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When Jose Mourinho arrived at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Newcastle's coach and his squad, local fans were concerned about a difficult game. But such fears disappeared thanks to a goal from the winger and a brace from substitute Harvey Barnes, making sure the visitors' coach did not inflict pain for Howe's team.

Game Dynamics and Initial Exchanges

The Benfica boss had predicted that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players displayed their similar aggressive approach. Benfica clearly delighted in disrupting the Magpies' early attempts to build a smooth passing rhythm.

Compounding Newcastle's challenges, key midfielders, Tonali and the Brazilian, started on the bench as they continued convalescing from sickness and a knock respectively.

Prior to the start, the coaches shared a brief, reserved greeting, and it soon became apparent that Mourinho had instructed his team to subdue the home fans by delaying the game and lowering the temperature at every chance.

Key Moments and Decisive Actions

Benfica's tactic produced mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to break through Benfica's backline, they initially found it hard to generate clear chances.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgian attacker Dodi Lukebakio nearly demonstrated scoring skill when, after beating the defender behind, he forced Nick Pope with a tremendous shot that got an terrific one-handed save. It's no surprise the goalkeeper retains hope for an England recall in time for the World Cup.

But when Lukebakio hit another shot off the post, Newcastle roused themselves. Jacob Murphy fired wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent close-range stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally broke the deadlock.

The England winger's scorching pace had created consternation for Mourinho all night, and he neatly slotted the opener past Trubin after his teammate's early ball into the box proved effective.

On the occasion Newcastle's intense, high press was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to deliver a ground ball across the face of goal for Gordon to polish off.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Substitutions

Right from the start, Benfica could not be accused of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's players attacked with total freedom. The winger consistently displayed an ability to destabilize Howe's back four, and the Magpies were probably relieved to regroup at the break.

The first half concluded with the keeper again rescuing his side by tipping the attacker's shot around the goal frame, and as the teams emerged for the second half, everything seemed evenly balanced.

While Anthony Gordon, clearly boosted by netting his fourth strike in three Champions League appearances this season, played with the determination of a winger aiming to alter the power balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had other ideas.

Mourinho's winger had already shown that, while Dan Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a born left-back, and Newcastle fans were in mouths every time Lukebakio moved forward.

The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not headed a corner over the bar from a good 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, at the same time, threw on an additional forward in Franjo Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a gamble too far.

Harvey Barnes Wins the Match

Until then, Benfica, and in particular their Portugal back Antonio Silva, had performed a good job in restricting Nick Woltemade's room and forcing the German centre-forward back. But now, with right-back Amar Dedic substituted, the defense was underpowered, and the path was clear for Harvey Barnes to show that Gordon is not the manager's only attacking winger.

Newcastle's double substitution was already paying off by the time Pope dispatched a wonderful long throw in Barnes's path. When Silva, on this occasion, misread the bounce, Barnes was clear, accelerating into the area before maintaining impressive poise to fire a superb strike past the keeper.

After Harvey Barnes rolled a shot through poor the goalkeeper's feet after receiving Anthony Gordon's stellar through ball, it was all over. Mourinho had warned that Newcastle have four very fast wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wide men had shattered his hopes of securing Benfica's first Champions League result of the season.