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When the Benfica manager arrived at Newcastle's stadium and praised Eddie Howe and his players, local fans were concerned about a difficult match. But such worries disappeared thanks to a goal from the winger and two more from substitute the forward, making sure Benfica's coach did not inflict any trouble for Howe's team.

Game Flow and Initial Exchanges

The Benfica boss had predicted that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players displayed their own combative approach. The visitors clearly delighted in breaking up the Magpies' initial efforts to establish a fluent attacking tempo.

Adding to the home team's challenges, key players, Tonali and the Brazilian, began on the bench as they continued convalescing from sickness and injury each.

Prior to the start, the coaches exchanged a brief, reserved greeting, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had instructed his team to quiet the home fans by slowing Newcastle and reducing the temperature at every chance.

Critical Moments and Decisive Actions

The visitors' strategy produced mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to break through the backline, they initially struggled to generate clear chances.

Moreover, the Belgian winger Lukebakio nearly demonstrated how to finish when, after beating Dan Burn on the ground, he forced Nick Pope with a powerful shot that required an terrific one-handed save. No wonder Pope retains hope for an England recall in time for the global tournament.

Yet when Lukebakio directed a further attempt off the post, the home side roused themselves. Murphy fired wide, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent close-range stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last opened the scoreless tie.

The England winger's scorching speed had created problems for Mourinho all evening, and he neatly side-footed the opener past the goalkeeper after his teammate's quick cross into the box proved effective.

On the occasion the Magpies' hard, high press was not second-guessed by Benfica, Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was available to deliver a low ball across the goal for the winger to polish off.

Later Stages and Decisive Substitutions

From the beginning, Benfica could not be blamed of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's side attacked with real abandon. Lukebakio consistently displayed an skill to destabilize Newcastle's back four, and the home team were probably grateful to regroup at the break.

The first half concluded with Pope again saving his side by diverting Lukebakio's shot wide of the post, and as the sides came out for the second half, everything seemed finely poised.

While Gordon, evidently boosted by netting his fourth goal in three European appearances this campaign, played with the zeal of a winger aiming to alter the balance in his team's direction, Lukebakio had different plans.

Mourinho's winger had already shown that, while Dan Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a natural full-back, and Newcastle fans were nervous every time Lukebakio moved forward.

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece over the crossbar from a good position. Instead, this thrilling game continued to swing from end to end, persuading Newcastle's coach to bring on the midfielder and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, meanwhile, brought on an extra forward in Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a risk too far.

Barnes Seals the Match

Until then, Benfica, and in particular their Portuguese defender Antonio Silva, had performed a fine job in limiting Woltemade's space and forcing the German centre-forward back. However, with defender Amar Dedic off, the backline was underpowered, and the path was clear for Harvey Barnes to show that Gordon is not Howe's only attacking wide player.

Newcastle's two changes was already paying off by the time Pope sent a wonderful throw in the substitute's path. When Antonio Silva, for once, misread the flight, the winger was clear, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining impressive poise to lash a superb strike past the keeper.

After Harvey Barnes rolled a shot through unfortunate the goalkeeper's legs after receiving Anthony Gordon's excellent through ball, it was all over. The Benfica manager had warned that the Magpies have several quick wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from two wide men had shattered his hopes of securing the team's first European result of the season.