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When the Benfica manager arrived at St James' Park and complimented Eddie Howe and his squad, local supporters feared a difficult game. However those worries vanished due to a goal from the winger and a brace from replacement the forward, ensuring the visitors' coach would not cause pain for Newcastle.

Game Dynamics and Early Exchanges

The Benfica boss had forecast that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his own team displayed their own combative style. The visitors certainly delighted in disrupting Newcastle's initial attempts to establish a fluent attacking tempo.

Compounding the home team's issues, key midfielders, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, began as substitutes as they continued recovering from sickness and a knock respectively.

Prior to the start, the two managers exchanged a brief, reserved embrace, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had instructed his side to subdue the home fans by delaying the game and lowering the intensity whenever possible.

Key Moments and Turning Points

The visitors' strategy yielded mixed results, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to dismantle Benfica's defensive barricades, they initially struggled to create clear opportunities.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgian attacker Lukebakio nearly demonstrated scoring skill when, after beating Dan Burn on the ground, he tested Nick Pope with a tremendous strike that required an excellent single-hand save. It's no surprise Pope still hopes for an national team recall in time for the World Cup.

Yet when Lukebakio directed a further attempt off the post, the home side woke up. Jacob Murphy fired off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive close-range stop from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally opened the scoreless tie.

Gordon's scorching pace had created consternation for Mourinho all evening, and he neatly slotted the first goal past Trubin after Murphy's quick cross into the area paid off.

When Newcastle's hard, pressing game was not anticipated by the opposition, Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was there to pass a ground ball across the goal for the winger to polish off.

Later Stages and Decisive Changes

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now their players pushed forward with total freedom. Lukebakio consistently displayed an skill to unsettle Newcastle's back four, and the home team were likely relieved to regroup at half-time.

The first half ended with the keeper once more saving his side by tipping the attacker's shot wide of the goal frame, and as the teams emerged for the next period, everything seemed finely balanced.

While Gordon, clearly buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three Champions League games this campaign, played with the zeal of a wide player aiming to alter the balance in his team's favor, the Benfica attacker had other plans.

The manager's winger had already emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a born left-back, and Newcastle hearts were in mouths every time he advanced.

The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Miley, filling in for Tonali, not directed a corner above the crossbar from a good position. Rather, this thrilling game continued to move from end to end, persuading the manager to introduce the midfielder and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

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

Barnes Wins the Match

Until then, Benfica, and especially their Portuguese defender Antonio Silva, had performed a fine job in limiting Woltemade's room and forcing the Germany centre-forward back. However, with defender Dedic substituted, the defense was weakened, and the path was clear for Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only attacking wide player.

Newcastle's double substitution was already paying off by the time Pope dispatched a superb throw in Barnes's direction. When Silva, for once, misjudged the bounce, Barnes was clear, accelerating into the penalty box before keeping impressive composure to lash a sublime strike past the keeper.

After Harvey Barnes slid a low effort through unfortunate Trubin's legs after receiving Anthony Gordon's excellent pass, it was finished. Mourinho had warned that Newcastle have several very fast wingers, and a trio of strikes from two wide men had destroyed his hopes of securing the team's first Champions League points of the season.