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As Jose Mourinho arrived at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Eddie Howe and his squad, local supporters feared a tough match. But those worries disappeared thanks to a strike from the winger and two more from substitute Harvey Barnes, making sure the visitors' new manager did not inflict pain for Howe's team.

Game Dynamics and Early Action

The Benfica boss had forecast that Newcastle would be very physical, but his Benfica players displayed their own combative style. The visitors certainly enjoyed breaking up Newcastle's early attempts to build a fluent passing rhythm.

Compounding the home team's challenges, two midfielders, Tonali and the Brazilian, began as substitutes as they were convalescing from sickness and a knock respectively.

Prior to the start, the two managers exchanged a brief, reserved embrace, and it soon became apparent that Mourinho had instructed his team to subdue the home fans by slowing the game and lowering the intensity at every chance.

Key Events and Decisive Actions

The visitors' strategy produced mixed results, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to dismantle the backline, they initially struggled to generate good chances.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgium winger Dodi Lukebakio almost showed scoring skill when, after beating Dan Burn on the ground, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that required an excellent single-hand stop. No wonder the goalkeeper still hopes for an England recall in time for the World Cup.

But when Lukebakio hit another attempt off the post, the home side woke up. Murphy fired wide, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent near-post stop from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last opened the deadlock.

The England winger's scorching speed had created problems for the Benfica coach all evening, and he calmly slotted the opener past the goalkeeper after Murphy's early cross into the area proved effective.

When Newcastle's intense, high press was not anticipated by the opposition, Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was available to deliver a low cross across the face of goal for the winger to finish.

Second Half and Decisive Changes

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now their side pushed forward with total abandon. The winger consistently displayed an skill to destabilize Newcastle's back four, and the home team were probably grateful to regroup at the break.

The first half concluded with the keeper again rescuing his side by tipping Lukebakio's shot around the goal frame, and as the teams came out for the second half, everything seemed finely balanced.

If Anthony Gordon, evidently boosted by netting his fourth strike in three European appearances this campaign, played with the determination of a winger set to shift the power balance in his team's favor, Lukebakio had different plans.

The manager's No 11 had previously shown that, while Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a natural left-back, and Newcastle hearts were nervous every time Lukebakio moved forward.

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, filling in for Tonali, not directed a set-piece over the crossbar from a good spot. Rather, this thrilling game continued to move from end to end, prompting Newcastle's manager to bring on Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, meanwhile, brought on an additional striker in Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a gamble that backfired.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Match

Before that, Benfica, and in particular their Portugal defender Antonio Silva, had performed a fine job in limiting Woltemade's space and pushing the Germany striker back. However, with right-back Dedic off, the backline was underpowered, and the way was open for Harvey Barnes to prove that Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring winger.

The home side's two changes was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper sent a superb long throw in Barnes's path. When Silva, for once, misread the flight, Barnes was clear, sprinting into the area before keeping impressive poise to lash a superb shot past the keeper.

When Barnes rolled a shot through unfortunate Trubin's feet after receiving Anthony Gordon's excellent pass, it was all over. Mourinho had cautioned that Newcastle have several very fast wingers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wingers had destroyed his hopes of securing the team's first Champions League result of the campaign.