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When Jose Mourinho arrived at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his squad, local supporters feared a tough game. But such fears vanished thanks to a strike from the winger and a brace from replacement Harvey Barnes, making sure the visitors' new manager did not inflict pain for Newcastle.

Game Dynamics and Early Exchanges

The Benfica boss had predicted that Newcastle would be very physical, but his own team showed their similar combative style. The visitors certainly delighted in disrupting Newcastle's early efforts to build a smooth attacking rhythm.

Adding to the home team's challenges, key midfielders, Tonali and Joelinton, started as substitutes as they were convalescing from illness and a knock respectively.

Before the start, the two managers exchanged a perfunctory, reserved embrace, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had instructed his side to subdue the crowd by delaying the game and reducing the temperature whenever possible.

Critical Moments and Turning Points

Benfica's tactic produced varied results, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates managed to dismantle the backline, they initially struggled to generate clear chances.

Moreover, the Belgian winger Dodi Lukebakio nearly demonstrated scoring skill when, after leaving the defender on the ground, he tested Nick Pope with a tremendous strike that got an terrific one-handed save. It's no surprise Pope still hopes for an national team recall in time for the global tournament.

Yet when Lukebakio hit another attempt off the post, the home side woke up. Jacob Murphy fired wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive near-post stop from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last opened the scoreless tie.

Gordon's blazing pace had created problems for Mourinho all night, and he neatly slotted the opener past Trubin after his teammate's quick cross into the area proved effective.

When Newcastle's intense, high press was not second-guessed by Benfica, Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a low ball across the face of goal for Gordon to finish.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Substitutions

Right from the start, Benfica could not be blamed of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now their players attacked with total abandon. The winger consistently displayed an skill to destabilize Newcastle's back four, and the home team were probably relieved to regroup at half-time.

The first half concluded with the keeper again rescuing his side by tipping the attacker's left-foot wide of the goal frame, and as the teams emerged for the second half, everything seemed finely balanced.

If Anthony Gordon, clearly boosted by scoring his fourth strike in three European games this campaign, played with the zeal of a wide player aiming to shift the balance in Newcastle's favor, Lukebakio had other plans.

Mourinho's winger had already shown that, while Dan Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a natural full-back, and Newcastle hearts were nervous every time Lukebakio moved forward.

Howe might have relaxed had Miley, filling in for Tonali, not directed a corner over the bar from a good spot. Instead, this thrilling contest continued to move from one goal to the other, persuading the coach to introduce the midfielder and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, brought on an extra forward in Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a risk that backfired.

Barnes Seals the Game

Until then, the away team, and especially their Portugal defender Antonio Silva, had done a good job in restricting Woltemade's space and forcing Newcastle's German striker deep. But now, with defender Dedic substituted, the defense was weakened, and the way was clear for Barnes to show that Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring winger.

Newcastle's double substitution was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper sent a wonderful long throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, for once, misjudged the flight, the winger was away, accelerating into the area before maintaining impressive poise to lash a superb strike past the keeper.

After Barnes slid a shot through poor the goalkeeper's legs after meeting Gordon's stellar pass, it was all over. Mourinho had warned that Newcastle have several very fast wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from two wide men had destroyed his hopes of securing the team's first European result of the season.