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As the Benfica manager came at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his players, home supporters were concerned about a difficult match. But such worries disappeared thanks to a strike from the winger and a brace from replacement Harvey Barnes, making sure Benfica's coach would not cause pain for Howe's team.

Match Dynamics and Early Exchanges

The Benfica boss had forecast that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his own team showed their similar combative approach. The visitors certainly delighted in disrupting the Magpies' early efforts to build a fluent attacking rhythm.

Compounding the home team's issues, key midfielders, Tonali and Joelinton, started on the bench as they continued recovering from illness and injury respectively.

Before kick-off, the two managers shared a brief, cool greeting, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had instructed his side to subdue the crowd by delaying Newcastle and reducing the intensity at every chance.

Key Events and Decisive Actions

The visitors' tactic produced mixed results, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to break through Benfica's backline, they at first struggled to create clear opportunities.

Additionally, the Belgium attacker Lukebakio nearly showed scoring skill when, after leaving Dan Burn behind, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a powerful strike that required an excellent one-handed stop. It's no surprise Pope still hopes for an England return in time for the global tournament.

Yet when Lukebakio hit another shot against the woodwork, the home side woke up. Murphy fired off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive close-range save from Guimaraes before Gordon finally broke the deadlock.

Gordon's blazing pace had created problems for Mourinho all evening, and he neatly side-footed the first goal past Trubin after his teammate's quick ball into the area paid off.

When the Magpies' intense, high press was not second-guessed by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was there to pass a low cross across the face of goal for Gordon to polish off.

Later Stages and Decisive Substitutions

Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's players pushed forward with real abandon. The winger repeatedly displayed an ability to destabilize Newcastle's back four, and the home team were probably relieved to regroup at half-time.

The opening period concluded with Pope once more rescuing his side by tipping Lukebakio's shot wide of the post, and as the teams came out for the next period, everything seemed evenly balanced.

If Anthony Gordon, clearly boosted by scoring his fourth goal in three Champions League games this season, played with the determination of a wide player set to shift the balance in Newcastle's favor, the Benfica attacker had other ideas.

The manager's winger had previously shown that, while Dan Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a born left-back, and home hearts were in mouths every time he advanced.

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, deputising for Tonali, not headed a set-piece over the crossbar from a well-placed position. Rather, this absorbing contest continued to move from end to end, prompting the coach to introduce Joelinton and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, brought on an extra forward in Franjo Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a risk that backfired.

Barnes Wins the Game

Until then, Benfica, and especially their Portuguese back Silva, had done a good job in limiting Nick Woltemade's space and pushing the Germany striker back. But now, with defender Amar Dedic substituted, the backline was weakened, and the way was clear for Harvey Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring wide player.

The home side's double substitution was already paying off by the time Pope dispatched a wonderful long throw in the substitute's direction. When Antonio Silva, for once, misjudged the bounce, the winger was clear, sprinting into the area before maintaining commendable composure to fire a sublime strike past Trubin.

When Barnes slid a low effort through unfortunate Trubin's feet after meeting Gordon's excellent through ball, it was finished. Mourinho had cautioned that Newcastle have several very fast wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from two wingers had destroyed his chances of securing the team's first Champions League result of the season.