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When the Benfica manager came at St James' Park and complimented Eddie Howe and his squad, home supporters were concerned about a difficult game. However such fears disappeared thanks to a goal from the winger and two more from replacement Harvey Barnes, ensuring the visitors' coach did not inflict pain for Newcastle.

Game Dynamics and Early Exchanges

Mourinho had forecast that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players showed their similar combative approach. The visitors certainly delighted in disrupting the Magpies' initial efforts to build a smooth attacking rhythm.

Compounding the home team's challenges, two players, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, began as substitutes as they were recovering from illness and injury each.

Before the start, the coaches exchanged a perfunctory, cool embrace, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had instructed his side to quiet the home fans by slowing Newcastle and reducing the intensity at every chance.

Key Events and Decisive Actions

The visitors' tactic produced mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to dismantle the defensive barricades, they at first struggled to create clear chances.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgium attacker Dodi Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after leaving the defender on the ground, he forced Nick Pope with a powerful strike that required an terrific one-handed stop. No wonder the goalkeeper retains hope for an national team recall in time for the World Cup.

But when the winger hit a further shot off the woodwork, Newcastle woke up. Jacob Murphy fired wide, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive close-range stop from Guimaraes before Gordon at last opened the deadlock.

Gordon's blazing speed had created consternation for the Benfica coach all night, and he calmly side-footed the opener past the goalkeeper after Murphy's quick cross into the area paid off.

When the Magpies' hard, high press was not second-guessed by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to deliver a low cross across the goal for the winger to polish off.

Later Stages and Decisive Changes

Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's players pushed forward with total freedom. The winger consistently displayed an ability to unsettle Newcastle's back four, and the home team were probably relieved to reset at the break.

The first half concluded with the keeper again saving his team by tipping Lukebakio's shot wide of the post, and as the teams emerged for the next period, everything seemed evenly poised.

While Gordon, evidently buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three European games this season, played with the zeal of a wide player set to alter the balance in Newcastle's favor, the Benfica attacker had different plans.

Mourinho's winger had previously emphasized that, while Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a born full-back, and home hearts were in mouths every time Lukebakio advanced.

Howe might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece over the crossbar from a good position. Rather, this absorbing game continued to move from end to end, prompting the manager to introduce the midfielder and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, threw on an extra striker in Franjo Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a gamble that backfired.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Game

Until then, Benfica, and in particular their Portugal back Silva, had performed a good job in restricting Woltemade's room and pushing Newcastle's Germany striker deep. However, with defender Dedic off, the defense was weakened, and the way was clear for Harvey Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring winger.

Newcastle's two changes was already proving effective by the time Pope dispatched a wonderful throw in Barnes's direction. When Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the bounce, the winger was clear, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining commendable poise to lash a sublime shot past the keeper.

After Barnes slid a low effort through unfortunate Trubin's legs after meeting Gordon's stellar pass, it was finished. The Benfica manager had cautioned that the Magpies have four quick wide attackers, and three goals from two wide men had shattered his chances of earning Benfica's first European points of the season.