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When Jose Mourinho arrived at St James' Park and complimented Eddie Howe and his squad, local fans were concerned about a difficult match. However those worries vanished due to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from substitute the forward, ensuring Benfica's new manager did not inflict any trouble for Newcastle.

Game Dynamics and Early Exchanges

The Benfica boss had predicted that Newcastle would be very physical, but his Benfica players displayed their own aggressive approach. Benfica clearly enjoyed breaking up Newcastle's early efforts to establish a smooth passing tempo.

Compounding the home team's challenges, two players, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, started as substitutes as they continued recovering from sickness and a knock respectively.

Before the start, the two managers exchanged a brief, cool embrace, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had told his side to subdue the crowd by slowing Newcastle and reducing the intensity whenever possible.

Critical Events and Decisive Actions

The visitors' strategy yielded varied outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates succeeded to break through the backline, they initially found it hard to create clear opportunities.

Additionally, the Belgium attacker Lukebakio nearly demonstrated scoring skill when, after leaving the defender behind, he tested Nick Pope with a powerful strike that required an excellent single-hand save. It's no surprise Pope still hopes for an England recall in time for the global tournament.

Yet when Lukebakio hit a further attempt off the post, the home side woke up. Murphy fired off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive near-post stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last broke the deadlock.

Gordon's blazing pace had created problems for the Benfica coach all evening, and he neatly slotted the opener past Trubin after his teammate's early cross into the box proved effective.

When Newcastle's intense, pressing game was not anticipated by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to deliver a low cross across the face of goal for Gordon to polish off.

Second Half and Decisive Changes

Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be accused of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now their players attacked with total abandon. The winger consistently displayed an ability to destabilize Howe's defense, and the home team were likely relieved to regroup at the break.

The opening period ended with the keeper again saving his side by diverting Lukebakio's shot wide of the post, and as the sides emerged for the second half, everything seemed evenly poised.

If Anthony Gordon, evidently buoyed by netting his fourth strike in three Champions League games this campaign, played with the zeal of a wide player aiming to alter the power balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had other ideas.

The manager's winger had already shown that, while Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a born full-back, and home hearts were nervous every time Lukebakio advanced.

The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not directed a corner above the crossbar from a good spot. Instead, this thrilling game continued to swing from one goal to the other, persuading Newcastle's manager to bring on Joelinton and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, threw on an extra striker in Franjo Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a risk that backfired.

Barnes Seals the Match

Before that, Benfica, and in particular their Portuguese back Antonio Silva, had performed a good job in restricting Nick Woltemade's space and pushing Newcastle's German striker deep. However, with right-back Dedic substituted, the defense was underpowered, and the path was open for Harvey Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring wide player.

Newcastle's two changes was already paying off by the time Pope dispatched a wonderful long throw in the substitute's path. When Antonio Silva, for once, misjudged the bounce, the winger was away, accelerating into the penalty box before keeping impressive composure to lash a sublime strike past Trubin.

When Barnes rolled a shot through poor the goalkeeper's feet after meeting Anthony Gordon's excellent pass, it was all over. The Benfica manager had cautioned that Newcastle have four very fast wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wide men had shattered his hopes of earning the team's first Champions League points of the season.