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As Jose Mourinho came at St James' Park and complimented Newcastle's coach and his squad, local supporters feared a difficult game. But such worries disappeared due to a strike from Anthony Gordon and two more from replacement Harvey Barnes, making sure Benfica's new manager would not cause any trouble for Newcastle.

Match Dynamics and Initial Exchanges

The Benfica boss had forecast that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players displayed their similar aggressive style. Benfica clearly delighted in disrupting Newcastle's early efforts to establish a smooth passing tempo.

Adding to the home team's challenges, key players, Tonali and Joelinton, started on the bench as they continued recovering from illness and a knock respectively.

Before the start, the coaches shared a brief, reserved embrace, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had told his team to subdue the crowd by delaying the game and reducing the intensity whenever possible.

Key Moments and Decisive Actions

Benfica's tactic yielded varied results, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to dismantle Benfica's defensive barricades, they initially found it hard to create clear opportunities.

Additionally, the Belgian winger Lukebakio nearly showed scoring skill when, after leaving Dan Burn on the ground, he forced Nick Pope with a tremendous shot that got an excellent single-hand save. No wonder the goalkeeper still hopes for an national team return in time for the World Cup.

Yet when Lukebakio directed a further shot against the post, the home side woke up. Murphy fired wide, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive near-post stop from Guimaraes before Gordon finally opened the deadlock.

Gordon's scorching speed had created problems for the Benfica coach all night, and he neatly slotted the opener past the goalkeeper after his teammate's quick cross into the area paid off.

When the Magpies' intense, high press was not second-guessed by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was available to deliver a ground cross across the goal for the winger to finish.

Later Stages and Decisive Changes

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be accused of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now their side attacked with total abandon. Lukebakio consistently showed an ability to unsettle Howe's defense, and the home team were probably relieved to reset at half-time.

The opening period ended with the keeper again rescuing his side by diverting Lukebakio's shot around the post, and as the sides came out for the second half, everything seemed evenly balanced.

While Gordon, evidently buoyed by netting his fourth strike in three European appearances this campaign, played with the determination of a winger aiming to alter the balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had other ideas.

The manager's No 11 had already emphasized that, while Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a born left-back, and Newcastle hearts were nervous every time Lukebakio advanced.

The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Miley, filling in for Tonali, not headed a corner over the bar from a well-placed spot. Instead, this absorbing game continued to swing from one goal to the other, prompting the manager to introduce the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, meanwhile, threw on an extra forward in Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a risk too far.

Barnes Seals the Match

Until then, Benfica, and especially their Portugal defender Silva, had done a good job in limiting Nick Woltemade's space and pushing Newcastle's Germany striker back. But now, with right-back Amar Dedic off, the backline was underpowered, and the way was open for Harvey Barnes to show that Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring wide player.

The home side's double substitution was already paying off by the time Pope dispatched a wonderful long throw in the substitute's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the bounce, Barnes was clear, accelerating into the area before maintaining impressive poise to lash a superb shot past the keeper.

After Harvey Barnes slid a shot through unfortunate Trubin's feet after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar through ball, it was finished. The Benfica manager had warned that the Magpies have several very fast wide attackers, and three goals from a pair of wide men had shattered his chances of earning Benfica's first Champions League points of the season.