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When Jose Mourinho arrived at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his squad, local fans feared a tough match. However those worries vanished due to a goal from the winger and a brace from replacement the forward, making sure the visitors' coach would not cause any trouble for Newcastle.

Game Dynamics and Early Exchanges

Mourinho had predicted that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his own team showed their similar combative style. The visitors certainly delighted in disrupting Newcastle's initial efforts to establish a smooth passing tempo.

Compounding the home team's issues, two midfielders, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, began as substitutes as they continued recovering from sickness and a knock respectively.

Before kick-off, the coaches shared a brief, cool greeting, and it soon became apparent that Mourinho had told his team to subdue the home fans by delaying the game and reducing the temperature whenever possible.

Key Moments and Decisive Actions

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

Additionally, the Belgium winger Dodi Lukebakio almost showed how to finish when, after leaving the defender behind, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that required an terrific one-handed save. It's no surprise the goalkeeper retains hope for an national team return in time for the global tournament.

Yet when Lukebakio directed a further shot against the woodwork, Newcastle woke up. Jacob Murphy fired off target, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive near-post stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last broke the scoreless tie.

Gordon's blazing speed had caused problems for the Benfica coach all night, and he calmly side-footed the first goal past Trubin after Murphy's quick ball into the area proved effective.

When the Magpies' intense, high press was not second-guessed by Benfica, Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to deliver a ground cross across the face of goal for the winger to finish.

Later Stages and Decisive Substitutions

Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's side pushed forward with real freedom. Lukebakio consistently showed an skill to destabilize Newcastle's defense, and the Magpies were probably grateful to regroup at half-time.

The opening period concluded with Pope once more rescuing his side by diverting the attacker's left-foot wide of the goal frame, and as the sides came out for the second half, the match seemed finely balanced.

If Anthony Gordon, clearly boosted by netting his fourth goal in three Champions League games this season, played with the zeal of a winger aiming to alter the power balance in his team's favor, the Benfica attacker had other plans.

Mourinho's winger had previously shown that, while Dan Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a natural full-back, and home hearts were in mouths every time he moved forward.

Howe might have felt easier had Miley, deputising for Tonali, not directed a set-piece over the crossbar from a well-placed spot. Rather, this absorbing contest continued to move from end to end, persuading Newcastle's coach to bring on the midfielder and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, meanwhile, brought on an extra forward in Franjo Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a gamble too far.

Barnes Seals the Match

Before that, the away team, and in particular their Portugal back Antonio Silva, had performed a fine job in restricting Woltemade's room and forcing Newcastle's Germany centre-forward back. But now, with defender Amar Dedic substituted, the defense was underpowered, and the path was clear for Harvey Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only attacking winger.

Newcastle's double substitution was already paying off by the time Pope dispatched a superb long throw in the substitute's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the bounce, the winger was clear, sprinting into the area before keeping impressive composure to fire a sublime strike past the keeper.

When Barnes slid a low effort through poor the goalkeeper's legs after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar pass, it was finished. The Benfica manager had warned that Newcastle have four very fast wingers, and a trio of strikes from two wingers had destroyed his hopes of earning the team's first Champions League result of the season.