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As the Benfica manager came at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his players, local supporters were concerned about a tough match. However such fears vanished thanks to a goal from the winger and two more from replacement Harvey Barnes, making sure Benfica's new manager would not cause pain for Howe's team.

Game Flow and Initial Action

Mourinho had forecast that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his own team displayed their own combative approach. Benfica clearly enjoyed disrupting Newcastle's initial efforts to establish a smooth passing rhythm.

Adding to Newcastle's challenges, key midfielders, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, started on the bench as they were convalescing from sickness and injury respectively.

Before the start, the two managers exchanged a perfunctory, reserved greeting, and it soon became clear that the Benfica coach had told his team to quiet the crowd by delaying Newcastle and reducing the intensity whenever possible.

Key Moments and Turning Points

The visitors' strategy produced mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and his teammates succeeded to dismantle the defensive barricades, they at first found it hard to generate clear opportunities.

Moreover, the Belgian winger Lukebakio nearly showed scoring skill when, after beating the defender behind, he forced Nick Pope with a tremendous shot that got an terrific single-hand stop. No wonder Pope retains hope for an national team return in time for the World Cup.

Yet when Lukebakio directed a further shot off the woodwork, the home side woke up. Murphy fired off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent close-range stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally broke the scoreless tie.

The England winger's blazing speed had created problems for the Benfica coach all evening, and he neatly slotted the first goal past Trubin after his teammate's early cross into the box paid off.

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

Second Half and Match-Winning Changes

From the beginning, Benfica could not be accused of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now their players pushed forward with real freedom. Lukebakio consistently showed an skill to unsettle Howe's defense, and the home team were probably relieved to reset at the break.

The opening period ended with Pope once more rescuing his side by tipping the attacker's left-foot wide of the goal frame, and as the teams came out for the second half, the match seemed finely poised.

If Gordon, evidently buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three Champions League appearances this season, played with the zeal of a winger set to shift the power balance in his team's favor, Lukebakio had other plans.

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

Howe might have felt easier had Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece above the bar from a good position. Instead, this absorbing contest continued to swing from end to end, persuading the manager to bring on Joelinton and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, threw on an additional forward in Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a gamble that backfired.

Harvey Barnes Wins the Game

Until then, the away team, and especially their Portuguese back Antonio Silva, had performed a good job in restricting Nick Woltemade's room and pushing Newcastle's Germany centre-forward deep. However, with defender Amar Dedic off, the backline was underpowered, and the path was clear for Harvey Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only attacking winger.

The home side's two changes was already proving effective by the time Pope sent a wonderful long throw in the substitute's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the flight, the winger was away, accelerating into the penalty box before maintaining impressive composure to lash a sublime shot past the keeper.

When Harvey Barnes slid a shot through unfortunate the goalkeeper's feet after receiving Gordon's excellent pass, it was finished. The Benfica manager had cautioned that Newcastle have four quick wingers, and three goals from a pair of wingers had destroyed his chances of earning Benfica's first Champions League result of the campaign.