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As Jose Mourinho arrived at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Newcastle's coach and his players, local supporters were concerned about a difficult game. However such fears vanished thanks to a goal from the winger and two more from replacement Harvey Barnes, ensuring Benfica's coach would not cause any trouble for Howe's team.

Match Dynamics and Early Action

The Benfica boss had forecast that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his own team displayed their similar combative approach. Benfica clearly delighted in breaking up Newcastle's early efforts to establish a smooth passing tempo.

Compounding the home team's issues, two midfielders, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, started as substitutes as they continued recovering from illness and injury each.

Prior to the start, the coaches shared a brief, cool embrace, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had told his team to quiet the home fans by delaying the game and lowering the intensity whenever possible.

Key Events and Turning Points

Benfica's strategy produced mixed results, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to break through Benfica's backline, they initially found it hard to create clear chances.

Moreover, the Belgium attacker Dodi Lukebakio almost showed scoring skill when, after leaving Dan Burn behind, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous shot that got an terrific one-handed save. It's no surprise Pope retains hope for an national team return in time for the global tournament.

But when the winger hit another attempt off the post, Newcastle roused themselves. Jacob Murphy fired off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent near-post stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last broke the deadlock.

Gordon's scorching pace had caused problems for the Benfica coach all evening, and he calmly side-footed the opener past Trubin after Murphy's quick ball into the box proved effective.

When the Magpies' hard, pressing game was not second-guessed by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was there to deliver a low cross across the face of goal for Gordon to polish off.

Later Stages and Decisive Changes

Right from the start, Benfica could not be accused of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's players pushed forward with real freedom. The winger consistently showed an skill to unsettle Newcastle's back four, and the home team were likely relieved to reset at half-time.

The opening period concluded with Pope again rescuing his team by diverting the attacker's left-foot around the post, and as the sides emerged for the next period, the match seemed evenly balanced.

While Gordon, evidently buoyed by scoring his fourth strike in three European appearances this campaign, played with the zeal of a winger aiming to alter the power balance in his team's favor, Lukebakio had different ideas.

Mourinho's No 11 had already shown that, while Dan Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a born left-back, and home hearts were nervous every time Lukebakio moved forward.

Howe might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not headed a corner above the crossbar from a good position. Rather, this thrilling game continued to swing from end to end, persuading the coach to introduce Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, brought on an additional striker in Franjo Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a risk too far.

Harvey Barnes Wins the Match

Before that, Benfica, and in particular their Portugal back Antonio Silva, had done a fine job in restricting Woltemade's space and pushing Newcastle's German centre-forward back. However, with right-back Dedic off, the defense was underpowered, and the path was clear for Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring wide player.

The home side's two changes was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper sent a wonderful long throw in Barnes's path. When Silva, for once, misjudged the flight, the winger was away, sprinting into the area before keeping impressive composure to lash a sublime strike past the keeper.

When Barnes rolled a shot through unfortunate Trubin's legs after meeting Gordon's stellar through ball, it was finished. The Benfica manager had cautioned that Newcastle have four very fast wide attackers, and three goals from two wide men had shattered his hopes of earning the team's first Champions League result of the season.