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As the Benfica manager arrived at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Eddie Howe and his squad, home supporters feared a difficult game. However such worries disappeared thanks to a strike from the winger and two more from replacement the forward, making sure Benfica's new manager did not inflict any trouble for Howe's team.

Game Dynamics and Initial Action

Mourinho had forecast that the home side would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their own combative style. Benfica certainly enjoyed disrupting the Magpies' initial attempts to build a fluent passing tempo.

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

Before kick-off, the two managers shared a perfunctory, cool greeting, and it quickly became clear that Mourinho had instructed his side to quiet the crowd by delaying the game and lowering the intensity at every chance.

Critical Events and Turning Points

Benfica's strategy produced varied outcomes, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to break through the defensive barricades, they initially found it hard to generate clear opportunities.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgian attacker Dodi Lukebakio nearly showed how to finish when, after beating Dan Burn behind, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that got an terrific one-handed save. No wonder Pope retains hope for an England recall in time for the global tournament.

Yet when the winger hit another attempt against the post, the home side woke up. Jacob Murphy shot off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive close-range save from Guimaraes before Gordon finally opened the scoreless tie.

Gordon's scorching speed had created consternation for Mourinho all night, and he neatly side-footed the first goal past Trubin after his teammate's early ball into the area proved effective.

On the occasion Newcastle's intense, high press was not second-guessed by Benfica, Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was there to pass a low ball across the face of goal for the winger to finish.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Changes

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be accused of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now their side attacked with total abandon. The winger repeatedly showed an skill to destabilize Howe's back four, and the home team were probably grateful to regroup at the break.

The opening period ended with Pope again rescuing his team by tipping Lukebakio's left-foot around the goal frame, and as the sides emerged for the second half, the match seemed evenly poised.

While Anthony Gordon, evidently boosted by netting his fourth goal in three Champions League appearances this season, played with the determination of a wide player aiming to shift the balance in Newcastle's favor, Lukebakio had other plans.

The manager's winger had already emphasized that, while Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a natural left-back, and home fans were in mouths every time Lukebakio advanced.

Howe might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece above the bar from a good position. Instead, this absorbing game continued to swing from end to end, prompting Newcastle's coach to introduce Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, threw on an extra striker in Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a gamble that backfired.

Barnes Wins the Match

Before that, Benfica, and especially their Portuguese back Antonio Silva, had performed a good job in restricting Nick Woltemade's room and forcing the Germany striker deep. However, with right-back Amar Dedic substituted, the defense was weakened, and the path was clear for Harvey Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only attacking wide player.

The home side's two changes was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a wonderful throw in Barnes's direction. When Antonio Silva, for once, misread the flight, Barnes was away, sprinting into the area before maintaining impressive composure to lash a sublime strike past Trubin.

After Harvey Barnes slid a shot through poor the goalkeeper's feet after receiving Anthony Gordon's stellar pass, it was all over. The Benfica manager had cautioned that the Magpies have several very fast wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from two wide men had destroyed his chances of earning the team's first European result of the campaign.