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As Jose Mourinho came at St James' Park and complimented Newcastle's coach and his players, local fans feared a difficult match. However those worries disappeared due to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from replacement Harvey Barnes, ensuring the visitors' new manager would not cause pain for Howe's team.

Game Flow and Initial Action

The Benfica boss had predicted that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his own team displayed their similar combative style. The visitors certainly enjoyed disrupting the Magpies' early efforts to build a smooth attacking tempo.

Compounding the home team's challenges, key midfielders, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, started on the bench as they were convalescing from sickness and injury respectively.

Prior to kick-off, the two managers exchanged a perfunctory, reserved embrace, and it quickly became apparent that the Benfica coach had told his side to quiet the home fans by slowing the game and reducing the temperature whenever possible.

Key Events and Decisive Actions

The visitors' tactic produced varied outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to dismantle Benfica's defensive barricades, they at first struggled to create good chances.

Moreover, the Belgium attacker Dodi Lukebakio nearly demonstrated scoring skill when, after beating the defender behind, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous shot that required an excellent one-handed stop. No wonder Pope still hopes for an England return in time for the global tournament.

But when the winger directed a further attempt off the post, Newcastle woke up. Murphy fired wide, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent close-range stop from Guimaraes before Gordon finally broke the deadlock.

The England winger's blazing speed had caused problems for the Benfica coach all night, and he neatly slotted the first goal past the goalkeeper after Murphy's early cross into the box proved effective.

On the occasion Newcastle's hard, high press was not anticipated by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was available to deliver a low ball across the goal for the winger to polish off.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Substitutions

Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be accused of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now their side attacked with real freedom. Lukebakio repeatedly showed an ability to unsettle Newcastle's defense, and the home team were probably grateful to reset at half-time.

The opening period concluded with Pope again rescuing his team by tipping the attacker's left-foot wide of the goal frame, and as the teams came out for the next period, the match seemed evenly poised.

While Gordon, clearly boosted by scoring his fourth goal in three European appearances this campaign, played with the determination of a wide player aiming to shift the balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had different ideas.

The manager's winger had previously shown that, while Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a born full-back, and home hearts were in mouths every time he advanced.

Howe might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece above the bar from a well-placed position. Rather, this thrilling game continued to move from end to end, prompting Newcastle's manager to introduce the midfielder and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

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

Harvey Barnes Seals the Match

Until then, the away team, and in particular their Portuguese back Antonio Silva, had done a good job in restricting Woltemade's room and forcing the German centre-forward back. But now, with defender Amar Dedic substituted, the backline was underpowered, and the path was open for Barnes to show that Gordon is not Howe's only attacking wide player.

The home side's double substitution was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper sent a superb long throw in Barnes's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the flight, the winger was clear, accelerating into the area before maintaining commendable composure to fire a sublime strike past Trubin.

When Barnes rolled a low effort through unfortunate Trubin's feet after meeting Anthony Gordon's excellent through ball, it was finished. The Benfica manager had cautioned that Newcastle have four very fast wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wide men had destroyed his chances of securing the team's first European result of the campaign.