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As the Benfica manager arrived at St James' Park and complimented Newcastle's coach and his squad, home supporters were concerned about a tough match. But those worries vanished due to a goal from the winger and two more from replacement the forward, making sure the visitors' new manager would not cause pain for Newcastle.

Game Flow and Early Action

The Benfica boss had forecast that Newcastle would be very physical, but his own team displayed their similar combative style. Benfica certainly enjoyed breaking up the Magpies' initial efforts to build a fluent passing tempo.

Adding to the home team's issues, two midfielders, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, began on the bench as they were convalescing from illness and a knock each.

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

Key Moments and Decisive Actions

The visitors' strategy yielded mixed outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to dismantle the defensive barricades, they initially struggled to generate good opportunities.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgian winger Dodi Lukebakio nearly showed scoring skill when, after beating the defender on the ground, he forced Nick Pope with a powerful strike that got an excellent single-hand save. It's no surprise Pope retains hope for an national team recall in time for the global tournament.

Yet when Lukebakio hit another shot against the woodwork, Newcastle woke up. Murphy shot off target, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive close-range stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally broke the scoreless tie.

Gordon's blazing pace had caused problems for Mourinho all evening, and he calmly slotted the first goal past the goalkeeper after his teammate's early ball into the area proved effective.

When Newcastle's intense, high press was not anticipated by the opposition, Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to deliver a ground ball across the face of goal for Gordon to polish off.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Changes

Right from the start, Benfica could not be accused of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now their 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 regroup at half-time.

The first half concluded with the keeper again rescuing his team by diverting the attacker's shot wide of the post, and as the sides came out for the second half, the match seemed finely poised.

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

Mourinho's No 11 had previously shown that, while Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a born left-back, and Newcastle fans were in mouths every time Lukebakio advanced.

Howe might have relaxed had Miley, deputising for Tonali, not headed a set-piece above the crossbar from a good position. Instead, this thrilling contest continued to move from one goal to the other, prompting Newcastle's coach to introduce Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, threw on an additional forward in Franjo Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a gamble that backfired.

Harvey Barnes Wins the Match

Before that, Benfica, and in particular their Portugal back Antonio Silva, had performed a good job in restricting Nick Woltemade's space and pushing the Germany centre-forward deep. However, with defender Amar Dedic off, the defense was underpowered, and the way was clear for Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only attacking winger.

The home side's double substitution was already proving effective by the time Pope dispatched a superb long throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, for once, misjudged the flight, Barnes was away, accelerating into the area before keeping impressive composure to lash a sublime strike past the keeper.

When Harvey Barnes slid a low effort through poor Trubin's legs after meeting Gordon's excellent pass, it was finished. Mourinho had cautioned that the Magpies have several very fast wingers, and a trio of strikes from two wingers had destroyed his hopes of securing the team's first European result of the campaign.