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As Jose Mourinho arrived at St James' Park and praised Newcastle's coach and his squad, local fans feared a tough match. However those worries disappeared due to a goal from Anthony Gordon and a brace from substitute Harvey Barnes, making sure Benfica's new manager would not cause pain for Howe's team.

Match Dynamics and Early Exchanges

Mourinho had forecast that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players displayed their own aggressive style. Benfica certainly delighted in disrupting the Magpies' initial attempts to establish a smooth passing tempo.

Adding to Newcastle's challenges, key midfielders, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, started on the bench as they were recovering from sickness and a knock each.

Before the start, the coaches exchanged a perfunctory, cool greeting, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had told his team to subdue the home fans by delaying the game and lowering the intensity at every chance.

Key Moments and Decisive Actions

The visitors' strategy produced mixed results, but when Gordon and his teammates succeeded to dismantle the backline, they initially found it hard to generate clear opportunities.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgium attacker Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after leaving Dan Burn on the ground, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that required an terrific single-hand stop. No wonder the goalkeeper retains hope for an England return in time for the World Cup.

But when the winger hit another shot against the woodwork, Newcastle woke up. Murphy fired off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive close-range save from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last broke the scoreless tie.

The England winger's scorching pace had created problems for the Benfica coach all evening, and he neatly side-footed the first goal past the goalkeeper after his teammate's quick cross into the box proved effective.

On the occasion Newcastle's intense, pressing game was not anticipated by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was there to deliver a ground cross across the face of goal for the winger to finish.

Second Half and Match-Winning Substitutions

From the beginning, Benfica could not be accused of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now their players pushed forward with real freedom. The winger repeatedly displayed an skill to destabilize Newcastle's defense, and the home team were probably relieved to reset at the break.

The first half concluded with Pope again rescuing his side by diverting the attacker's left-foot around the post, and as the sides came out for the next period, the match seemed finely balanced.

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

Mourinho's No 11 had already emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a born full-back, and home hearts were in mouths every time Lukebakio advanced.

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Miley, deputising for Tonali, not directed a set-piece above the crossbar from a well-placed position. Instead, this absorbing contest continued to swing from end to end, persuading the coach to introduce Joelinton and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, brought on an extra forward in Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a gamble that backfired.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Match

Until then, Benfica, and in particular their Portugal defender Antonio Silva, had performed a good job in limiting Woltemade's room and pushing the German centre-forward back. But now, with right-back Amar Dedic substituted, the backline was weakened, and the path was clear 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 throw in the substitute's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the flight, the winger was clear, accelerating into the area before keeping commendable composure to fire a sublime strike past Trubin.

When Barnes slid a low effort through unfortunate Trubin's feet after receiving Anthony Gordon's excellent through ball, it was all over. Mourinho had warned that Newcastle have four very fast wingers, and a trio of strikes from two wide men had destroyed his hopes of earning Benfica's first Champions League points of the season.