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When the Benfica manager arrived at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Eddie Howe and his squad, local supporters were concerned about a difficult game. But those fears disappeared thanks to a goal from the winger and a brace from replacement the forward, making sure Benfica's coach did not inflict any trouble for Howe's team.

Game Dynamics and Initial Action

Mourinho had predicted that Newcastle would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their own combative approach. Benfica certainly enjoyed breaking up Newcastle's initial efforts to establish a fluent attacking rhythm.

Adding to the home team's issues, key players, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, began on the bench as they continued recovering from sickness and a knock each.

Prior to the start, the two managers shared a brief, reserved embrace, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had told his team to subdue the crowd by delaying Newcastle and reducing the temperature at every chance.

Critical Moments and Decisive Actions

Benfica's tactic produced mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and his teammates managed to break through Benfica's backline, they initially struggled to generate good chances.

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

But when Lukebakio hit a further attempt off the woodwork, the home side roused themselves. Jacob Murphy fired wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive near-post save from Guimaraes before Gordon finally broke the deadlock.

Gordon's scorching speed had created problems for Mourinho all night, and he calmly slotted the first goal past Trubin after his teammate's early ball into the area proved effective.

On the occasion Newcastle's intense, pressing game was not second-guessed by Benfica, Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was there to pass a low cross across the face of goal for the winger to polish off.

Second Half and Decisive Changes

Right from the start, Benfica could not be blamed of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's players attacked with real freedom. The winger repeatedly displayed an ability to unsettle Howe's back four, and the home team were likely grateful to reset at half-time.

The opening period ended with Pope again saving his team by tipping Lukebakio's left-foot around the post, and as the teams emerged for the second half, the match seemed evenly balanced.

If Anthony Gordon, clearly buoyed by netting his fourth strike in three European games this season, played with the determination of a winger set to alter the power balance in his team's favor, the Benfica attacker had different ideas.

The manager's winger had already shown that, while Dan Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a natural left-back, and Newcastle fans were in mouths every time he advanced.

Howe might have relaxed had Miley, filling in for Tonali, not headed a set-piece over the crossbar from a good spot. Instead, this absorbing contest continued to move from end to end, prompting the manager to bring on the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, meanwhile, brought on an additional forward in Franjo Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a risk too far.

Harvey Barnes Wins the Match

Until then, Benfica, and especially their Portugal defender Antonio Silva, had performed a good job in limiting Nick Woltemade's room and forcing Newcastle's German centre-forward back. However, with right-back Amar Dedic off, the backline was weakened, and the way was open for Harvey Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring wide player.

The home side's double substitution was already paying off by the time Pope dispatched a superb long throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, for once, misjudged the flight, the winger was away, accelerating into the area before keeping commendable poise to fire a sublime strike past the keeper.

When Harvey Barnes slid a low effort through unfortunate Trubin's feet after receiving Gordon's excellent through ball, it was all over. Mourinho had cautioned that Newcastle have four very fast wingers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wingers had destroyed his chances of securing Benfica's first European result of the season.