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As the Benfica manager came at St James' Park and complimented Eddie Howe and his players, home supporters were concerned about a difficult match. However those worries disappeared due to a strike from the winger and two more from substitute Harvey Barnes, ensuring the visitors' new manager would not cause any trouble for Newcastle.

Game Flow and Initial Exchanges

Mourinho had forecast that the home side would be very physical, but his own team displayed their own combative approach. The visitors clearly delighted in breaking up the Magpies' initial attempts to establish a fluent attacking rhythm.

Adding to the home team's issues, key players, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, started as substitutes as they continued recovering from illness and a knock each.

Before kick-off, the coaches shared a brief, reserved embrace, and it quickly became apparent that the Benfica coach had told his team to subdue the home fans by slowing Newcastle and lowering the intensity at every chance.

Key Moments and Turning Points

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

Moreover, Benfica's Belgian attacker Dodi Lukebakio almost demonstrated scoring skill when, after beating Dan Burn behind, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that required an excellent single-hand save. No wonder Pope retains hope for an national team recall in time for the global tournament.

Yet when Lukebakio hit a further shot against the woodwork, the home side roused themselves. Murphy fired off target, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent near-post stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally broke the scoreless tie.

The England winger's blazing speed had caused consternation for Mourinho all night, and he calmly slotted the first goal past the goalkeeper after his teammate's quick cross into the box paid off.

On the occasion Newcastle's hard, pressing game was not anticipated by the opposition, Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was available to deliver a low cross across the goal for the winger to polish off.

Second Half and Decisive Substitutions

Right from the start, Benfica could not be blamed of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now their players pushed forward with real abandon. The winger repeatedly displayed an ability to destabilize Newcastle's defense, and the home team were likely grateful to reset at the break.

The opening period ended with Pope again rescuing his side by diverting the attacker's left-foot around the goal frame, and as the sides came out for the next period, the match seemed finely poised.

If Gordon, evidently buoyed by scoring his fourth strike in three Champions League games this campaign, played with the determination of a wide player aiming to alter the balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had other plans.

The manager's No 11 had already shown that, while Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a natural full-back, and Newcastle fans were in mouths every time he advanced.

The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, filling in for Tonali, not headed a corner over the crossbar from a good position. Rather, this absorbing game continued to move from one goal to the other, prompting the coach to introduce the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, threw on an extra forward in Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a gamble too far.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Game

Before that, Benfica, and especially their Portugal back Silva, had performed a good job in limiting Nick Woltemade's space and forcing the Germany striker back. However, with right-back Amar Dedic substituted, the backline was weakened, and the path was open for Harvey Barnes to show that Gordon is not the manager's only attacking wide player.

Newcastle's two changes was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a wonderful long throw in Barnes's path. When Silva, for once, misread the bounce, the winger was clear, sprinting into the penalty box before keeping impressive composure to fire a sublime shot past Trubin.

When Harvey Barnes slid a shot through unfortunate Trubin's legs after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar through ball, it was finished. The Benfica manager had warned that the Magpies have several very fast wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wide men had destroyed his hopes of securing the team's first Champions League result of the campaign.