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As the Benfica manager came at St James' Park and complimented Newcastle's coach and his squad, home supporters feared a tough game. But those fears disappeared due to a goal from Anthony Gordon and two more from substitute Harvey Barnes, ensuring the visitors' new manager did not inflict pain for Newcastle.

Match Flow and Early Action

Mourinho had forecast that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his own team displayed their similar aggressive approach. Benfica clearly delighted in disrupting the Magpies' initial efforts to establish a smooth attacking tempo.

Adding to Newcastle's challenges, key players, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, started on the bench as they continued convalescing from sickness and injury each.

Before the start, the coaches exchanged a perfunctory, cool embrace, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had told his side to subdue the home fans by delaying the game and lowering the temperature whenever possible.

Critical Events and Decisive Actions

Benfica's tactic yielded mixed outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to break through Benfica's defensive barricades, they at first struggled to generate good chances.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgium attacker Dodi Lukebakio almost showed scoring skill when, after beating the defender on the ground, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a powerful strike that got an excellent one-handed stop. No wonder the goalkeeper still hopes for an national team recall in time for the global tournament.

Yet when the winger hit another attempt against the woodwork, Newcastle woke up. Jacob Murphy fired wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive close-range save from Guimaraes before Gordon finally broke the scoreless tie.

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

On the occasion the Magpies' intense, pressing game was not second-guessed by the opposition, Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to deliver a low ball across the face of goal for Gordon to finish.

Second Half and Decisive Substitutions

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's players attacked with total abandon. Lukebakio repeatedly displayed an skill to destabilize Newcastle's back four, and the Magpies were likely relieved to reset at half-time.

The first half ended with the keeper once more saving his side by tipping Lukebakio's shot around the post, and as the sides came out for the second half, everything seemed finely balanced.

While Anthony Gordon, clearly boosted by scoring his fourth goal in three European games this campaign, played with the determination of a winger aiming to shift the power balance in his team's favor, the Benfica attacker had other ideas.

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

Howe might have relaxed had Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece above the bar from a well-placed position. Rather, this thrilling game continued to move from end to end, persuading the coach to introduce the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, threw on an additional striker in Franjo Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a gamble too far.

Harvey Barnes Wins the Match

Until then, the away team, and especially their Portugal defender Antonio Silva, had done a fine job in restricting Woltemade's room and forcing the German striker deep. However, with defender Dedic off, the backline was underpowered, and the path was open for Harvey Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only attacking winger.

Newcastle's two changes was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a superb long throw in the substitute's path. When Silva, on this occasion, misread the bounce, the winger was away, accelerating into the area before keeping commendable poise to lash a superb shot past the keeper.

After Harvey Barnes slid a low effort through poor Trubin's feet after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar through ball, it was all over. The Benfica manager had cautioned that the Magpies have four very fast wingers, and three goals from a pair of wingers had shattered his chances of earning Benfica's first European points of the season.