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As Jose Mourinho came at Newcastle's stadium and praised Eddie Howe and his squad, home fans were concerned about a difficult game. But those worries vanished due to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from replacement the forward, ensuring the visitors' new manager did not inflict pain for Newcastle.

Match Flow and Early Action

The Benfica boss had predicted that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his own team showed their similar aggressive approach. The visitors clearly enjoyed disrupting Newcastle's early efforts to build a fluent passing tempo.

Adding to Newcastle's issues, key midfielders, Tonali and Joelinton, began as substitutes as they were recovering from sickness and injury respectively.

Before the start, the two managers shared a perfunctory, cool greeting, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had instructed his side to subdue the home fans by delaying the game and reducing the temperature at every chance.

Key Events and Decisive Actions

Benfica's strategy yielded mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to break through the backline, they initially found it hard to generate clear opportunities.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgian attacker Lukebakio nearly showed scoring skill when, after leaving Dan Burn behind, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that got an excellent single-hand stop. It's no surprise the goalkeeper retains hope for an England return in time for the global tournament.

Yet when the winger directed another attempt off the woodwork, Newcastle roused themselves. Murphy fired wide, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent close-range save from Guimaraes before Gordon at last opened the scoreless tie.

Gordon's scorching speed had created consternation for Mourinho all evening, and he calmly side-footed the opener past the goalkeeper after his teammate's early cross into the box paid off.

When the Magpies' hard, pressing game was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was available to pass a low cross across the goal for Gordon to finish.

Second Half and Decisive Changes

From the beginning, Benfica could not be accused of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's side attacked with total freedom. The winger consistently displayed an ability to unsettle Howe's defense, and the home team were likely grateful to reset at the break.

The first half ended with Pope again saving his team by tipping the attacker's shot wide of the post, and as the sides emerged for the second half, everything seemed evenly balanced.

If Gordon, clearly boosted by netting his fourth strike in three Champions League games this campaign, played with the zeal of a wide player set to shift the balance in Newcastle's direction, the Benfica attacker had different ideas.

The manager's No 11 had previously emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a born full-back, and Newcastle fans were in mouths every time he moved forward.

Howe might have felt easier had Miley, filling in for Tonali, not directed a corner above the crossbar from a good spot. Instead, this absorbing game continued to swing from one goal to the other, persuading the manager to bring on Joelinton and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, meanwhile, brought on an extra striker in Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a gamble that backfired.

Barnes Seals the Match

Before that, the away team, and in particular their Portuguese defender Antonio Silva, had performed a good job in limiting Nick Woltemade's space and forcing the Germany striker deep. But now, with right-back Amar Dedic substituted, the backline was underpowered, and the path was clear for Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only attacking winger.

Newcastle's double substitution was already paying off by the time Pope sent a superb long throw in Barnes's direction. When Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the bounce, the winger was away, sprinting into the penalty box before keeping impressive poise to lash a superb shot past Trubin.

When Harvey Barnes rolled a low effort through unfortunate the goalkeeper's feet after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar through ball, it was finished. The Benfica manager had cautioned that Newcastle have four quick wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wingers had destroyed his hopes of securing Benfica's first European result of the campaign.