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When Jose Mourinho arrived at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Eddie Howe and his players, local fans feared a difficult match. But such fears disappeared due to a goal from Anthony Gordon and a brace from replacement the forward, making sure Benfica's new manager would not cause pain for Newcastle.

Game Flow and Early Exchanges

The Benfica boss had forecast that Newcastle would be very physical, but his own team showed their own aggressive approach. Benfica certainly enjoyed disrupting Newcastle's early attempts to establish a smooth passing rhythm.

Compounding the home team's issues, key players, Tonali and the Brazilian, began on the bench as they were convalescing from illness and a knock each.

Before kick-off, the two managers exchanged a brief, reserved embrace, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had instructed his team to quiet the crowd by slowing the game and reducing the intensity whenever possible.

Key Events and Turning Points

The visitors' tactic yielded varied outcomes, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to break through Benfica's defensive barricades, they initially struggled to generate good opportunities.

Moreover, the Belgium attacker Dodi Lukebakio nearly demonstrated scoring skill when, after leaving the defender behind, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that got an terrific single-hand stop. No wonder Pope retains hope for an national team return in time for the World Cup.

But when the winger directed another attempt against the woodwork, the home side woke up. Jacob Murphy fired wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive close-range save from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally opened the scoreless tie.

The England winger's scorching speed had caused consternation for Mourinho all evening, and he neatly slotted the opener past the goalkeeper after his teammate's early cross into the area proved effective.

On the occasion the Magpies' hard, pressing game was not anticipated by the opposition, Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to pass a ground ball 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 seeking a point, but now Mourinho's players pushed forward with total freedom. Lukebakio consistently displayed an ability to destabilize Howe's back four, and the home team were probably relieved to reset at the break.

The opening period concluded with Pope once more saving his side by tipping Lukebakio's left-foot around the post, and as the sides came out for the next period, the match seemed evenly balanced.

If Gordon, evidently buoyed by scoring his fourth strike in three European appearances this season, played with the zeal of a winger aiming to shift the power balance in Newcastle's favor, the Benfica attacker had other ideas.

Mourinho's No 11 had previously shown that, while Dan Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a natural full-back, and home fans were nervous every time Lukebakio advanced.

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, filling in for Tonali, not directed a corner over the bar from a good spot. Instead, this thrilling game continued to swing from end to end, persuading the manager to introduce Joelinton and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

The Benfica boss, meanwhile, brought on an additional striker in Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a gamble that backfired.

Barnes Seals the Game

Before that, Benfica, and especially their Portugal defender Antonio Silva, had performed a good job in restricting Woltemade's room and pushing Newcastle's Germany centre-forward back. But now, with right-back Amar Dedic off, the backline was underpowered, and the path was clear for Barnes to show that Gordon is not the manager's only attacking winger.

The home side's two changes was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper sent a superb long throw in the substitute's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the flight, the winger was away, sprinting into the area before keeping commendable composure to fire a sublime strike past the keeper.

After Harvey Barnes slid a shot through unfortunate the goalkeeper's feet after receiving Gordon's stellar pass, it was finished. Mourinho had cautioned that the Magpies have four very fast wide attackers, and three goals from two wide men had shattered his hopes of securing Benfica's first Champions League result of the season.