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As the Benfica manager came at St James' Park and praised Newcastle's coach and his players, local fans were concerned about a difficult match. However those worries vanished thanks to a strike from the winger and a brace from substitute the forward, ensuring the visitors' new manager would not cause any trouble for Howe's team.

Game Flow and Initial Exchanges

The Benfica boss had forecast that the home side would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their own combative style. The visitors clearly enjoyed breaking up the Magpies' initial attempts to establish a fluent passing tempo.

Compounding the home team's challenges, two midfielders, Tonali and Joelinton, started on the bench as they continued convalescing from sickness and a knock respectively.

Before kick-off, the two managers shared a perfunctory, cool greeting, and it soon became apparent that Mourinho had told his team to subdue the crowd by delaying the game and reducing the intensity at every chance.

Key Events and Decisive Actions

Benfica's strategy produced varied results, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to dismantle the defensive barricades, they initially found it hard to generate good opportunities.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgium winger Lukebakio nearly showed scoring skill when, after beating Dan Burn on the ground, he forced Nick Pope with a powerful strike that got an excellent single-hand stop. No wonder Pope still hopes for an England recall in time for the World Cup.

But when the winger directed a further shot against the post, Newcastle woke up. Jacob Murphy fired off target, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent near-post save from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally opened the scoreless tie.

The England winger's blazing speed had created problems for the Benfica coach all evening, and he calmly slotted the first goal past the goalkeeper after Murphy's early ball into the box proved effective.

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

Second Half and Match-Winning Changes

From the beginning, Benfica could not be accused of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now their side attacked with total freedom. The winger consistently showed an skill to destabilize Newcastle's defense, and the home team were likely grateful to reset at the break.

The first half ended with the keeper once more saving his team by tipping the attacker's shot around the post, and as the teams came out for the second half, everything seemed evenly poised.

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

Mourinho's No 11 had previously shown that, while Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a born left-back, and Newcastle fans were in mouths every time he moved forward.

The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece above the crossbar from a well-placed position. Instead, this absorbing contest continued to swing from one goal to the other, persuading the coach to bring on the midfielder and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, threw on an additional forward in Franjo Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a risk too far.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Game

Until then, the away team, and especially their Portugal back Antonio Silva, had done a fine job in restricting Nick Woltemade's room and pushing the Germany striker back. However, with right-back Amar Dedic off, the backline was underpowered, and the path was clear for Barnes to show that Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring wide player.

The home side's two changes was already paying off by the time Pope sent a wonderful long throw in Barnes's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the flight, the winger was away, sprinting into the area before keeping impressive poise to lash a superb strike past the keeper.

When Barnes slid a low effort through unfortunate Trubin's feet after receiving Anthony Gordon's stellar through ball, it was finished. The Benfica manager had cautioned that Newcastle have several quick wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from two wingers had shattered his chances of earning the team's first European points of the campaign.