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As the Benfica manager came at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his players, home fans were concerned about a difficult game. But such worries disappeared thanks to a strike from the winger and a brace from substitute the forward, making sure the visitors' coach would not cause any trouble for Howe's team.

Game Dynamics and Early Exchanges

The Benfica boss had predicted that the home side would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their own aggressive approach. The visitors clearly delighted in breaking up the Magpies' early efforts to establish a smooth passing rhythm.

Compounding Newcastle's challenges, two midfielders, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, began on the bench as they were convalescing from sickness and injury respectively.

Before kick-off, the coaches shared a perfunctory, reserved embrace, and it soon became clear that Mourinho had instructed his team to subdue the home fans by delaying Newcastle and lowering the temperature at every chance.

Critical Events and Decisive Actions

The visitors' tactic produced varied results, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to break through the defensive barricades, they at first found it hard to generate good opportunities.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgian attacker Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after beating the defender on the ground, he forced Nick Pope with a tremendous strike that got an excellent one-handed save. No wonder the goalkeeper still hopes for an national team return in time for the global tournament.

Yet when Lukebakio hit a further shot off the post, the home side roused themselves. Jacob Murphy fired off target, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent close-range save from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon at last broke the deadlock.

Gordon's blazing pace had caused problems for Mourinho all night, and he calmly slotted the opener past Trubin after his teammate's quick cross into the box paid off.

When Newcastle's intense, high press was not second-guessed by Benfica, Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was there to deliver a low cross across the face of goal for Gordon to polish off.

Second Half and Match-Winning Substitutions

Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now their players attacked with total freedom. The winger repeatedly displayed an ability to unsettle Newcastle's back four, and the Magpies were probably grateful to reset at half-time.

The first half ended with Pope once more saving his team by diverting the attacker's shot wide of the goal frame, and as the sides emerged for the next period, everything seemed finely poised.

If Anthony Gordon, evidently buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three Champions League games this campaign, played with the determination of a wide player aiming to alter the balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had other plans.

The manager's winger had already emphasized that, while Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a natural full-back, and home fans were nervous every time he advanced.

Howe might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece above the bar from a good position. Instead, this thrilling game continued to move from end to end, prompting the coach to bring on Joelinton and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, threw on an additional forward in Franjo Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a gamble too far.

Barnes Seals the Game

Until then, the away team, and especially their Portuguese defender Silva, had performed a fine job in limiting Nick Woltemade's room and pushing the Germany centre-forward deep. But now, with right-back Amar Dedic off, the defense was underpowered, and the way was open for Barnes to prove that Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring winger.

Newcastle's two changes was already paying off by the time Pope sent a superb throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, for once, misjudged the flight, Barnes was away, sprinting into the area before keeping commendable poise to lash a superb shot past the keeper.

When Barnes slid a low effort through unfortunate the goalkeeper's feet after meeting Gordon's excellent through ball, it was finished. Mourinho had cautioned that Newcastle have four quick wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wingers had shattered his chances of securing the team's first Champions League result of the season.