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As Jose Mourinho arrived at St James' Park and praised Newcastle's coach and his squad, local supporters were concerned about a tough match. But such worries vanished due to a goal from Anthony Gordon and a brace from replacement the forward, ensuring the visitors' coach would not cause any trouble for Newcastle.

Game Dynamics and Initial Exchanges

Mourinho had forecast that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players showed their own combative approach. Benfica certainly delighted in disrupting the Magpies' initial efforts to establish a fluent attacking rhythm.

Compounding Newcastle's issues, key players, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, began as substitutes as they were convalescing from sickness and injury each.

Before the start, the two managers shared a perfunctory, reserved embrace, and it soon became apparent that the Benfica coach had told his team to subdue the home fans by delaying Newcastle and lowering the intensity at every chance.

Critical Events and Decisive Actions

Benfica's strategy yielded mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and his teammates succeeded to break through Benfica's defensive barricades, they at first struggled to generate clear chances.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgium attacker 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 one-handed stop. No wonder the goalkeeper retains hope for an England recall in time for the global tournament.

But when Lukebakio directed another shot against the woodwork, the home side woke up. Murphy shot wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent close-range stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon at last broke the deadlock.

The England winger's blazing speed had created consternation for Mourinho all night, and he neatly slotted the first goal past Trubin after his teammate's quick cross into the box proved effective.

When Newcastle's intense, pressing game was not anticipated by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to deliver a ground ball across the face of goal for Gordon to polish off.

Second Half and Decisive Substitutions

From the beginning, Benfica could not be blamed of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now their side attacked with real freedom. The winger consistently showed an ability to unsettle Howe's defense, and the home team were likely grateful to regroup at half-time.

The opening period concluded with the keeper once more rescuing his side by tipping the attacker's left-foot around the goal frame, and as the sides emerged for the second half, the match seemed finely balanced.

If Gordon, evidently buoyed by scoring his fourth strike in three Champions League appearances this season, played with the zeal of a wide player set to shift the power balance in Newcastle's favor, the Benfica attacker had other ideas.

Mourinho's winger had previously shown that, while Dan Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a born full-back, and home hearts were nervous every time Lukebakio moved forward.

Howe might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not headed a corner above the crossbar from a good spot. Rather, 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, at the same time, brought on an extra forward in Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a gamble too far.

Barnes Wins the Match

Before that, Benfica, and especially their Portuguese back Silva, had done a fine job in limiting Woltemade's room and pushing Newcastle's Germany striker deep. But now, with right-back Dedic substituted, the defense was weakened, and the path was open for Barnes to prove that Gordon is not Howe's only attacking wide player.

The home side's double substitution was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a superb throw in the substitute's path. When Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the flight, the winger was away, accelerating into the area before maintaining commendable poise to fire a sublime shot past Trubin.

After Harvey Barnes slid a shot through poor the goalkeeper's feet after meeting Gordon's stellar through ball, it was finished. The Benfica manager had warned that Newcastle have several very fast wingers, and three goals from a pair of wingers had shattered his hopes of securing the team's first European result of the season.