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As the Benfica manager came at St James' Park and praised Newcastle's coach and his squad, home supporters were concerned about a tough game. However such worries disappeared thanks to a strike from the winger and two more from substitute the forward, ensuring Benfica's coach would not cause any trouble for Howe's team.

Match Dynamics and Early Exchanges

Mourinho had forecast that the home side would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their own aggressive approach. Benfica certainly delighted in disrupting the Magpies' initial attempts to establish a smooth passing tempo.

Compounding Newcastle's challenges, key midfielders, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, started on the bench as they continued convalescing from illness and injury respectively.

Before the start, the two managers shared a brief, reserved embrace, and it soon became apparent that the Benfica coach had told his side to quiet the home fans by delaying Newcastle and reducing the temperature at every chance.

Critical Events and Decisive Actions

Benfica's strategy produced varied outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates managed to break through the backline, they initially found it hard to generate clear chances.

Additionally, the Belgian attacker Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after leaving Dan Burn on the ground, he tested Nick Pope with a powerful shot that required an terrific one-handed save. It's no surprise Pope still hopes for an national team return in time for the global tournament.

Yet when Lukebakio directed another attempt off the woodwork, the home side woke up. Murphy fired off target, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent close-range stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally opened the deadlock.

Gordon's scorching pace had caused problems for Mourinho all evening, and he calmly slotted the opener past the goalkeeper after Murphy's quick cross into the box paid off.

When the Magpies' intense, pressing game was not anticipated by the opposition, Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a low cross across the face of goal for Gordon to polish off.

Second Half and Decisive 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 total abandon. Lukebakio repeatedly displayed an ability to destabilize Howe's back four, and the home team were likely relieved to reset at the break.

The opening period ended with Pope once more rescuing his side by diverting the attacker's shot wide of the post, and as the sides emerged for the second half, everything seemed finely balanced.

While Gordon, clearly boosted by netting his fourth strike in three Champions League games this season, played with the zeal of a wide player set to alter the balance in his team's direction, the Benfica attacker had other ideas.

Mourinho's No 11 had already shown that, while Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a natural left-back, and home hearts were nervous every time Lukebakio moved forward.

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not headed a corner above the bar from a good spot. Instead, this absorbing contest continued to move from end to end, persuading the coach to introduce Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

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

Harvey Barnes Wins the Game

Before that, Benfica, and in particular their Portuguese back Antonio Silva, had done a fine job in limiting Woltemade's space and pushing the German striker deep. However, with defender Dedic substituted, the backline was underpowered, and the path was open for Barnes to show that Gordon is not the manager's only attacking wide player.

Newcastle's double substitution was already proving effective by the time Pope dispatched a superb long throw in Barnes's direction. When Silva, for once, misread the flight, Barnes was away, sprinting into the area before keeping commendable poise to fire a superb strike past Trubin.

After Harvey Barnes slid a shot through poor the goalkeeper's feet after receiving Gordon's stellar pass, it was finished. The Benfica manager had warned that Newcastle have four very fast wide attackers, and three goals from a pair of wingers had shattered his chances of earning Benfica's first European result of the campaign.