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When the Benfica manager came at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Newcastle's coach and his players, local fans were concerned about a difficult game. But those fears vanished thanks to a strike from the winger and two more from substitute the forward, making sure Benfica's new manager did not inflict pain for Howe's team.

Game Dynamics and Early Action

The Benfica boss had forecast that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his own team displayed their own aggressive approach. Benfica clearly delighted in breaking up Newcastle's initial efforts to build a smooth attacking rhythm.

Compounding Newcastle's issues, key players, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, started on the bench as they continued recovering from sickness and injury each.

Before the start, the coaches shared a brief, reserved embrace, and it soon became apparent that Mourinho had instructed his team to quiet the home fans by delaying Newcastle and reducing the intensity whenever possible.

Critical Moments and Decisive Actions

The visitors' strategy yielded mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to break through the defensive barricades, they at first struggled to generate good opportunities.

Additionally, the Belgium attacker Dodi Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after leaving the defender on the ground, he forced Nick Pope with a powerful shot that got an excellent one-handed stop. It's no surprise Pope retains hope for an England recall in time for the World Cup.

But when the winger hit another attempt off the post, the home side roused themselves. Jacob Murphy fired wide, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive near-post save from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally opened the scoreless tie.

The England winger's blazing speed had caused problems for Mourinho all evening, and he neatly slotted the opener past the goalkeeper after Murphy's quick ball into the box paid off.

When the Magpies' hard, pressing game was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to deliver a ground ball across the face of goal for the winger to polish off.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Changes

From the beginning, Benfica could not be blamed of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's players pushed forward with real freedom. Lukebakio repeatedly showed an skill to unsettle Howe's back four, and the home team were probably grateful to reset 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 came out for the second half, everything seemed finely balanced.

If Anthony Gordon, clearly buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three European appearances this campaign, played with the zeal of a winger set to alter the power balance in Newcastle's favor, the Benfica attacker had different plans.

The manager's winger had previously emphasized that, while Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a born full-back, and home fans were nervous every time Lukebakio moved forward.

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Miley, deputising for Tonali, not directed a corner over the crossbar from a good position. Rather, this thrilling game continued to swing from end to end, prompting Newcastle's manager to introduce Joelinton and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, meanwhile, brought on an extra striker in Franjo Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a gamble too far.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Match

Before that, Benfica, and especially their Portuguese back Silva, had performed a good job in limiting Nick Woltemade's room and pushing Newcastle's Germany striker back. However, with defender Dedic off, the defense was weakened, and the way was clear for Harvey Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only attacking winger.

Newcastle's double substitution was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper sent a wonderful throw in the substitute's direction. When Silva, for once, misjudged the bounce, Barnes was away, accelerating into the area before keeping impressive poise to fire a sublime shot past Trubin.

When Harvey Barnes rolled a low effort through unfortunate Trubin's legs after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar through ball, it was all over. Mourinho had warned that the Magpies have several very fast wingers, and a trio of strikes from two wide men had destroyed his hopes of earning the team's first European result of the season.