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As Jose Mourinho came at St James' Park and praised Eddie Howe and his squad, home fans feared a difficult match. However such fears disappeared thanks to a goal from the winger and a brace from substitute Harvey Barnes, making sure the visitors' coach did not inflict pain for Howe's team.

Game Dynamics and Initial Exchanges

The Benfica boss had forecast that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players displayed their similar combative approach. The visitors clearly enjoyed breaking up the Magpies' early attempts to build a smooth passing tempo.

Compounding Newcastle's issues, two midfielders, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, started on the bench as they continued convalescing from illness and a knock respectively.

Before the start, the coaches shared a brief, cool embrace, and it quickly became clear that Mourinho had instructed his side to quiet the crowd by delaying Newcastle and reducing the intensity whenever possible.

Key Events and Decisive Actions

Benfica's tactic produced mixed results, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates succeeded to break through Benfica's backline, they initially struggled to create good opportunities.

Moreover, the Belgium winger Dodi Lukebakio almost showed scoring skill when, after leaving the defender behind, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a powerful strike that got an terrific one-handed save. No wonder the goalkeeper still hopes for an England return in time for the World Cup.

But when Lukebakio directed a further attempt against the woodwork, Newcastle woke up. Murphy shot wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive close-range save from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon at last opened the scoreless tie.

Gordon's scorching pace had caused problems for Mourinho all evening, and he neatly slotted the opener past Trubin after his teammate's quick ball into the box paid off.

On the occasion Newcastle's intense, pressing game was not anticipated by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was available to pass a low ball across the goal for Gordon to polish off.

Second Half and Match-Winning Substitutions

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be accused of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now their players pushed forward with total freedom. Lukebakio repeatedly displayed an ability to unsettle Newcastle's defense, and the home team were probably relieved to reset at the break.

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

If Anthony Gordon, clearly buoyed by netting his fourth strike in three Champions League appearances this campaign, played with the determination of a winger aiming to shift the power balance in his team's favor, the Benfica attacker had other ideas.

The manager's No 11 had already shown that, while Dan Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a born full-back, and home fans were in mouths every time he advanced.

Howe might have relaxed had Miley, filling in for Tonali, not directed a set-piece above the crossbar from a good position. Rather, this thrilling game continued to swing from one goal to the other, persuading Newcastle's manager to bring on the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, meanwhile, brought on an extra striker in Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a risk too far.

Barnes Wins the Match

Until then, Benfica, and in particular their Portugal defender Silva, had done a fine job in restricting Nick Woltemade's room and forcing Newcastle's German centre-forward back. However, with defender Dedic substituted, the backline was weakened, and the path was open for Harvey Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring wide player.

The home side's two changes was already paying off by the time Pope sent a superb throw in Barnes's direction. When Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the bounce, Barnes was clear, sprinting into the area before maintaining commendable poise to lash a sublime strike past Trubin.

After Harvey Barnes rolled a shot through poor Trubin's feet after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar pass, it was finished. The Benfica manager had cautioned that Newcastle have several quick wide attackers, and three goals from two wingers had destroyed his hopes of earning the team's first Champions League points of the campaign.