind, he forced Nick Pope with a tremendous shot that got an excellent one-handed save. No wonder Pope still hopes for an national team recall in time for the global tournament.

But when the winger directed another shot off the post, the home side woke up. Jacob Murphy shot off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent close-range stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally opened the scoreless tie.

Gordon's scorching speed had caused consternation for Mourinho all night, and he neatly slotted the opener past Trubin after his teammate's early cross into the box proved effective.

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

Second Half and Decisive Substitutions

From the beginning, Benfica could not be accused of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now their side attacked with real abandon. The winger repeatedly showed an skill to unsettle Howe's back four, and the Magpies were likely grateful to reset at half-time.

The opening period ended with the keeper again saving his team by diverting the attacker's shot wide of the post, and as the sides emerged for the second half, the match seemed finely poised.

While Anthony Gordon, evidently buoyed by netting his fourth strike in three European games this campaign, played with the zeal of a winger aiming to alter the power balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had other plans.

The manager's winger had previously emphasized that, while Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a born full-back, and Newcastle hearts were in mouths every time he moved forward.

The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Miley, deputising for Tonali, not headed a corner above the crossbar from a good position. Rather, this thrilling game continued to swing from one goal to the other, persuading Newcastle's coach to bring on Joelinton and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, meanwhile, threw on an extra striker in Franjo Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a risk that backfired.

Harvey Barnes Wins the Match

Until then, the away team, and especially their Portugal back Antonio Silva, had performed a good job in limiting Woltemade's room and forcing Newcastle's German striker deep. However, with defender Dedic substituted, the defense was weakened, and the way was clear for Barnes to prove that Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring winger.

The home side's two changes was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a wonderful throw in Barnes's direction. When Silva, for once, misread the bounce, the winger was away, accelerating into the area before maintaining impressive composure to fire a sublime shot past Trubin.

After Harvey Barnes slid a low effort through poor the goalkeeper's legs after meeting Gordon's excellent through ball, it was all over. Mourinho had cautioned that Newcastle have several quick wide attackers, and three goals from a pair of wide men had shattered his chances of earning Benfica's first Champions League result of the season.