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As the Benfica manager arrived at St James' Park and complimented Newcastle's coach and his squad, local fans feared a difficult game. However those worries vanished due to a goal from Anthony Gordon and a brace from replacement the forward, ensuring the visitors' new manager would not cause any trouble for Howe's team.

Game Flow and Early Exchanges

The Benfica boss had forecast that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players showed their own aggressive approach. Benfica clearly enjoyed breaking up the Magpies' early efforts to build a smooth attacking tempo.

Compounding the home team's issues, key midfielders, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, began as substitutes as they continued convalescing from illness and a knock respectively.

Prior to kick-off, the coaches exchanged a perfunctory, reserved embrace, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had told his team to quiet the crowd by delaying Newcastle and reducing the temperature at every chance.

Critical Events and Decisive Actions

Benfica's tactic yielded varied outcomes, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to break through Benfica's backline, they at first found it hard to create good opportunities.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgian winger Lukebakio almost demonstrated scoring skill when, after beating Dan Burn on the ground, he tested Nick Pope with a tremendous strike that got an excellent one-handed save. It's no surprise the goalkeeper retains hope for an England recall in time for the global tournament.

But when Lukebakio directed a further shot off the post, Newcastle woke up. Murphy fired wide, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive close-range stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon at last broke the scoreless tie.

Gordon's scorching speed had caused problems for the Benfica coach all night, and he neatly side-footed the opener past Trubin after his teammate's early cross into the area proved effective.

On the occasion the Magpies' intense, pressing game was not second-guessed by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a low cross across the goal for the winger to polish off.

Second Half and Decisive Changes

Right from the start, Benfica could not be blamed of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now their side pushed forward with total abandon. Lukebakio repeatedly showed an skill to destabilize Newcastle's defense, and the Magpies were likely relieved to reset at half-time.

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

If Gordon, evidently buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three Champions League games this campaign, played with the zeal of a winger set to alter the power balance in his team's favor, the Benfica attacker had different ideas.

The manager's No 11 had already emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a natural left-back, and Newcastle hearts were nervous every time he moved forward.

Howe might have relaxed had Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not headed a corner above the crossbar from a good spot. Rather, this absorbing game continued to move from one goal to the other, prompting the manager to bring on Joelinton and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, meanwhile, brought on an extra forward in Franjo Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a gamble too far.

Harvey Barnes Wins the Match

Before that, the away team, and especially their Portugal back Antonio Silva, had performed a fine job in restricting Woltemade's space and pushing Newcastle's German striker back. However, with right-back Amar Dedic substituted, the backline was underpowered, and the way was open for Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring wide player.

Newcastle's double substitution was already paying off by the time Pope dispatched a wonderful long throw in Barnes's direction. When Antonio Silva, for once, misjudged the flight, the winger was clear, sprinting into the area before maintaining impressive composure to fire a sublime strike past Trubin.

After Harvey Barnes slid a shot through poor Trubin's feet after receiving Gordon's excellent pass, it was finished. Mourinho had warned that Newcastle have several very fast wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from two wide men had shattered his chances of securing Benfica's first Champions League points of the campaign.