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When Jose Mourinho arrived at St James' Park and praised Eddie Howe and his players, home fans were concerned about a tough match. However such worries disappeared thanks to a goal from the winger and two more from replacement the forward, ensuring the visitors' coach would not cause pain for Newcastle.

Match Dynamics and Early Exchanges

Mourinho had predicted that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players displayed their similar combative approach. Benfica certainly enjoyed disrupting the Magpies' early attempts to build a fluent passing tempo.

Compounding Newcastle's challenges, key players, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, started as substitutes as they were recovering from illness and a knock each.

Prior to kick-off, the two managers exchanged a perfunctory, reserved embrace, and it soon became apparent that the Benfica coach had told his team to quiet the home fans by delaying the game and reducing the temperature whenever possible.

Critical Moments and Decisive Actions

Benfica's tactic yielded mixed results, but when Gordon and his teammates managed to break through the backline, they initially struggled to create good chances.

Additionally, the Belgian winger Dodi Lukebakio nearly demonstrated how to finish when, after leaving the defender behind, he tested Nick Pope with a powerful strike that got an terrific one-handed stop. No wonder Pope still hopes for an England return in time for the World Cup.

But when the winger hit another attempt off the woodwork, the home side roused themselves. Jacob Murphy shot wide, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive close-range save from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon at last broke the deadlock.

The England winger's blazing pace had caused consternation for Mourinho all evening, and he neatly slotted the first goal past Trubin after Murphy's quick ball into the area proved effective.

When the Magpies' hard, high press was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to deliver a low cross across the face of goal for Gordon to polish off.

Second Half and Match-Winning Changes

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be accused of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's side attacked with total freedom. The winger repeatedly showed an ability to unsettle Newcastle's defense, and the Magpies were likely grateful to regroup at half-time.

The opening period ended with the keeper again rescuing his side by diverting Lukebakio's shot wide of the goal frame, and as the sides emerged for the next period, the match seemed evenly balanced.

While Anthony Gordon, clearly buoyed by scoring his fourth strike in three European appearances this campaign, played with the zeal of a winger set to shift the balance in Newcastle's favor, Lukebakio had different plans.

The manager's No 11 had already emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a born full-back, and Newcastle hearts were in mouths every time Lukebakio moved forward.

Howe might have relaxed had Miley, filling in for Tonali, not directed a set-piece over the bar from a good position. Rather, this absorbing contest continued to swing from one goal to the other, prompting the coach to introduce Joelinton and Harvey Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, brought on an additional striker in Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a gamble too far.

Barnes Seals the Game

Until then, the away team, and in particular their Portugal back Silva, had performed a good job in restricting Woltemade's space and pushing Newcastle's Germany centre-forward deep. But now, with defender Dedic substituted, the defense was weakened, and the way was clear for Barnes to prove that Gordon is not Howe's only attacking winger.

The home side's two changes was already proving effective by the time Pope dispatched a wonderful long throw in the substitute's path. When Silva, on this occasion, misread the flight, Barnes was away, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining impressive composure to lash a sublime strike past the keeper.

After Harvey Barnes rolled a low effort through poor Trubin's legs after meeting Gordon's excellent through ball, it was finished. Mourinho had warned that the Magpies have four quick wide attackers, and three goals from two wingers had destroyed his chances of securing the team's first Champions League result of the campaign.