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As the Benfica manager arrived at St James' Park and complimented Eddie Howe and his players, home supporters feared a difficult match. However such worries vanished due to a strike from the winger and a brace from substitute the forward, ensuring Benfica's coach would not cause pain for Newcastle.

Game Flow and Early Action

The Benfica boss had predicted that Newcastle would be very physical, but his own team showed their similar combative style. Benfica clearly enjoyed disrupting the Magpies' initial efforts to build a fluent passing tempo.

Compounding Newcastle's issues, two players, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, started on the bench as they continued recovering from sickness and a knock each.

Prior to kick-off, the two managers shared a perfunctory, cool greeting, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had told his team to quiet the crowd by slowing the game and lowering the temperature whenever possible.

Key Moments and Decisive Actions

Benfica's tactic produced mixed results, but when Gordon and his teammates managed to dismantle Benfica's defensive barricades, they at first found it hard to create clear chances.

Additionally, the Belgian winger Lukebakio almost showed how to finish when, after beating Dan Burn behind, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a powerful strike that got an terrific one-handed save. It's no surprise the goalkeeper still hopes for an England return in time for the World Cup.

Yet when the winger hit another attempt off the woodwork, Newcastle roused themselves. Murphy fired off target, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent near-post stop from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally opened the deadlock.

The England winger's blazing speed had created consternation for the Benfica coach all night, and he neatly slotted the first goal past Trubin after his teammate's quick cross into the box paid off.

When the Magpies' hard, pressing game was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a ground ball across the face of goal for the winger to finish.

Second Half and Match-Winning Substitutions

From the beginning, Benfica could not be blamed of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now their players pushed forward with real abandon. The winger repeatedly displayed an ability to unsettle Howe's back four, and the Magpies were likely grateful to reset at half-time.

The first half ended with the keeper again rescuing his side by tipping Lukebakio's shot wide of the goal frame, and as the teams came out for the next period, the match seemed finely poised.

If Anthony Gordon, clearly boosted by netting his fourth goal in three Champions League appearances this campaign, played with the determination of a wide player aiming to alter the power balance in Newcastle's favor, Lukebakio had different ideas.

Mourinho's winger had already emphasized that, while Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a natural full-back, and home fans were nervous every time he moved forward.

Howe might have relaxed had Miley, deputising for Tonali, not headed a corner above the crossbar from a well-placed spot. Instead, this absorbing game continued to move from one goal to the other, persuading Newcastle's manager to introduce Joelinton and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

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

Barnes Wins the Match

Until then, Benfica, and especially their Portugal defender Antonio Silva, had performed a good job in limiting Woltemade's space and pushing the German centre-forward back. But now, with right-back Dedic off, the defense was weakened, and the way was open for Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only attacking winger.

Newcastle's two changes was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper sent a wonderful long throw in the substitute's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the flight, Barnes was away, accelerating into the penalty box before maintaining impressive composure to lash a sublime strike past the keeper.

After Harvey Barnes rolled a low effort through poor Trubin's feet after meeting Gordon's excellent through ball, it was finished. The Benfica manager had warned that Newcastle have several very fast wingers, and three goals from two wide men had destroyed his chances of securing Benfica's first Champions League result of the season.