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As the Benfica manager arrived at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Eddie Howe and his squad, home supporters were concerned about a difficult match. But those fears vanished due to a goal from Anthony Gordon and a brace from substitute the forward, making sure the visitors' coach did not inflict any trouble for Howe's team.

Match Flow and Early Exchanges

The Benfica boss had predicted that the home side would be very physical, but his own team showed their similar combative approach. Benfica clearly delighted in breaking up the Magpies' early efforts to build a fluent passing rhythm.

Compounding the home team's issues, two midfielders, Tonali and Joelinton, began on the bench as they were recovering from illness and a knock respectively.

Before the start, the coaches exchanged a perfunctory, cool greeting, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had instructed his side to quiet the crowd by slowing the game and reducing the intensity at every chance.

Key Moments and Decisive Actions

Benfica's strategy yielded varied results, but when Gordon and his teammates succeeded to dismantle Benfica's backline, they initially struggled to generate clear chances.

Additionally, the Belgian winger Lukebakio nearly showed how to finish when, after beating Dan Burn on the ground, he forced Nick Pope with a powerful strike that got an excellent one-handed stop. No wonder the goalkeeper still hopes for an national team return in time for the global tournament.

Yet when the winger hit another attempt against the woodwork, Newcastle roused themselves. Jacob Murphy fired off target, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive close-range stop from Guimaraes before Gordon finally broke the scoreless tie.

Gordon's scorching speed had caused consternation for Mourinho all evening, and he calmly slotted the first goal past the goalkeeper after his teammate's quick ball into the area paid off.

On the occasion the Magpies' hard, pressing game was not anticipated by the opposition, Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to pass a ground cross across the goal for Gordon to polish off.

Later Stages and Decisive Substitutions

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now their players attacked with total freedom. Lukebakio consistently displayed an skill to destabilize Howe's back four, and the Magpies were likely grateful to reset at the break.

The opening period concluded with the keeper once more saving his side by tipping the attacker's left-foot wide of the post, and as the sides emerged for the second half, everything seemed finely balanced.

While Gordon, clearly buoyed by scoring his fourth strike in three Champions League appearances this season, played with the zeal of a wide player aiming to shift the power balance in Newcastle's direction, the Benfica attacker had other ideas.

The manager's No 11 had already emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a born left-back, and home fans were nervous every time he advanced.

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, deputising for Tonali, not headed a set-piece above the crossbar from a well-placed position. Rather, this thrilling game continued to swing from end to end, persuading the coach to introduce Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, meanwhile, brought on an additional forward in Franjo Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a gamble too far.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Game

Until then, Benfica, and especially their Portuguese defender Silva, had done a good job in limiting Nick Woltemade's space and forcing the German centre-forward back. However, with defender Dedic off, the defense was weakened, and the way was clear for Harvey Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring wide player.

The home side's double substitution was already proving effective by the time Pope sent a superb throw in Barnes's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the flight, the winger was clear, sprinting into the area before maintaining impressive poise to fire a sublime shot past Trubin.

When Barnes rolled a low effort through unfortunate the goalkeeper's feet after receiving Gordon's stellar pass, it was finished. Mourinho had cautioned that Newcastle have four very fast wide attackers, and three goals from two wingers had shattered his chances of earning Benfica's first European result of the campaign.