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When Jose Mourinho came at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Newcastle's coach and his squad, home supporters feared a tough match. But those fears vanished thanks to a strike from the winger and a brace from replacement the forward, ensuring the visitors' coach would not cause any trouble for Newcastle.

Match Flow and Initial Exchanges

The Benfica boss had predicted that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his own team showed their own combative style. The visitors clearly delighted in disrupting the Magpies' initial efforts to establish a fluent passing rhythm.

Adding to Newcastle's challenges, two midfielders, Tonali and Joelinton, began as substitutes as they were recovering from illness and a knock each.

Before kick-off, the two managers exchanged a perfunctory, cool embrace, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had told his team to quiet the home fans by delaying Newcastle and reducing the intensity whenever possible.

Key Events and Decisive Actions

The visitors' tactic produced mixed results, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to dismantle the defensive barricades, they initially struggled to generate good opportunities.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgium attacker Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after beating the defender behind, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous shot that required an terrific single-hand save. No wonder Pope still hopes for an England return in time for the World Cup.

But when the winger directed another shot off the post, Newcastle woke up. Murphy fired wide, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive near-post stop from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally opened the deadlock.

Gordon's scorching pace had caused consternation for Mourinho all evening, and he calmly slotted the opener past Trubin after Murphy's early cross into the box proved effective.

When the Magpies' intense, high press was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to deliver a ground ball across the goal for the winger to polish off.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Substitutions

From the beginning, Benfica could not be accused of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now their players attacked with total abandon. The winger consistently displayed an ability to destabilize Newcastle's back four, and the Magpies were likely grateful to regroup at half-time.

The first half ended with the keeper once more rescuing his team by tipping Lukebakio's left-foot around the post, and as the sides emerged for the next period, the match seemed finely poised.

If Gordon, evidently buoyed by netting his fourth strike in three European appearances this season, played with the zeal of a winger set to shift the power balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had other plans.

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

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not directed a set-piece above the bar from a good position. Rather, this absorbing contest continued to swing from one goal to the other, prompting Newcastle's manager to introduce the midfielder and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, meanwhile, threw on an additional striker in Franjo Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a risk too far.

Barnes Seals the Game

Until then, Benfica, and in particular their Portugal back Antonio Silva, had done a good job in limiting Woltemade's space and pushing the German centre-forward deep. But now, with defender Amar Dedic substituted, the defense was underpowered, and the way was clear for Harvey Barnes to show that Gordon is not the manager's only attacking wide player.

The home side's double substitution was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper sent a wonderful throw in Barnes's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the flight, the winger was away, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining commendable composure to lash a superb shot past Trubin.

After Barnes rolled a low effort through poor the goalkeeper's feet after meeting Anthony Gordon's excellent pass, it was finished. The Benfica manager had cautioned that the Magpies have four very fast wide attackers, and three goals from two wingers had destroyed his chances of earning Benfica's first European result of the season.