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As Jose Mourinho came at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Eddie Howe and his players, home fans were concerned about a tough game. But such fears vanished due to a strike from the winger and two more from replacement Harvey Barnes, ensuring Benfica's coach did not inflict pain for Newcastle.

Game Dynamics and Initial Exchanges

The Benfica boss had predicted that the home side would be very physical, but his Benfica players displayed their similar combative approach. The visitors clearly enjoyed breaking up the Magpies' early efforts to establish a smooth attacking tempo.

Compounding Newcastle's challenges, two players, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, started on the bench as they continued convalescing from sickness and injury respectively.

Prior to the start, the coaches shared a brief, reserved greeting, and it quickly became apparent that the Benfica coach had told his team to subdue the home fans by delaying Newcastle and reducing the temperature whenever possible.

Critical Events and Decisive Actions

The visitors' tactic yielded mixed results, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates succeeded to dismantle the defensive barricades, they initially struggled to generate good opportunities.

Moreover, the Belgium attacker Dodi Lukebakio almost demonstrated scoring skill when, after beating the defender behind, he forced Nick Pope with a powerful shot that got an excellent single-hand stop. It's no surprise the goalkeeper retains hope for an national team recall in time for the World Cup.

But when the winger hit a further shot off the post, the home side roused themselves. Jacob Murphy fired off target, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent near-post stop from Guimaraes before Gordon at last broke the scoreless tie.

Gordon's scorching pace had created problems for Mourinho all evening, and he neatly slotted the opener past Trubin after his teammate's quick cross into the area proved effective.

On the occasion Newcastle's intense, high press was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to pass a ground ball across the goal for the winger to polish off.

Later Stages and Decisive Substitutions

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be accused of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now their side attacked with real abandon. Lukebakio repeatedly displayed an skill to destabilize Howe's back four, and the home team were probably relieved to regroup at the break.

The opening period concluded with the keeper once more rescuing his side by diverting the attacker's left-foot wide of the post, and as the sides emerged for the second half, the match seemed evenly balanced.

If Gordon, clearly buoyed by scoring his fourth strike in three European games this season, played with the determination of a wide player aiming to alter the balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had different ideas.

Mourinho's No 11 had previously shown that, while Dan Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a born full-back, and home fans were nervous every time he moved forward.

Howe might have felt easier had Miley, deputising for Tonali, not directed a corner above the crossbar from a good spot. Instead, this thrilling game continued to swing from end to end, prompting the coach to introduce the midfielder and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

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

Harvey Barnes Seals the Match

Until then, the away team, and in particular their Portugal back Silva, had performed a fine job in limiting Nick Woltemade's space and forcing Newcastle's German striker back. But now, with right-back Amar Dedic off, the backline was underpowered, and the path was open for Barnes to prove that Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring winger.

The home side's double substitution was already proving effective by the time Pope sent a superb throw in Barnes's direction. When Silva, for once, misjudged the flight, the winger was clear, sprinting into the area before maintaining impressive composure to fire a superb shot past Trubin.

When Harvey Barnes slid a low effort through poor the goalkeeper's legs after receiving Anthony Gordon's excellent through ball, it was all over. Mourinho had cautioned that Newcastle have four quick wingers, and three goals from two wide men had destroyed his chances of earning the team's first Champions League points of the season.