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As Jose Mourinho arrived at St James' Park and praised Newcastle's coach and his squad, home supporters feared a tough game. However such fears disappeared thanks to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from substitute the forward, making sure the visitors' coach did not inflict any trouble for Newcastle.

Match Dynamics and Initial Exchanges

The Benfica boss had forecast that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his own team displayed their own combative style. Benfica clearly delighted in disrupting the Magpies' early attempts to build a smooth passing rhythm.

Compounding the home team's challenges, key midfielders, Tonali and Joelinton, started on the bench as they continued convalescing from illness and injury each.

Before kick-off, the coaches shared a perfunctory, cool embrace, and it quickly became apparent that the Benfica coach had told his side to subdue the crowd by delaying the game and lowering the temperature whenever possible.

Key Moments and Decisive Actions

The visitors' tactic produced mixed outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates managed to dismantle the defensive barricades, they initially struggled to generate clear chances.

Additionally, the Belgium winger Dodi Lukebakio almost showed scoring skill when, after beating Dan Burn behind, he tested Nick Pope with a powerful strike that got an terrific single-hand save. It's no surprise the goalkeeper retains hope for an national team recall in time for the global tournament.

Yet when the winger hit another attempt off the woodwork, Newcastle roused themselves. Jacob Murphy fired off target, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive near-post stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally broke the deadlock.

Gordon's blazing speed had created consternation for the Benfica coach all night, and he calmly slotted the opener past Trubin after his teammate's early cross into the area paid off.

When the Magpies' hard, pressing game was not second-guessed by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to pass a ground cross across the face of goal for Gordon to polish off.

Second Half and Decisive Changes

Right from the start, Benfica could not be blamed of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now their side attacked with real freedom. The winger repeatedly displayed an ability to destabilize Howe's back four, and the home team were likely relieved to regroup at the break.

The first half ended with the keeper again saving his side by diverting the attacker's shot wide of the post, and as the teams came out for the next period, everything seemed finely balanced.

While Gordon, evidently buoyed by scoring his fourth strike in three European appearances this season, played with the zeal of a wide player set to shift the power balance in his team's direction, the Benfica attacker had other plans.

Mourinho's winger had previously shown that, while Dan Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a born full-back, and home fans were nervous every time he moved forward.

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not headed a corner above the bar from a good spot. Rather, this thrilling contest continued to move from one goal to the other, prompting the coach to introduce the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, brought on an extra forward in Franjo Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a risk that backfired.

Harvey Barnes Wins the Game

Before that, Benfica, and especially their Portuguese defender Silva, had done a fine job in restricting Woltemade's room and forcing the Germany centre-forward back. But now, with right-back Dedic off, the backline was weakened, and the path was open for Barnes to show that Gordon is not the manager's only attacking winger.

The home side's two changes was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a superb throw in the substitute's direction. When Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the bounce, the winger was clear, accelerating into the area before maintaining impressive poise to fire a sublime shot past the keeper.

After Harvey Barnes slid a low effort through unfortunate the goalkeeper's feet after meeting Anthony Gordon's excellent 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 hopes of securing the team's first Champions League result of the campaign.