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When the Benfica manager arrived at Newcastle's stadium and praised Eddie Howe and his squad, local supporters feared a difficult game. But those worries disappeared due to a goal from Anthony Gordon and a brace from substitute Harvey Barnes, ensuring the visitors' coach did not inflict any trouble for Newcastle.

Match Dynamics and Initial Exchanges

Mourinho had forecast that the home side would be very physical, but his own team showed their similar aggressive approach. The visitors clearly delighted in breaking up Newcastle's early attempts to establish a fluent attacking rhythm.

Adding to the home team's challenges, two players, Tonali and Joelinton, started as substitutes as they were convalescing from illness and a knock respectively.

Prior to kick-off, the coaches exchanged a brief, reserved embrace, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had told his team to subdue the crowd by slowing the game and reducing the temperature at every chance.

Key Events and Decisive Actions

The visitors' strategy yielded varied results, but when Gordon and his teammates succeeded to break through the backline, they at first struggled to create clear chances.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgian attacker Dodi Lukebakio almost showed scoring skill when, after beating Dan Burn on the ground, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that required an terrific single-hand stop. No wonder Pope retains hope for an England recall in time for the World Cup.

Yet when the winger directed another shot against the post, the home side roused themselves. Jacob Murphy shot off target, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive close-range stop from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon finally broke the deadlock.

The England winger's blazing speed had caused problems for the Benfica coach all night, and he neatly side-footed the first goal past the goalkeeper after his teammate's early cross into the box paid off.

On the occasion the Magpies' intense, pressing game was not anticipated by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a ground ball across the face of goal for Gordon to polish off.

Later Stages and Decisive Changes

Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be accused of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now their side attacked with total abandon. The winger repeatedly showed an skill to unsettle Newcastle's defense, and the home team were probably relieved to regroup at half-time.

The opening period ended with the keeper once more saving his side by diverting Lukebakio's shot around the goal frame, and as the teams came out for the second half, everything seemed evenly balanced.

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

The manager's No 11 had previously shown that, while Dan Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a natural full-back, and Newcastle fans were in mouths every time Lukebakio moved forward.

Howe might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece over the bar from a well-placed position. Rather, this absorbing game continued to swing from one goal to the other, prompting the manager to bring on the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, meanwhile, brought on an additional striker in Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a gamble that backfired.

Barnes Wins the Game

Until then, Benfica, and especially their Portugal defender Silva, had done a fine job in limiting Nick Woltemade's space and pushing Newcastle's German centre-forward back. But now, with defender Amar Dedic off, the defense was weakened, and the way was open for Harvey Barnes to prove that Gordon is not the manager's only attacking winger.

Newcastle's two changes was already paying off by the time the goalkeeper sent a wonderful throw in Barnes's path. When Silva, on this occasion, misread the bounce, the winger was clear, sprinting into the area before keeping commendable poise to fire a superb shot past Trubin.

When Harvey Barnes rolled a low effort through poor the goalkeeper's feet after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar pass, it was finished. The Benfica manager had warned that Newcastle have several quick wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from two wide men had shattered his chances of earning the team's first European result of the campaign.