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As Jose Mourinho arrived at Newcastle's stadium and praised Eddie Howe and his squad, home supporters feared a difficult match. But such fears disappeared due to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from substitute Harvey Barnes, making sure the visitors' new manager would not cause pain for Howe's team.

Game Flow and Initial Action

Mourinho had forecast that Newcastle would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their own aggressive approach. The visitors certainly delighted in disrupting the Magpies' initial attempts to build a fluent attacking rhythm.

Adding to Newcastle's issues, key players, Tonali and the Brazilian, started as substitutes as they continued convalescing from illness and a knock respectively.

Before kick-off, the coaches exchanged a brief, cool greeting, and it soon became clear that Mourinho had told his side to subdue the home fans by delaying Newcastle and reducing the intensity at every chance.

Key Events and Turning Points

The visitors' tactic yielded varied results, but when Gordon and his teammates managed to dismantle the defensive barricades, they initially found it hard to create good chances.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgium attacker Dodi Lukebakio almost demonstrated scoring skill when, after beating Dan Burn on the ground, he tested Nick Pope with a tremendous shot that required an excellent single-hand save. No wonder the goalkeeper still hopes for an national team return in time for the global tournament.

But when Lukebakio directed a further shot off the post, Newcastle woke up. Murphy shot off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent close-range save from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally opened the scoreless tie.

The England winger's scorching speed had created problems for Mourinho all evening, and he calmly slotted the opener past the goalkeeper after Murphy's early cross into the area proved effective.

On the occasion Newcastle's intense, pressing game was not anticipated by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was there to deliver a low ball across the face of goal for the winger to finish.

Second Half and Decisive Changes

Right from the start, Benfica could not be accused of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now their players pushed forward with total abandon. The winger repeatedly displayed an ability to destabilize Howe's defense, and the Magpies were probably relieved to regroup at half-time.

The first half ended with Pope again saving his team by tipping Lukebakio's left-foot wide of the post, and as the sides emerged for the next period, everything seemed evenly poised.

If Gordon, evidently boosted by scoring his fourth goal in three Champions League appearances this campaign, played with the zeal of a wide player set to shift the balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had other plans.

The manager's winger had previously emphasized that, while Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a natural full-back, and Newcastle fans were nervous every time he moved forward.

The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not directed a corner above the crossbar from a well-placed position. Instead, this thrilling contest continued to swing from end to end, prompting the coach to bring on the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, meanwhile, threw on an extra striker in Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a gamble too far.

Harvey Barnes Wins the Game

Until then, Benfica, and in particular their Portugal back Silva, had done a good job in limiting Woltemade's room and forcing Newcastle's Germany centre-forward back. However, with defender Dedic off, the backline was weakened, and the path was open for Harvey Barnes to prove 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 the goalkeeper dispatched a superb throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, for once, misread the flight, the winger was away, sprinting into the area before keeping commendable poise to lash a superb shot past Trubin.

When Barnes rolled a shot through poor the goalkeeper's legs after meeting Gordon's excellent pass, it was finished. Mourinho had cautioned that Newcastle have four very fast wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from two wingers had shattered his chances of securing Benfica's first Champions League points of the season.