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As the Benfica manager came at St James' Park and complimented Eddie Howe and his players, local fans feared a tough game. But those worries vanished due to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from substitute Harvey Barnes, ensuring Benfica's coach did not inflict pain for Newcastle.

Game Dynamics and Early Action

The Benfica boss had forecast that Newcastle would be very physical, but his own team displayed their similar aggressive approach. Benfica certainly enjoyed breaking up the Magpies' initial efforts to establish a fluent attacking tempo.

Compounding the home team's issues, key midfielders, Tonali and the Brazilian, began as substitutes as they continued convalescing from sickness and injury respectively.

Before kick-off, the coaches exchanged a perfunctory, cool greeting, and it soon became clear that Mourinho had told his team to subdue the home fans by slowing Newcastle and lowering the temperature at every chance.

Key Events and Decisive Actions

The visitors' strategy yielded varied results, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates managed to break through Benfica's defensive barricades, they at first struggled to create good chances.

Additionally, the Belgium winger Dodi Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after beating Dan Burn on the ground, he forced Nick Pope with a powerful strike that got an excellent single-hand stop. It's no surprise Pope still hopes for an national team return in time for the global tournament.

Yet when the winger hit another attempt off the woodwork, the home side roused themselves. Murphy fired off target, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive close-range save from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally broke the deadlock.

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

On the occasion Newcastle's hard, high press was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a ground ball across the goal for the winger to polish off.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Substitutions

From the beginning, Benfica could not be accused of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now their players attacked with real abandon. Lukebakio consistently displayed an skill to destabilize Howe's defense, and the home team were probably relieved to regroup at the break.

The first half concluded with Pope again saving his side by tipping Lukebakio's shot around the post, and as the teams emerged for the next period, everything seemed evenly balanced.

While Gordon, clearly buoyed by scoring his fourth strike in three European appearances this season, played with the determination of a winger aiming to shift the balance in his team's favor, Lukebakio had different plans.

Mourinho's No 11 had already shown that, while Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a natural left-back, and home hearts were nervous every time Lukebakio moved forward.

Howe might have relaxed had Miley, deputising for Tonali, not directed a corner above the crossbar from a well-placed position. Instead, this thrilling contest continued to swing from end to end, prompting the manager to bring on Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, meanwhile, brought on an extra forward in Franjo Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a risk that backfired.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Match

Until then, Benfica, and especially their Portuguese defender Antonio Silva, had performed a good job in restricting Nick Woltemade's space and forcing the Germany centre-forward back. However, with right-back Amar Dedic substituted, the defense was underpowered, and the path was clear for Harvey Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring wide player.

Newcastle's two changes was already proving effective by the time Pope sent a superb long throw in Barnes's path. When Silva, for once, misread the bounce, the winger was away, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining impressive poise to fire a superb shot past the keeper.

After Harvey Barnes slid a low effort through unfortunate the goalkeeper's feet after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar through ball, it was finished. Mourinho had warned that the Magpies have several quick wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wingers had shattered his chances of securing Benfica's first European points of the season.