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As the Benfica manager came at Newcastle's stadium and praised Eddie Howe and his players, local fans were concerned about a tough match. But such worries disappeared thanks to a strike from Anthony Gordon and two more from replacement the forward, making sure Benfica's coach 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 own combative approach. The visitors clearly enjoyed disrupting Newcastle's early efforts to establish a smooth passing tempo.

Compounding the home team's issues, key players, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, started as substitutes as they were recovering from illness and injury each.

Before the start, the coaches exchanged a perfunctory, cool greeting, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had told his side to subdue the crowd by slowing Newcastle and lowering the intensity whenever possible.

Key Moments and Turning Points

Benfica's tactic produced mixed results, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to break through Benfica's backline, they at first struggled to generate good opportunities.

Additionally, the Belgian attacker Dodi Lukebakio almost demonstrated scoring skill when, after beating the defender behind, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a powerful strike that got an excellent single-hand save. No wonder Pope still hopes for an national team return in time for the World Cup.

But when Lukebakio hit a further attempt against the post, Newcastle roused themselves. Murphy shot wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive close-range save from Guimaraes before Gordon finally broke the deadlock.

The England winger's blazing speed had created consternation for the Benfica coach all night, and he calmly slotted the opener past Trubin after Murphy's quick cross into the area paid off.

When Newcastle's intense, pressing game was not second-guessed by Benfica, Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to deliver a ground cross across the goal for Gordon to polish off.

Later Stages and Decisive Substitutions

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's players pushed forward with total abandon. The winger repeatedly displayed an skill to destabilize Newcastle's defense, and the home team were likely grateful to reset at half-time.

The first half ended with Pope once more saving his team by tipping the attacker's left-foot wide of the goal frame, and as the sides came out for the second half, everything seemed evenly poised.

If Gordon, clearly buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three Champions League games this campaign, played with the zeal of a wide player set to shift the power balance in Newcastle's favor, Lukebakio had other ideas.

The manager's No 11 had previously emphasized that, while Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a born left-back, and Newcastle fans were in mouths every time he advanced.

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, deputising for Tonali, not headed a set-piece over the crossbar from a good spot. Rather, this absorbing game continued to move from end to end, prompting Newcastle's coach to bring on the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

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

Harvey Barnes Seals the Game

Before that, the away team, and in particular their Portugal back Antonio Silva, had done a fine job in restricting Nick Woltemade's room and pushing Newcastle's German centre-forward back. However, with defender Amar Dedic off, the backline was underpowered, and the way was clear for Harvey Barnes to prove that Gordon is not the manager's only attacking wide player.

Newcastle's double substitution was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a wonderful throw in Barnes's path. When Silva, for once, misjudged the bounce, Barnes was away, accelerating into the area before maintaining impressive poise to lash a sublime shot past the keeper.

When Harvey Barnes rolled a low effort through unfortunate the goalkeeper's legs after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar pass, it was all over. The Benfica manager had cautioned that Newcastle have several very fast wingers, and a trio of strikes from two wide men had shattered his hopes of securing the team's first Champions League points of the campaign.