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As Jose Mourinho came at St James' Park and praised Newcastle's coach and his players, home fans were concerned about a difficult game. But those fears vanished thanks to a goal from Anthony Gordon and two more from replacement Harvey Barnes, making sure Benfica's new manager did not inflict any trouble for Newcastle.

Game Flow and Early Action

The Benfica boss had predicted that the home side would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their similar combative style. The visitors certainly enjoyed disrupting Newcastle's early attempts to establish a fluent passing tempo.

Adding to Newcastle's issues, key players, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, started on the bench as they continued recovering from sickness and a knock respectively.

Prior to kick-off, the coaches exchanged a perfunctory, cool greeting, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had instructed his side to subdue the crowd by delaying the game and lowering the intensity at every chance.

Critical Events and Turning Points

Benfica's strategy yielded mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and his teammates succeeded to break through the defensive barricades, they at first found it hard to create clear chances.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgian winger Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after beating the defender behind, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous shot that got an excellent one-handed stop. No wonder Pope retains hope for an England return in time for the global tournament.

But when the winger directed another attempt against the post, the home side roused themselves. Jacob Murphy fired off target, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive close-range save from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last opened the deadlock.

The England winger's blazing speed had caused consternation for the Benfica coach all evening, and he neatly side-footed the first goal past Trubin after his teammate's quick cross into the area proved effective.

When Newcastle's intense, high press was not second-guessed by Benfica, Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a low cross across the face of goal for Gordon to finish.

Second Half and Decisive Changes

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be accused of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's players pushed forward with total abandon. Lukebakio consistently showed an skill to destabilize Newcastle's back four, and the Magpies were likely relieved to regroup at the break.

The opening period ended with the keeper once more rescuing his side by diverting the attacker's left-foot around the post, and as the sides emerged for the second half, everything seemed evenly balanced.

If Gordon, evidently buoyed by netting his fourth goal in three Champions League games this campaign, played with the determination of a wide player aiming to alter the balance in his team's direction, Lukebakio had other ideas.

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

The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, filling in for Tonali, not directed a set-piece above the crossbar from a good position. Rather, this thrilling game continued to move from end to end, prompting the manager to introduce Joelinton and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

Mourinho, meanwhile, brought on an extra striker in Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a gamble too far.

Harvey Barnes Wins the Match

Until then, the away team, and in particular their Portugal back Silva, had done a fine job in restricting Woltemade's space and pushing Newcastle's German striker back. However, with defender Amar Dedic substituted, the backline was underpowered, and the path was open for Harvey Barnes to prove that Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring wide player.

Newcastle's double substitution was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a superb long throw in Barnes's path. When Silva, for once, misread the flight, the winger was clear, sprinting into the area before keeping commendable poise to fire a superb strike past the keeper.

After Barnes slid a low effort through unfortunate the goalkeeper's feet after receiving 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 wide men had destroyed his hopes of earning Benfica's first European result of the season.