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As Jose Mourinho came at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his squad, local fans feared a tough match. However such fears disappeared thanks to a goal from the winger and a brace from replacement Harvey Barnes, making sure Benfica's new manager did not inflict any trouble for Newcastle.

Match Flow and Early Action

Mourinho had forecast that the home side would be very physical, but his own team displayed their own aggressive style. The visitors clearly delighted in disrupting Newcastle's early efforts to build a smooth attacking tempo.

Compounding Newcastle's challenges, key players, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, started as substitutes as they continued convalescing from illness and a knock respectively.

Prior to kick-off, the coaches exchanged a perfunctory, reserved greeting, and it soon became apparent that the Benfica coach had instructed his side to quiet the home fans by slowing the game and reducing the intensity at every chance.

Critical Moments and Decisive Actions

The visitors' strategy yielded mixed results, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to break through Benfica's defensive barricades, they at first found it hard to generate good chances.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgium attacker Lukebakio almost showed how to finish when, after beating the defender on the ground, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous shot that got an terrific one-handed save. It's no surprise Pope retains hope for an national team return in time for the World Cup.

But when the winger directed a further shot off the post, the home side woke up. Jacob Murphy shot off target, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent near-post stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon finally broke the deadlock.

The England winger's scorching pace had caused problems for the Benfica coach all night, and he neatly slotted the first goal past Trubin after his teammate's quick ball into the box proved effective.

On the occasion Newcastle's hard, pressing game was not second-guessed by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a low ball across the face of goal for the winger to polish off.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Changes

Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be accused of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now their side pushed forward with total abandon. Lukebakio repeatedly showed an ability to unsettle Newcastle's back four, and the Magpies were likely grateful to regroup at the break.

The first half ended with the keeper again saving his side by diverting Lukebakio's shot around the goal frame, and as the teams emerged for the second half, everything seemed finely balanced.

While Anthony Gordon, evidently buoyed by netting his fourth strike in three Champions League appearances this campaign, played with the zeal of a wide player set to alter the power balance in his team's direction, the Benfica attacker had different ideas.

Mourinho's No 11 had previously 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 felt easier had Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not directed a set-piece above the crossbar from a well-placed spot. Rather, this absorbing game continued to swing from end to end, prompting the coach to bring on the midfielder and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, brought on an extra striker in Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a gamble that backfired.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Match

Before that, the away team, and especially their Portugal back Antonio Silva, had performed a good job in limiting Woltemade's room and forcing Newcastle's Germany striker back. But now, with defender Dedic substituted, the backline was underpowered, and the way was clear for Harvey Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring winger.

The home side's double substitution was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper sent a wonderful throw in the substitute's direction. When Silva, for once, misjudged the bounce, the winger was away, sprinting into the area before maintaining commendable poise to fire a sublime shot past the keeper.

After Harvey Barnes rolled a shot through unfortunate the goalkeeper's feet after receiving Anthony Gordon's excellent pass, it was finished. The Benfica manager had cautioned that the Magpies have four quick wingers, and a trio of strikes from two wide men had shattered his chances of securing Benfica's first Champions League points of the season.