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When the Benfica manager came at St James' Park and praised Eddie Howe and his squad, home supporters feared a difficult game. But such worries vanished thanks to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from substitute Harvey Barnes, making sure Benfica's coach did not inflict pain for Howe's team.

Match Dynamics and Early Action

The Benfica boss had predicted that Newcastle would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their own aggressive approach. The visitors certainly enjoyed breaking up the Magpies' early attempts to establish a fluent passing tempo.

Compounding Newcastle's issues, key midfielders, Tonali and Joelinton, started on the bench as they were recovering from sickness and a knock respectively.

Prior to kick-off, the two managers exchanged a perfunctory, cool greeting, and it soon became clear that the Benfica coach had told his side to quiet the crowd by delaying Newcastle and lowering the temperature whenever possible.

Key Moments and Turning Points

The visitors' strategy produced varied outcomes, but when Gordon and his teammates managed to break through Benfica's backline, they initially struggled to generate clear opportunities.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgium attacker Dodi Lukebakio nearly demonstrated how to finish when, after beating the defender behind, he forced Nick Pope with a powerful strike that got an excellent single-hand save. It's no surprise Pope retains hope for an national team recall in time for the World Cup.

Yet when the winger hit a further shot against the woodwork, the home side woke up. Murphy shot off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent close-range save from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon finally broke the scoreless tie.

Gordon's scorching pace had created consternation for the Benfica coach all night, and he calmly side-footed the first goal past the goalkeeper after Murphy's quick ball into the area paid off.

On the occasion the Magpies' intense, high press was not second-guessed by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to deliver a low ball across the goal for Gordon to polish off.

Second Half and Decisive Substitutions

Right from the start, Benfica could not be blamed of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's side attacked with real abandon. The winger consistently displayed an skill to unsettle Howe's defense, and the home team were probably relieved to regroup at half-time.

The first half concluded with the keeper once more saving his side by tipping Lukebakio's left-foot around the goal frame, and as the teams emerged for the second half, the match seemed finely poised.

If Anthony Gordon, clearly buoyed by scoring his fourth strike in three Champions League games this campaign, played with the determination of a winger set to alter the balance in his team's direction, the Benfica attacker had other ideas.

Mourinho's winger had already emphasized that, while Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a born full-back, and Newcastle fans were nervous every time he moved forward.

Howe might have felt easier had Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece above the crossbar from a good spot. Instead, this thrilling contest continued to swing from end to end, prompting Newcastle's coach to introduce the midfielder and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

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

Harvey Barnes Wins the Match

Before that, Benfica, and in particular their Portuguese back Antonio Silva, had performed a good job in restricting Nick Woltemade's room and forcing the German centre-forward back. However, with defender Amar Dedic off, the backline was underpowered, and the path was open for Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only attacking wide player.

Newcastle's double substitution was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper sent a wonderful throw in the substitute's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the bounce, the winger was clear, sprinting into the area before maintaining commendable poise to lash a superb shot past the keeper.

When Harvey Barnes rolled a shot through unfortunate the goalkeeper's legs after receiving Gordon's stellar pass, it was all over. Mourinho had cautioned that the Magpies have several very fast wingers, and three goals from two wide men had shattered his chances of earning Benfica's first Champions League points of the season.