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When Jose Mourinho arrived at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Eddie Howe and his squad, home fans were concerned about a difficult game. However those fears vanished due to a strike from the winger and a brace from substitute Harvey Barnes, making sure Benfica's new manager would not cause pain for Newcastle.

Game Dynamics and Early Action

The Benfica boss had forecast that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his own team displayed their similar aggressive approach. The visitors certainly enjoyed disrupting Newcastle's early efforts to establish a smooth attacking rhythm.

Compounding the home team's challenges, key players, Tonali and Joelinton, started on the bench as they were convalescing from illness and a knock respectively.

Prior to kick-off, the coaches shared a perfunctory, cool greeting, and it quickly became apparent that the Benfica coach had instructed his team to quiet the crowd by slowing the game and lowering the intensity whenever possible.

Key Events and Decisive Actions

Benfica's strategy yielded mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to break through Benfica's backline, they at first struggled to generate clear opportunities.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgian winger Dodi Lukebakio almost showed how to finish when, after beating the defender on the ground, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous shot that required an excellent single-hand stop. No wonder the goalkeeper retains hope for an England return in time for the global tournament.

But when Lukebakio hit another attempt off the woodwork, the home side woke up. Jacob Murphy fired wide, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent near-post save from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon at last broke the deadlock.

The England winger's blazing pace had caused consternation for the Benfica coach all evening, and he neatly side-footed the first goal past Trubin after his teammate's early cross into the area paid off.

On the occasion the Magpies' intense, pressing game was not second-guessed by Benfica, Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to deliver a low ball across the face of goal for the winger to finish.

Second Half and Match-Winning Substitutions

Right from the start, Benfica could not be blamed of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now their side attacked with real abandon. Lukebakio repeatedly displayed an ability to destabilize Newcastle's defense, and the Magpies were likely relieved to regroup at half-time.

The opening period concluded with Pope once more saving his side by diverting the attacker's shot around the goal frame, and as the teams came out for the next period, the match seemed evenly balanced.

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

Mourinho's No 11 had already shown that, while Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a born left-back, and Newcastle hearts were in mouths every time Lukebakio advanced.

Howe might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not headed a corner above the crossbar from a good spot. Instead, this thrilling contest continued to move from one goal to the other, prompting Newcastle's coach to bring on Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, brought on an extra striker in Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a risk that backfired.

Barnes Wins the Game

Until then, the away team, and in particular their Portugal back Antonio Silva, had done a good job in limiting Woltemade's space and pushing the Germany striker deep. However, with right-back Dedic off, the backline was underpowered, and the path was open for Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only attacking wide player.

The home side's double substitution was already proving effective by the time Pope sent a wonderful throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the bounce, the winger was away, sprinting into the area before maintaining impressive poise to lash a sublime strike past Trubin.

After Barnes rolled a shot through unfortunate the goalkeeper's legs after receiving Gordon's excellent through ball, it was finished. The Benfica manager had cautioned that the Magpies have several quick wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wingers had shattered his chances of securing Benfica's first Champions League result of the campaign.