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As Jose Mourinho arrived at St James' Park and praised Eddie Howe and his squad, home supporters feared a difficult game. However such fears vanished thanks to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from replacement the forward, making sure the visitors' coach would not cause any trouble for Newcastle.

Game Flow and Early Action

The Benfica boss had forecast that Newcastle would be very physical, but his own team showed their similar aggressive approach. Benfica certainly delighted in disrupting Newcastle's initial efforts to build a smooth attacking rhythm.

Adding to Newcastle's issues, two players, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, began on the bench as they were convalescing from sickness and injury respectively.

Prior to kick-off, the two managers exchanged a perfunctory, cool greeting, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had instructed his team to subdue the crowd by delaying Newcastle and lowering the intensity whenever possible.

Key Moments and Decisive Actions

Benfica's strategy yielded varied results, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to dismantle Benfica's defensive barricades, they at first found it hard to generate good chances.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgium attacker Lukebakio nearly showed scoring skill when, after beating Dan Burn on the ground, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a powerful strike that required an terrific single-hand stop. It's no surprise Pope still hopes for an national team recall in time for the global tournament.

Yet when the winger hit another attempt against the post, the home side woke up. Jacob Murphy shot wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive near-post stop from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally opened the scoreless tie.

The England winger's scorching pace had created problems for Mourinho all night, and he calmly side-footed the opener past Trubin after Murphy's early cross into the box paid off.

When Newcastle's intense, high press was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was available to pass a low ball across the goal for the winger to polish off.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Changes

From the beginning, Benfica could not be blamed of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's players attacked with real freedom. The winger consistently showed an skill to unsettle Howe's back four, and the home team were likely grateful to reset at the break.

The opening period ended with Pope again saving his team by diverting the attacker's left-foot around the post, and as the sides came out for the second half, the match seemed finely balanced.

While Gordon, clearly buoyed by netting his fourth strike in three European appearances this campaign, played with the zeal of a wide player aiming to alter the balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had different plans.

The manager's winger had previously shown that, while Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a natural left-back, and home fans were nervous every time he advanced.

The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not headed a corner over the crossbar from a well-placed spot. Rather, this thrilling game continued to move from end to end, persuading Newcastle's manager to bring on Joelinton and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

Mourinho, meanwhile, threw on an extra forward in Franjo Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a gamble too far.

Barnes Seals the Match

Until then, the away team, and in particular their Portuguese back Silva, had done a good job in restricting Woltemade's room and pushing Newcastle's German striker deep. However, with defender Amar Dedic off, the defense was weakened, and the path was open for Harvey Barnes to show that Gordon is not Howe's only attacking winger.

The home side's two changes was already paying off by the time Pope dispatched a wonderful long throw in Barnes's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the bounce, the winger was clear, accelerating into the penalty box before maintaining commendable composure to fire a superb strike past Trubin.

When Harvey Barnes rolled a shot through unfortunate Trubin's feet after meeting Gordon's excellent through ball, it was finished. Mourinho had warned that the Magpies have several very fast wide attackers, and three goals from two wingers had shattered his chances of securing the team's first European result of the campaign.