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As the Benfica manager came at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Eddie Howe and his players, home fans feared a difficult match. However those worries vanished due to a goal from the winger and two more from replacement the forward, ensuring Benfica's coach would not cause any trouble for Newcastle.

Match Flow and Initial Exchanges

Mourinho had forecast that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players displayed their own aggressive style. The visitors certainly enjoyed breaking up the Magpies' early attempts to establish a fluent passing tempo.

Adding to Newcastle's issues, key midfielders, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, started on the bench as they continued convalescing from sickness and injury respectively.

Before the start, the coaches exchanged a brief, reserved greeting, and it quickly became apparent that the Benfica coach had instructed his team to quiet the crowd by slowing the game and lowering the intensity whenever possible.

Key Moments and Decisive Actions

Benfica's tactic produced mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and his teammates succeeded to dismantle the backline, they initially struggled to generate clear chances.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgium winger Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after beating the defender on the ground, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that got an terrific single-hand save. It's no surprise the goalkeeper retains hope for an England recall in time for the World Cup.

Yet when Lukebakio directed another attempt off the woodwork, Newcastle woke up. Murphy shot wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive near-post save from Guimaraes before Gordon finally broke the deadlock.

The England winger's blazing speed had created problems for Mourinho all evening, and he calmly side-footed the opener past Trubin after Murphy's early ball into the box paid off.

When Newcastle's hard, pressing game was not second-guessed by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to deliver a ground ball across the face of goal for Gordon to finish.

Later Stages and Decisive Substitutions

Right from the start, Benfica could not be accused of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's side attacked with total abandon. The winger consistently showed an skill to unsettle Newcastle's defense, and the home team were likely grateful to regroup at the break.

The first half concluded with Pope again rescuing his team by tipping Lukebakio's shot around the post, and as the sides came out for the next period, everything seemed evenly balanced.

While Gordon, evidently boosted by scoring his fourth goal in three European appearances this campaign, played with the zeal of a winger set to alter the balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had other plans.

Mourinho's winger had previously emphasized that, while Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a natural left-back, and Newcastle fans were in mouths every time Lukebakio advanced.

Howe might have felt easier had Miley, deputising for Tonali, not directed a set-piece over the crossbar from a well-placed position. Instead, this absorbing contest continued to move from one goal to the other, persuading Newcastle's coach to bring on Joelinton and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

The Benfica boss, meanwhile, brought on an extra striker in Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a gamble too far.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Match

Until then, the away team, and especially their Portuguese defender Antonio Silva, had done a fine job in limiting Woltemade's space and pushing Newcastle's German centre-forward deep. But now, with defender Dedic substituted, the defense was underpowered, and the way was clear for Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring wide player.

The home side's double substitution was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a superb long throw in Barnes's direction. When Silva, on this occasion, misread the bounce, Barnes was away, accelerating into the penalty box before keeping commendable composure to fire a sublime shot past Trubin.

After Harvey Barnes slid a low effort through unfortunate Trubin's feet after receiving Anthony Gordon's stellar through ball, it was all over. The Benfica manager had warned that Newcastle have several very fast wide attackers, and three goals from a pair of wingers had destroyed his hopes of securing Benfica's first European points of the season.