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When Jose Mourinho came at St James' Park and complimented Eddie Howe and his players, local supporters were concerned about a difficult match. However those worries vanished due to a goal from Anthony Gordon and a brace from substitute the forward, making sure the visitors' new manager did not inflict pain for Newcastle.

Match Dynamics and Early Action

The Benfica boss had predicted that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players showed their own aggressive approach. Benfica certainly enjoyed breaking up the Magpies' initial attempts to establish a fluent passing rhythm.

Adding to the home team's issues, two players, Tonali and Joelinton, began on the bench as they continued convalescing from illness and a knock respectively.

Prior to kick-off, the coaches exchanged a perfunctory, cool greeting, and it quickly became clear that Mourinho had instructed his side to quiet the crowd by slowing the game and reducing the temperature whenever possible.

Key Events and Turning Points

Benfica's strategy yielded mixed results, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to break through the defensive barricades, they initially struggled to create good chances.

Additionally, the Belgian winger Lukebakio almost demonstrated scoring skill when, after beating the defender on the ground, he forced Nick Pope with a tremendous shot that got an terrific single-hand save. No wonder Pope still hopes for an England return in time for the World Cup.

Yet when the winger directed another attempt against the post, the home side roused themselves. Jacob Murphy shot off target, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent close-range save from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon finally opened the scoreless tie.

The England winger's blazing speed had caused problems for Mourinho all evening, and he calmly side-footed the opener past Trubin after Murphy's early ball into the box proved effective.

On the occasion Newcastle's intense, pressing game was not second-guessed by Benfica, Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to pass a low cross across the face of goal for the winger to polish off.

Later Stages and Decisive Changes

From the beginning, Benfica could not be blamed of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's side attacked with real freedom. Lukebakio consistently showed an skill to destabilize Newcastle's defense, and the Magpies were likely relieved to regroup at the break.

The first half ended with Pope once more saving his side by diverting Lukebakio's shot around the post, and as the teams emerged for the next period, the match seemed finely balanced.

While Gordon, evidently buoyed by netting his fourth strike in three European games this campaign, played with the determination of a winger set to alter the power balance in Newcastle's favor, the Benfica attacker had other plans.

Mourinho's No 11 had already emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a born left-back, and home hearts were in mouths every time he advanced.

The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Miley, deputising for Tonali, not directed a set-piece over the crossbar from a well-placed spot. Rather, this absorbing contest continued to move from one goal to the other, persuading Newcastle's manager to introduce the midfielder and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, threw on an extra forward in Franjo Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a risk too far.

Barnes Wins the Game

Before that, the away team, and especially their Portuguese defender Silva, had performed a fine job in restricting Woltemade's space and pushing the Germany striker back. But now, with defender Amar Dedic off, the backline was weakened, and the way was open for Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring winger.

The home side's two changes was already proving effective by the time Pope sent a superb long throw in the substitute's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the flight, the winger was away, sprinting into the penalty box before keeping commendable composure to lash a sublime strike past Trubin.

After Barnes rolled a shot through unfortunate Trubin's legs after receiving Gordon's excellent pass, it was all over. The Benfica manager had cautioned that the Magpies have four very fast wingers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wide men had destroyed his hopes of securing Benfica's first European result of the season.