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As the Benfica manager arrived at St James' Park and praised Newcastle's coach and his squad, local supporters feared a difficult match. But those fears vanished due to a strike from the winger and two more from substitute the forward, making sure the visitors' new manager would not cause pain for Howe's team.

Match Flow and Initial Exchanges

Mourinho had forecast that Newcastle would be very physical, but his own team showed their own aggressive approach. Benfica clearly enjoyed breaking up Newcastle's early attempts to build a smooth attacking tempo.

Compounding Newcastle's challenges, key players, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, began as substitutes as they were convalescing from sickness and injury each.

Before kick-off, the two managers shared a brief, reserved embrace, and it soon became clear that Mourinho had told his team to subdue the home fans by slowing Newcastle and lowering the intensity whenever possible.

Key Moments and Decisive Actions

The visitors' strategy yielded mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and his teammates succeeded to dismantle Benfica's defensive barricades, they initially struggled to create clear chances.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgian attacker Dodi Lukebakio nearly demonstrated how to finish when, after beating the defender behind, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that required an excellent one-handed stop. It's no surprise the goalkeeper retains hope for an national team recall in time for the World Cup.

Yet when the winger hit another shot against the woodwork, Newcastle woke up. Murphy fired off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive near-post stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon finally broke the deadlock.

The England winger's blazing speed had created consternation for Mourinho all night, and he neatly slotted the first goal past the goalkeeper after his teammate's quick ball into the area paid off.

On the occasion the Magpies' intense, pressing game was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was available to pass a ground ball across the goal for Gordon to polish off.

Second Half and Match-Winning Substitutions

Right from the start, Benfica could not be accused of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's players attacked with real abandon. Lukebakio consistently displayed an ability to destabilize Howe's defense, and the home team were probably relieved to regroup at half-time.

The first half ended with the keeper once more rescuing his side by tipping Lukebakio's left-foot wide of the goal frame, and as the sides emerged for the next period, the match seemed finely balanced.

While Anthony Gordon, clearly buoyed by netting his fourth goal in three European appearances this season, played with the zeal of a wide player aiming to shift the balance in Newcastle's favor, the Benfica attacker had other plans.

The manager's winger had previously shown that, while Dan Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a born full-back, and home hearts were nervous every time Lukebakio moved forward.

Howe might have relaxed had Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece above the crossbar from a good spot. Instead, this absorbing contest continued to move from end to end, prompting Newcastle's manager to introduce the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

The Benfica boss, meanwhile, threw on an extra forward in Franjo Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a risk too far.

Harvey Barnes Wins the Match

Until then, the away team, and especially their Portuguese defender Silva, had performed a good job in limiting Nick Woltemade's room and pushing Newcastle's German striker deep. However, with right-back Dedic substituted, the backline was underpowered, and the way was clear for Barnes to show that Gordon is not Howe's only attacking winger.

The home side's two changes was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper sent a wonderful long throw in the substitute's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the bounce, the winger was away, sprinting into the area before keeping commendable poise to fire a superb shot past the keeper.

After Harvey Barnes slid a shot through unfortunate the goalkeeper's legs after receiving Gordon's excellent pass, it was all over. The Benfica manager had warned 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 the team's first European result of the season.