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When the Benfica manager arrived at Newcastle's stadium and praised Eddie Howe and his squad, home fans feared a difficult match. But such fears disappeared thanks to a goal from the winger and a brace from substitute Harvey Barnes, ensuring the visitors' coach did not inflict pain for Newcastle.

Match Flow and Early Action

The Benfica boss had predicted that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his own team displayed their own combative style. The visitors clearly delighted in disrupting the Magpies' early efforts to build a fluent attacking tempo.

Compounding the home team's issues, key midfielders, Tonali and the Brazilian, started as substitutes as they were convalescing from illness and injury each.

Prior to kick-off, the two managers shared a perfunctory, reserved embrace, and it quickly became apparent that the Benfica coach had told his side to subdue the crowd by slowing the game and lowering the intensity at every chance.

Key Moments and Decisive Actions

The visitors' strategy yielded mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and his teammates managed to dismantle Benfica's defensive barricades, they at first struggled to create clear opportunities.

Moreover, the Belgian winger Dodi Lukebakio almost showed scoring skill when, after beating Dan Burn behind, he tested Nick Pope with a tremendous shot that got an excellent one-handed save. No wonder the goalkeeper retains hope for an England return in time for the global tournament.

Yet when the winger directed a further attempt off the woodwork, Newcastle woke up. Jacob Murphy fired off target, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive near-post stop from Guimaraes before Gordon finally broke the deadlock.

The England winger's blazing pace had caused consternation for the Benfica coach all evening, and he calmly side-footed the first goal past the goalkeeper after Murphy's early cross into the box paid off.

On the occasion Newcastle's intense, high press was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to deliver a low ball across the face of goal for Gordon to finish.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Changes

Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be accused of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's players pushed forward with total abandon. The winger consistently displayed an ability to unsettle Newcastle's back four, and the Magpies were likely relieved to reset at the break.

The opening period concluded with the keeper once more rescuing his team by diverting Lukebakio's left-foot around the post, and as the teams came out for the second half, everything seemed finely poised.

While Anthony Gordon, clearly buoyed by netting his fourth goal in three Champions League appearances this season, played with the determination of a wide player set to alter the power balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had other ideas.

Mourinho's No 11 had previously shown that, while Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a born full-back, and Newcastle fans were in mouths every time Lukebakio advanced.

Howe might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece over the crossbar from a good position. Rather, this thrilling game continued to swing from end to end, prompting the coach to bring on Joelinton and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

The Benfica boss, meanwhile, threw on an additional striker in Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a gamble too far.

Barnes Seals the Match

Until then, Benfica, and in particular their Portugal defender Antonio Silva, had performed a good job in limiting Nick Woltemade's room and forcing Newcastle's Germany striker deep. However, with right-back Dedic substituted, the defense was underpowered, and the way was clear for Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only attacking wide player.

Newcastle's double substitution was already paying off by the time Pope sent a superb long throw in Barnes's direction. When Antonio Silva, for once, misjudged the flight, Barnes was clear, sprinting into the area before maintaining commendable poise to lash a sublime shot past the keeper.

When Barnes slid a low effort through poor Trubin's legs after meeting Gordon's stellar through ball, it was all over. The Benfica manager had cautioned that Newcastle have several very fast wingers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wingers had destroyed his chances of securing the team's first Champions League points of the season.