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As Jose Mourinho arrived at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Eddie Howe and his squad, home fans were concerned about a tough match. But such fears disappeared thanks to a goal from the winger and two more from substitute Harvey Barnes, ensuring Benfica's coach would not cause any trouble for Newcastle.

Match Flow and Early Exchanges

Mourinho had predicted that the home side would be very physical, but his own team displayed their similar combative approach. Benfica certainly enjoyed breaking up the Magpies' early efforts to establish a fluent attacking rhythm.

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

Before the start, the coaches shared a brief, cool greeting, and it soon became clear that Mourinho had instructed his side to subdue the crowd by delaying the game and reducing the temperature at every chance.

Critical Events and Decisive Actions

The visitors' strategy yielded varied results, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to dismantle the backline, they at first found it hard to generate good opportunities.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgium attacker Dodi Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after leaving the defender behind, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous shot that got an excellent one-handed stop. No wonder the goalkeeper retains hope for an national team return in time for the global tournament.

But when Lukebakio hit another shot off the woodwork, the home side woke up. Jacob Murphy shot wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive close-range stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally broke the deadlock.

Gordon's scorching speed had caused problems for Mourinho all evening, and he neatly side-footed the first goal past Trubin after Murphy's quick ball into the box paid off.

On the occasion Newcastle's hard, high press was not second-guessed by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was there to deliver a ground ball across the goal for the winger to finish.

Second Half and Decisive Substitutions

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be accused of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now their players attacked with total freedom. Lukebakio consistently showed an ability to unsettle Newcastle's defense, and the Magpies were probably grateful to reset at the break.

The first half ended with the keeper once more saving his team by tipping Lukebakio's left-foot wide of the goal frame, and as the sides emerged for the next period, everything seemed finely poised.

If Gordon, evidently boosted by scoring his fourth goal in three Champions League games this campaign, played with the determination of a wide player set to shift the balance in his team's direction, the Benfica attacker had other plans.

Mourinho's No 11 had previously emphasized that, while Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a natural full-back, and Newcastle hearts were in mouths every time he moved forward.

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Miley, filling in for Tonali, not headed a set-piece over the crossbar from a good spot. Rather, this thrilling game continued to move from end to end, prompting the manager to introduce Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

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

Barnes Wins the Match

Until then, the away team, and especially their Portuguese back Antonio Silva, had performed a good job in restricting Nick Woltemade's space and forcing Newcastle's Germany striker back. But now, with defender Amar Dedic off, the defense was underpowered, and the way was clear for Harvey Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring winger.

The home side's double substitution was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper sent a wonderful throw in the substitute's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the flight, the winger was clear, sprinting into the penalty box before keeping impressive poise to fire a superb shot past Trubin.

After Barnes slid a low effort through poor the goalkeeper's legs after meeting Anthony Gordon's excellent through ball, it was finished. Mourinho had warned that the Magpies have four quick wide attackers, and three goals from a pair of wingers had destroyed his hopes of securing Benfica's first Champions League points of the campaign.