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As Jose Mourinho came at St James' Park and praised Eddie Howe and his squad, local supporters feared a difficult game. However such worries disappeared due to a strike from Anthony Gordon and two more from substitute Harvey Barnes, making sure the visitors' coach would not cause pain for Newcastle.

Game Dynamics and Early Action

Mourinho had forecast that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players displayed their similar aggressive approach. The visitors clearly enjoyed breaking up Newcastle's initial attempts to establish a fluent attacking tempo.

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

Before kick-off, the two managers shared a brief, cool embrace, and it soon became clear that the Benfica coach had instructed his team to quiet the crowd by slowing Newcastle and reducing the intensity at every chance.

Critical Events and Turning Points

The visitors' strategy produced mixed outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates managed to break through Benfica's backline, they at first found it hard to generate good opportunities.

Additionally, the Belgium winger Lukebakio nearly showed how to finish when, after beating Dan Burn on the ground, he tested Nick Pope with a powerful strike that required an excellent one-handed save. No wonder the goalkeeper retains hope for an England return in time for the global tournament.

But when the winger hit another shot against the post, the home side roused themselves. Jacob Murphy fired wide, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent close-range stop from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally broke the deadlock.

The England winger's scorching pace had caused problems for Mourinho all evening, and he calmly slotted the opener past Trubin after his teammate's quick cross into the box paid off.

On the occasion the Magpies' hard, high press was not second-guessed by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, preferred 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 Match-Winning Substitutions

From the beginning, Benfica could not be blamed of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now their players attacked with real abandon. The winger repeatedly showed an skill to unsettle Newcastle's back four, and the Magpies were likely relieved to reset at the break.

The opening period concluded with Pope once more rescuing his side by diverting the attacker's left-foot around the goal frame, and as the sides came out for the second half, the match seemed finely balanced.

While Gordon, evidently boosted by scoring 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 favor, Lukebakio had other ideas.

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

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, filling in for Tonali, not directed a set-piece over the bar from a well-placed position. Instead, this thrilling contest continued to swing from end to end, persuading the coach to bring on the midfielder and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

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

Harvey Barnes Wins the Game

Before that, Benfica, and in particular their Portugal defender Antonio Silva, had done a good job in restricting Nick Woltemade's space and pushing Newcastle's Germany striker back. However, with right-back Amar Dedic substituted, the defense was weakened, and the way was clear for Barnes to show that Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring wide player.

The home side's two changes was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a wonderful throw in the substitute's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the flight, the winger was away, accelerating into the penalty box before keeping commendable composure to fire a sublime strike past the keeper.

After Harvey Barnes rolled a low effort through unfortunate Trubin's legs after receiving Gordon's stellar pass, it was all over. Mourinho had warned that the Magpies have four quick wingers, and a trio of strikes from two wide men had destroyed his hopes of earning the team's first European result of the season.