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As the Benfica manager arrived at St James' Park and complimented Newcastle's coach and his squad, local supporters were concerned about a tough game. But such fears vanished due to a goal from the winger and two more from substitute the forward, making sure Benfica's new manager did not inflict pain for Howe's team.

Game Flow and Early Exchanges

Mourinho had forecast that Newcastle would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their similar aggressive approach. The visitors clearly enjoyed breaking up Newcastle's initial efforts to establish a fluent passing tempo.

Adding to Newcastle's challenges, two midfielders, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, started as substitutes as they continued recovering from sickness and a knock respectively.

Before the start, the two managers exchanged a perfunctory, reserved greeting, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had told his side to subdue the home fans by delaying the game and reducing the temperature at every chance.

Critical Moments and Decisive Actions

Benfica's strategy produced mixed outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to dismantle the defensive barricades, they at first struggled to create clear chances.

Additionally, the Belgian winger Lukebakio nearly showed how to finish when, after beating the defender behind, he forced Nick Pope with a tremendous shot that required an terrific single-hand stop. It's no surprise Pope retains hope for an England recall in time for the global tournament.

But when Lukebakio directed a further attempt against the post, the home side roused themselves. Murphy shot wide, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive close-range save from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last broke the deadlock.

Gordon's scorching pace had created problems for Mourinho all evening, and he calmly slotted the first goal past the goalkeeper after his teammate's early cross into the box proved effective.

On the occasion Newcastle's intense, high press was not anticipated by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was available to pass a low ball across the face of goal for the winger to polish off.

Second Half and Match-Winning Substitutions

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be accused of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now their players pushed forward with real abandon. The winger repeatedly showed an skill to unsettle Newcastle's back four, and the Magpies were probably grateful to reset at half-time.

The first half ended with Pope once more rescuing his side by diverting the attacker's shot wide of the goal frame, and as the teams emerged for the second half, everything seemed finely poised.

While Anthony Gordon, clearly buoyed by scoring his fourth strike in three European games this campaign, played with the zeal of a winger aiming to shift the power balance in his team's direction, Lukebakio had other plans.

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

Howe might have relaxed had Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not directed a set-piece above the bar from a well-placed position. Instead, this absorbing game continued to swing from one goal to the other, prompting the coach to bring on the midfielder and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, brought on an additional forward in Franjo Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a gamble too far.

Barnes Seals the Game

Until then, Benfica, and in particular their Portugal defender Antonio Silva, had done a good job in limiting Nick Woltemade's space and forcing Newcastle's German centre-forward deep. However, with right-back Dedic substituted, the defense was underpowered, and the way was clear for Harvey Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring winger.

Newcastle's two changes was already proving effective by the time Pope dispatched a wonderful long throw in the substitute's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the flight, the winger was clear, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining impressive composure to fire a sublime strike past Trubin.

When Harvey Barnes rolled a shot through poor the goalkeeper's legs after receiving Gordon's excellent pass, it was all over. Mourinho had cautioned that the Magpies have four very fast wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from two wide men had shattered his chances of earning the team's first European result of the season.