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As the Benfica manager came at St James' Park and complimented Newcastle's coach and his players, local fans were concerned about a difficult match. But those worries disappeared thanks to a goal from the winger and a brace from substitute the forward, making sure the visitors' new manager did not inflict pain for Howe's team.

Match Dynamics and Initial Action

Mourinho had predicted that Newcastle would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their similar combative style. Benfica certainly enjoyed breaking up the Magpies' initial efforts to build a smooth passing rhythm.

Compounding Newcastle's challenges, key midfielders, Tonali and the Brazilian, began as substitutes as they were recovering from illness and a knock respectively.

Before the start, the coaches shared a brief, reserved greeting, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had instructed his side to quiet the crowd by slowing the game and reducing the temperature at every chance.

Critical Events and Turning Points

Benfica's tactic yielded mixed outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to break through Benfica's backline, they at first found it hard to create good chances.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgium attacker Lukebakio almost showed scoring skill when, after leaving the defender behind, he forced Nick Pope with a tremendous shot that required an excellent one-handed stop. No wonder Pope retains hope for an national team recall in time for the global tournament.

But when Lukebakio directed a further attempt off the post, the home side roused themselves. Jacob Murphy shot off target, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent near-post save from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last opened the scoreless tie.

Gordon's blazing pace had caused problems for Mourinho all evening, and he neatly slotted the opener past Trubin after his teammate's early cross into the area proved effective.

On the occasion Newcastle's intense, pressing game was not second-guessed by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was there to deliver a low ball across the face of goal for Gordon to finish.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Changes

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 real abandon. The winger repeatedly displayed an ability to destabilize Howe's back four, and the home team were likely relieved to regroup at the break.

The opening period concluded with Pope again rescuing his team by diverting the attacker's left-foot wide of the post, and as the sides came out for the next period, the match seemed evenly poised.

If Anthony Gordon, clearly buoyed by netting his fourth goal in three European games this season, played with the zeal of a winger aiming to alter the balance in Newcastle's favor, the Benfica attacker had different ideas.

The manager's No 11 had previously shown that, while Dan Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a born full-back, and home fans were nervous every time he moved forward.

Howe might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece above the crossbar from a well-placed position. Rather, this thrilling contest continued to move from end to end, persuading Newcastle's coach to introduce Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, meanwhile, brought on an extra striker in Franjo Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a risk that backfired.

Barnes Wins the Match

Before that, the away team, and especially their Portugal defender Silva, had performed a good job in limiting Nick Woltemade's space and forcing Newcastle's Germany striker deep. But now, with right-back Amar Dedic off, the defense was weakened, and the way was clear for Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only attacking winger.

The home side's two changes was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a superb long throw in the substitute's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the flight, the winger was clear, accelerating into the area before maintaining commendable poise to fire a superb strike past the keeper.

When Barnes slid a low effort through poor the goalkeeper's feet after meeting Gordon's stellar pass, it was all over. The Benfica manager had cautioned that the Magpies have several quick wingers, and three goals from two wide men had shattered his chances of securing the team's first Champions League result of the season.