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When Jose Mourinho came at St James' Park and praised Eddie Howe and his squad, local fans were concerned about a tough match. But those worries vanished due to a strike from the winger and a brace from replacement Harvey Barnes, ensuring the visitors' new manager did not inflict any trouble for Howe's team.

Game Flow and Early Exchanges

Mourinho had forecast that Newcastle would be very physical, but his Benfica players displayed their own combative approach. The visitors clearly delighted in breaking up Newcastle's early attempts to build a smooth passing rhythm.

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

Before the start, the coaches exchanged a perfunctory, cool embrace, and it soon became clear that Mourinho had told his team to subdue the crowd by delaying Newcastle and lowering the intensity at every chance.

Key Events and Decisive Actions

The visitors' strategy produced varied results, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to break through Benfica's backline, they at first struggled to create clear opportunities.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgium attacker Dodi Lukebakio nearly demonstrated scoring skill when, after beating the defender behind, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a powerful strike that got an terrific single-hand save. It's no surprise the goalkeeper still hopes for an England recall in time for the global tournament.

But when the winger directed a further shot against the post, Newcastle woke up. Jacob Murphy shot off target, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive close-range stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last opened the scoreless tie.

The England winger's blazing speed had caused consternation for Mourinho all night, and he calmly slotted the opener past the goalkeeper after Murphy's quick cross into the area paid off.

When Newcastle's hard, pressing game was not second-guessed by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was there to deliver a ground ball across the face of goal for the winger to finish.

Second Half and Decisive Substitutions

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's side pushed forward with total abandon. The winger consistently displayed an skill to destabilize Newcastle's defense, and the Magpies were likely grateful to reset at the break.

The first half concluded with Pope again rescuing his side by tipping Lukebakio's shot around the post, and as the sides came out for the next period, everything seemed finely poised.

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

The manager's winger had previously shown that, while Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a natural full-back, and home hearts were in mouths every time he advanced.

Howe might have relaxed had Miley, filling in for Tonali, not directed a set-piece above the crossbar from a good position. Instead, this absorbing game continued to swing from one goal to the other, persuading the coach to introduce the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, meanwhile, brought on an extra striker in Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a risk too far.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Game

Until then, the away team, and in particular their Portuguese back Antonio Silva, had performed a fine job in limiting Nick Woltemade's room and pushing Newcastle's German centre-forward deep. But now, with defender Dedic off, the defense was weakened, and the way was clear for Harvey Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only attacking wide player.

The home side's two changes was already paying off by the time Pope sent a wonderful throw in the substitute's direction. When Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the bounce, the winger was away, sprinting into the penalty box before keeping commendable composure to fire a superb strike past the keeper.

After Barnes rolled a low effort through poor Trubin's feet after receiving Anthony Gordon's stellar through ball, it was all over. Mourinho had cautioned that Newcastle have four very fast wide attackers, and three goals from a pair of wide men had shattered his hopes of securing the team's first European points of the season.