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When Jose Mourinho came at St James' Park and complimented Eddie Howe and his players, home supporters feared a tough game. But such fears vanished due to a strike from Anthony Gordon and two more from replacement Harvey Barnes, ensuring Benfica's new manager did not inflict any trouble for Newcastle.

Match Flow and Early Exchanges

Mourinho had forecast that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players displayed their own combative style. Benfica certainly delighted in breaking up the Magpies' initial attempts to build a fluent attacking rhythm.

Compounding Newcastle's issues, two players, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, began as substitutes as they continued convalescing from illness and injury each.

Before kick-off, the coaches shared a perfunctory, reserved greeting, and it soon 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 Turning Points

The visitors' strategy yielded varied results, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to dismantle the backline, they at first struggled to create clear opportunities.

Additionally, the Belgium winger Dodi Lukebakio nearly demonstrated how to finish when, after leaving Dan Burn behind, he forced Nick Pope with a powerful strike that got an terrific one-handed save. No wonder the goalkeeper retains hope for an England return in time for the World Cup.

Yet when the winger hit another attempt 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 Anthony Gordon at last broke the scoreless tie.

Gordon's scorching pace had caused consternation for the Benfica coach all evening, and he neatly side-footed the first goal past Trubin after his teammate's early ball into the area paid off.

When the Magpies' intense, pressing game was not anticipated by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was there to deliver a ground ball across the face of goal for the winger to polish off.

Second Half and Match-Winning Changes

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be accused of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now their players pushed forward with total abandon. The winger repeatedly showed an ability to destabilize Howe's back four, and the home team were probably relieved to regroup at the break.

The opening period concluded with Pope again saving his side by tipping the attacker's shot wide of the post, and as the sides came out for the second half, everything seemed evenly balanced.

If Anthony Gordon, clearly boosted by scoring his fourth goal in three Champions League appearances this season, played with the zeal of a wide player set to alter the power balance in Newcastle's favor, the Benfica attacker had different plans.

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

Howe might have felt easier had Miley, deputising for Tonali, not headed a set-piece over the bar from a good position. Rather, this absorbing contest continued to swing from end to end, persuading the manager to introduce Joelinton and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, threw on an extra forward in Franjo Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a risk that backfired.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Game

Until then, the away team, and in particular their Portugal defender Antonio Silva, had performed a good job in restricting Woltemade's space and pushing the Germany striker back. However, with defender Dedic substituted, the defense was weakened, and the path was open for Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only attacking wide player.

The home side's double substitution was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper sent a wonderful throw in Barnes's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the flight, Barnes was away, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining commendable poise to lash a sublime strike past Trubin.

After Barnes slid a low effort through unfortunate the goalkeeper's legs after meeting Gordon's stellar pass, it was finished. Mourinho had cautioned that the Magpies have several very fast wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from two wide men had shattered his hopes of securing Benfica's first European result of the season.