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When the Benfica manager arrived at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Newcastle's coach and his squad, local fans feared a tough match. However such worries vanished due to a strike from Anthony Gordon and two more from replacement the forward, making sure the visitors' coach would not cause any trouble for Newcastle.

Match Dynamics and Early Exchanges

Mourinho had forecast that the home side would be very physical, but his own team showed their own combative style. The visitors clearly enjoyed breaking up the Magpies' early efforts to build a fluent attacking rhythm.

Adding to the home team's challenges, key midfielders, Tonali and Joelinton, began as substitutes as they were recovering from sickness and a knock each.

Before the start, the two managers exchanged a perfunctory, reserved greeting, and it quickly became clear that Mourinho had instructed his side to subdue the crowd by slowing Newcastle and reducing the intensity whenever possible.

Critical Moments and Decisive Actions

The visitors' strategy produced varied outcomes, but when Gordon and his teammates succeeded to break through Benfica's backline, they initially found it hard to create clear opportunities.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgium attacker Lukebakio nearly demonstrated how to finish when, after leaving the defender on the ground, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that required an excellent one-handed save. It's no surprise the goalkeeper retains hope for an national team return in time for the global tournament.

But when the winger directed another shot off the post, the home side roused themselves. Jacob Murphy fired off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive near-post stop from Guimaraes before Gordon finally opened the scoreless tie.

The England winger's blazing pace had created problems for the Benfica coach all night, and he calmly slotted the opener past Trubin after his teammate's quick ball into the box paid off.

On the occasion Newcastle's hard, high press was not second-guessed by Benfica, Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was available to deliver a low ball across the face of goal for Gordon to polish off.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Substitutions

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's side attacked with total freedom. Lukebakio repeatedly showed an skill to destabilize Howe's defense, and the Magpies were likely grateful to regroup at half-time.

The first half concluded with the keeper once more rescuing his side by diverting the attacker's left-foot around the post, and as the teams emerged for the second half, the match seemed evenly poised.

If Anthony Gordon, clearly boosted by netting his fourth goal in three European games this campaign, played with the zeal of a wide player aiming to alter the power balance in Newcastle's direction, the Benfica attacker had other ideas.

Mourinho's No 11 had already shown that, while Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a natural full-back, and Newcastle fans were in mouths every time he moved forward.

Howe might have relaxed had Miley, filling in for Tonali, not headed a corner above the bar from a good position. Rather, this absorbing contest continued to move from one goal to the other, prompting Newcastle's manager to introduce Joelinton and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, meanwhile, brought on an extra striker in Franjo Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a risk too far.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Game

Until then, the away team, and especially their Portuguese defender Antonio Silva, had performed a fine job in restricting Nick Woltemade's room and pushing the German centre-forward deep. But now, with defender Amar Dedic off, the defense was weakened, and the path was open for 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 superb throw in Barnes's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the flight, the winger was clear, accelerating into the penalty box before keeping impressive poise to fire a sublime shot past Trubin.

When Barnes slid a low effort through unfortunate Trubin's legs after meeting Gordon's stellar pass, it was all over. The Benfica manager had cautioned that the Magpies have several quick wingers, and three goals from a pair of wide men had shattered his chances of earning the team's first European points of the season.