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When Jose Mourinho arrived at St James' Park and complimented Newcastle's coach and his players, home supporters feared a difficult game. However such fears disappeared thanks to a goal from Anthony Gordon and two more from replacement Harvey Barnes, ensuring the visitors' new manager did not inflict any trouble for Howe's team.

Match Dynamics and Early Exchanges

The Benfica boss had predicted that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players showed their similar aggressive style. The visitors certainly enjoyed disrupting Newcastle's early efforts to establish a fluent attacking rhythm.

Compounding Newcastle's issues, two players, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, began as substitutes as they were convalescing from sickness and a knock respectively.

Prior to the start, the two managers shared a brief, reserved embrace, and it quickly became apparent that the Benfica coach had told his side to subdue the home fans by slowing the game and lowering the temperature whenever possible.

Key Events and Decisive Actions

The visitors' tactic yielded varied results, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to break through the defensive barricades, they initially found it hard to generate good chances.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgian winger Lukebakio nearly showed scoring skill when, after leaving Dan Burn on the ground, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous shot that got an terrific single-hand save. No wonder the goalkeeper retains hope for an national team recall in time for the World Cup.

But when Lukebakio directed another shot off the post, the home side roused themselves. Jacob Murphy shot off target, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent close-range stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon at last opened the deadlock.

Gordon's blazing speed had caused consternation for the Benfica coach all night, and he calmly slotted the opener past Trubin after Murphy's early cross into the box proved effective.

On the occasion Newcastle's intense, high press was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was available to deliver a low ball across the face of goal for the winger to finish.

Second Half and Match-Winning Substitutions

Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be accused of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's players pushed forward with real abandon. Lukebakio repeatedly displayed an skill to unsettle Howe's defense, and the Magpies were probably relieved to regroup at half-time.

The opening period concluded with the keeper once more saving his side by diverting Lukebakio's left-foot wide of the goal frame, and as the teams emerged for the second half, the match seemed finely balanced.

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

The manager's No 11 had previously 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 advanced.

Howe might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, filling in for Tonali, not headed a set-piece above the bar from a good spot. Rather, this absorbing game continued to swing from one goal to the other, prompting Newcastle's manager to introduce the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, threw on an extra striker in Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a gamble too far.

Barnes Seals the Match

Before that, the away team, and especially their Portugal back Antonio Silva, had done a good job in restricting Woltemade's space and forcing the German striker deep. However, with right-back Amar Dedic off, the backline was underpowered, and the path was clear for Harvey Barnes to prove that Gordon is not the manager's only attacking winger.

Newcastle's two changes was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper sent a wonderful long throw in Barnes's direction. When Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the flight, the winger was away, accelerating into the penalty box before keeping impressive composure to fire a superb shot past Trubin.

When Barnes rolled a low effort through unfortunate the goalkeeper's legs after receiving Gordon's excellent pass, it was finished. The Benfica manager had warned that Newcastle have several very fast wingers, and three goals from two wide men had destroyed his hopes of securing Benfica's first Champions League result of the campaign.