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As the Benfica manager came at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his players, home supporters were concerned about a difficult match. But those fears vanished thanks to a strike from the winger and two more from substitute Harvey Barnes, ensuring the visitors' new manager did not inflict pain for Howe's team.

Match Dynamics and Early Action

Mourinho had forecast that the home side would be very physical, but his Benfica players displayed their own combative approach. Benfica clearly enjoyed breaking up Newcastle's initial attempts to build a fluent attacking tempo.

Adding to the home team's challenges, two midfielders, Tonali and the Brazilian, began as substitutes as they were recovering from sickness and a knock respectively.

Prior to kick-off, the coaches exchanged a brief, reserved greeting, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had told his team to subdue the home fans by slowing the game and lowering the temperature whenever possible.

Critical Events and Decisive Actions

The visitors' strategy produced varied outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates succeeded to dismantle the backline, they at first found it hard to create good chances.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgium attacker Dodi Lukebakio almost demonstrated scoring skill when, after leaving the defender behind, he forced Nick Pope with a powerful shot that required an excellent one-handed stop. It's no surprise Pope still hopes for an national team return in time for the World Cup.

Yet when the winger directed a further attempt off the woodwork, the home side woke up. Murphy shot off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent close-range save from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last broke the scoreless tie.

The England winger's blazing pace had caused problems for the Benfica coach all evening, and he calmly side-footed the first goal past Trubin after Murphy's quick ball into the box proved effective.

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

Later Stages and Match-Winning Changes

From the beginning, Benfica could not be accused of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's side attacked with total abandon. Lukebakio repeatedly showed an skill to unsettle Newcastle's defense, and the Magpies were likely grateful to regroup at the break.

The opening period concluded with Pope again rescuing his side by diverting the attacker's left-foot wide of the goal frame, and as the sides emerged for the second half, the match seemed evenly balanced.

While Gordon, evidently boosted by netting his fourth goal in three European appearances this campaign, played with the zeal of a wide player set to shift the balance in his team's direction, the Benfica attacker had other plans.

Mourinho's No 11 had already shown that, while Dan Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a born left-back, and home fans were in mouths every time he moved forward.

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not directed a corner over the crossbar from a good spot. Instead, this thrilling game continued to swing from end to end, persuading the coach to bring on the midfielder and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

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

Harvey Barnes Wins the Game

Before that, the away team, and especially their Portuguese back Antonio Silva, had performed a fine job in restricting Woltemade's space and forcing Newcastle's Germany striker back. But now, with right-back Amar Dedic substituted, the backline was underpowered, and the path was clear for Harvey Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only attacking winger.

The home side's double substitution was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper sent a superb throw in the substitute's path. When Antonio Silva, for once, misread the flight, the winger was away, accelerating into the penalty box before keeping commendable poise to fire a sublime strike past the keeper.

When Harvey Barnes slid a low effort through unfortunate Trubin's legs after receiving Anthony Gordon's excellent pass, it was finished. Mourinho had cautioned that the Magpies have four quick wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from two wingers had shattered his hopes of earning Benfica's first Champions League result of the campaign.