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As the Benfica manager came at St James' Park and complimented Newcastle's coach and his squad, local fans were concerned about a difficult match. However those worries disappeared due to a goal from the winger and two more from substitute Harvey Barnes, making sure Benfica's new manager would not cause pain for Newcastle.

Match Dynamics and Initial Exchanges

The Benfica boss had forecast that Newcastle would be very physical, but his own team displayed their similar aggressive approach. The visitors certainly enjoyed breaking up Newcastle's initial attempts to establish a fluent attacking tempo.

Compounding the home team's issues, two midfielders, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, started on the bench as they were convalescing from sickness and a knock each.

Prior to kick-off, the two managers shared a perfunctory, reserved embrace, and it soon became clear that Mourinho had instructed his team to quiet the home fans by slowing the game and reducing the intensity at every chance.

Critical Events and Turning Points

The visitors' strategy produced varied results, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates managed to dismantle the defensive barricades, they initially found it hard to generate clear opportunities.

Additionally, the Belgium winger Dodi Lukebakio nearly demonstrated how to finish when, after beating Dan Burn behind, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous shot that required an terrific one-handed save. No wonder the goalkeeper retains hope for an England recall in time for the global tournament.

But when Lukebakio directed a further attempt off the post, Newcastle woke up. Murphy fired off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent close-range stop from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally broke the deadlock.

The England winger's scorching pace had created consternation for the Benfica coach all night, and he calmly side-footed the opener past the goalkeeper after Murphy's quick cross into the box proved effective.

When the Magpies' hard, pressing game was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was there to pass a ground cross across the goal for the winger to finish.

Second Half and Match-Winning Changes

Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's side attacked with total abandon. Lukebakio consistently displayed an skill to destabilize Howe's back four, and the Magpies were probably relieved to regroup at the break.

The opening period concluded with the keeper once more saving his team by tipping the attacker's shot around the goal frame, and as the sides emerged for the next period, the match seemed finely balanced.

If Anthony Gordon, clearly buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three Champions League appearances this campaign, played with the zeal of a wide player aiming to shift the power balance in his team's direction, the Benfica attacker had different plans.

The manager's No 11 had already shown that, while Dan Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a natural left-back, and home hearts were nervous every time he advanced.

Howe might have felt easier had Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not directed a corner over the bar from a good spot. Rather, this absorbing game continued to swing from end to end, prompting the coach to bring on Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

Mourinho, meanwhile, threw on an extra striker in Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a risk that backfired.

Barnes Seals the Game

Until then, the away team, and in particular their Portugal defender Silva, had performed a good job in restricting Woltemade's room and forcing the Germany centre-forward back. However, with defender Dedic off, the defense was weakened, and the way was open for Harvey Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only attacking wide player.

The home side's two changes was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper sent a superb long throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the bounce, Barnes was away, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining impressive poise to lash a superb strike past Trubin.

When Barnes rolled a shot through unfortunate Trubin's feet after receiving Anthony Gordon's stellar pass, it was all over. The Benfica manager had cautioned that the Magpies have several very fast wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wide men had destroyed his chances of earning Benfica's first Champions League result of the season.