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When Jose Mourinho came at St James' Park and complimented Eddie Howe and his players, local supporters were concerned about a difficult game. But those fears vanished due to a strike from the winger and a brace from replacement the forward, making sure Benfica's new manager would not cause any trouble for Newcastle.

Match Flow and Initial Exchanges

Mourinho had predicted that the home side would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their own aggressive style. The visitors clearly delighted in disrupting Newcastle's early efforts to build a fluent attacking tempo.

Compounding Newcastle's challenges, two midfielders, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, began as substitutes as they continued convalescing from sickness and a knock respectively.

Prior to kick-off, the two managers shared a perfunctory, cool embrace, and it soon became clear that Mourinho had told his side to subdue the home fans by delaying Newcastle and reducing the temperature at every chance.

Key Moments and Decisive Actions

The visitors' strategy yielded mixed results, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to dismantle Benfica's backline, they initially found it hard to create good opportunities.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgian winger Lukebakio nearly demonstrated scoring skill when, after beating the defender on the ground, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous shot that got an excellent single-hand stop. It's no surprise Pope retains hope for an England recall in time for the World Cup.

But when the winger hit a further attempt off the post, Newcastle roused themselves. Murphy fired wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent near-post stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally broke the scoreless tie.

The England winger's scorching pace had created consternation for Mourinho all night, and he neatly slotted the opener past the goalkeeper after Murphy's early ball into the area paid off.

When Newcastle's hard, high press was not anticipated by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was available to pass a ground ball across the goal for the winger to finish.

Later Stages and Decisive Substitutions

From the beginning, Benfica could not be blamed of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's players pushed forward with total abandon. Lukebakio consistently showed an ability to unsettle Howe's defense, and the home team were likely relieved to reset at half-time.

The first half ended with the keeper once more rescuing his team by tipping Lukebakio's shot around the goal frame, and as the sides came out for the next period, the match seemed finely poised.

While Anthony Gordon, clearly buoyed by netting his fourth goal in three Champions League games this season, played with the zeal of a winger aiming to shift the balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had other plans.

The manager's No 11 had previously shown that, while Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a natural full-back, and Newcastle fans were nervous every time Lukebakio advanced.

The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Miley, filling in for Tonali, not directed a corner above the crossbar from a well-placed position. Instead, this thrilling contest continued to swing from one goal to the other, prompting Newcastle's manager to bring on the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

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

Harvey Barnes Seals the Game

Until then, the away team, and especially their Portugal back Silva, had performed a good job in restricting Woltemade's space and forcing Newcastle's German centre-forward deep. However, with right-back Amar Dedic substituted, the defense was weakened, and the path was clear for Harvey Barnes to prove that Gordon is not Howe's only attacking winger.

The home side's two changes was already paying off by the time Pope dispatched a wonderful long throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the flight, the winger was away, accelerating into the penalty box before maintaining impressive poise to fire a sublime strike past the keeper.

When Barnes slid a shot through unfortunate the goalkeeper's feet after meeting Gordon's excellent through ball, it was all over. The Benfica manager had warned that Newcastle have several quick wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from two wingers had destroyed his chances of earning the team's first European points of the season.