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As Jose Mourinho arrived at St James' Park and praised Newcastle's coach and his squad, local supporters feared a tough game. However those worries disappeared due to a strike from the winger and two more from substitute Harvey Barnes, ensuring the visitors' new manager did not inflict any trouble for Newcastle.

Match Flow and Early Exchanges

The Benfica boss had predicted that the home side would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their own combative approach. The visitors clearly enjoyed disrupting Newcastle's early attempts to build a smooth passing rhythm.

Adding to the home team's issues, key midfielders, Tonali and the Brazilian, started as substitutes as they were convalescing from sickness and injury respectively.

Prior to kick-off, the coaches exchanged a perfunctory, reserved greeting, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had told his side to subdue the home fans by delaying the game and reducing the intensity at every chance.

Key Events and Turning Points

Benfica's tactic yielded mixed results, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to break through the backline, they at first struggled to generate good opportunities.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgium winger Dodi Lukebakio nearly showed scoring skill when, after beating the defender behind, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous shot that got an excellent single-hand stop. No wonder the goalkeeper retains hope for an England return in time for the World Cup.

But when Lukebakio directed another shot against the post, the home side woke up. Jacob Murphy shot wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive near-post stop from Guimaraes before Gordon finally opened the scoreless tie.

Gordon's scorching speed had created problems for Mourinho all night, and he neatly side-footed the opener past Trubin after Murphy's quick ball into the area paid off.

On the occasion Newcastle's hard, high press was not second-guessed by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a ground ball across the goal for Gordon to polish off.

Second Half and Match-Winning Changes

Right from the start, Benfica could not be blamed of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now their side attacked with total freedom. The winger repeatedly displayed an skill to unsettle Howe's defense, and the Magpies were likely relieved to reset at the break.

The first half concluded with the keeper once more rescuing his side by tipping Lukebakio's shot wide of the goal frame, and as the sides came out for the second half, the match seemed evenly poised.

While Anthony Gordon, clearly boosted by netting his fourth strike in three European appearances this season, played with the determination of a wide player aiming to alter the power balance in his team's favor, the Benfica attacker had different plans.

The manager's No 11 had previously shown that, while Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a born left-back, and Newcastle fans were nervous every time he moved forward.

Howe might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece above the crossbar from a well-placed spot. Rather, this thrilling game continued to move from one goal to the other, persuading Newcastle's manager to bring on Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

The Benfica boss, meanwhile, threw on an additional forward in Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a risk that backfired.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Match

Before that, Benfica, and especially their Portuguese defender Antonio Silva, had done a good job in restricting Woltemade's space and forcing Newcastle's Germany striker deep. However, with defender Dedic off, the defense was underpowered, and the way was clear for Harvey Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only attacking winger.

The home side's double substitution was already paying off by the time Pope sent a superb long throw in Barnes's path. When Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the bounce, Barnes was away, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining impressive poise to lash a superb shot past the keeper.

After Harvey Barnes rolled a low effort through unfortunate the goalkeeper's legs after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar pass, it was finished. Mourinho had warned that the Magpies have four very fast wide attackers, and three goals from two wide men had shattered his hopes of earning Benfica's first European points of the season.