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As Jose Mourinho arrived at St James' Park and complimented Newcastle's coach and his players, local fans were concerned about a tough match. But such fears vanished due to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from substitute Harvey Barnes, ensuring Benfica's coach did not inflict pain for Howe's team.

Match Dynamics and Early Action

Mourinho had forecast that the home side would be very physical, but his own team showed their similar aggressive approach. The visitors clearly enjoyed disrupting the Magpies' initial efforts to establish a fluent passing tempo.

Adding to the home team's challenges, key midfielders, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, began on the bench as they were recovering from sickness and injury each.

Prior to the start, the coaches shared a perfunctory, reserved embrace, and it soon became apparent that Mourinho had instructed his team to quiet the home fans by delaying Newcastle and lowering the temperature at every chance.

Critical Events and Turning Points

The visitors' tactic produced mixed results, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to dismantle Benfica's defensive barricades, they at first found it hard to generate good chances.

Moreover, the Belgium winger Dodi Lukebakio almost showed how to finish when, after beating the defender behind, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous strike that got an excellent single-hand stop. It's no surprise Pope still hopes for an England return in time for the World Cup.

Yet when the winger hit a further shot off the post, Newcastle 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 scoreless tie.

Gordon's scorching speed had created consternation for the Benfica coach all evening, and he neatly slotted the opener past Trubin after Murphy's early ball into the area proved effective.

When Newcastle's intense, high press was not second-guessed by the opposition, Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to deliver a low cross across the face of goal for the winger to finish.

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 their side attacked with total freedom. The winger repeatedly displayed an skill to destabilize Howe's back four, and the home team were likely grateful to regroup at half-time.

The opening period ended with Pope again saving his team by diverting the attacker's shot wide of the post, and as the teams came out for the second half, the match seemed finely balanced.

If Gordon, evidently buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three European games this season, played with the determination of a wide player set to alter the balance in his team's direction, Lukebakio had different ideas.

Mourinho's winger had previously shown that, while Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a natural left-back, and Newcastle hearts were in mouths every time Lukebakio advanced.

Howe might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece over the bar from a well-placed position. Rather, this thrilling contest continued to swing from end to end, prompting Newcastle's coach to introduce the midfielder and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, brought on an extra striker in Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a risk too far.

Harvey Barnes Wins the Match

Until then, Benfica, and especially their Portugal defender Antonio Silva, had performed a good job in restricting Woltemade's room and pushing the German striker deep. But now, with defender Amar Dedic substituted, the defense was underpowered, and the way was clear for Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only attacking winger.

The home side's double substitution was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper sent a superb throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the flight, Barnes was clear, accelerating into the penalty box before maintaining commendable composure to lash a sublime strike past the keeper.

After Barnes slid a low effort through unfortunate the goalkeeper's legs after receiving Anthony Gordon's stellar through ball, it was all over. The Benfica manager had cautioned that Newcastle have four very fast wide attackers, and three goals from a pair of wingers had shattered his chances of securing Benfica's first Champions League points of the campaign.