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As the Benfica manager came at St James' Park and praised Newcastle's coach and his squad, local fans were concerned about a difficult game. But those worries vanished thanks to a goal from Anthony Gordon and a brace from replacement the forward, ensuring Benfica's new manager would not cause any trouble for Howe's team.

Game Dynamics and Early Exchanges

Mourinho had forecast that the home side would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their own combative approach. Benfica certainly delighted in breaking up Newcastle's early attempts to build a fluent passing tempo.

Adding to the home team's issues, key players, Tonali and the Brazilian, started on the bench as they were recovering from illness and a knock respectively.

Before kick-off, the two managers shared a brief, cool embrace, and it quickly became clear that Mourinho had instructed his side to quiet the crowd by slowing Newcastle and reducing the temperature whenever possible.

Key Moments and Turning Points

The visitors' tactic yielded mixed results, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates succeeded to dismantle Benfica's defensive barricades, they initially found it hard to create clear opportunities.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgium attacker Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after beating the defender on the ground, he forced Nick Pope with a powerful strike that required an excellent single-hand save. It's no surprise the goalkeeper retains hope for an England return in time for the global tournament.

Yet when the winger hit a further shot against the woodwork, the home side woke up. Murphy fired wide, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent near-post stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon at last broke the deadlock.

Gordon's scorching speed had caused consternation for Mourinho all evening, and he neatly side-footed the opener past the goalkeeper after Murphy's early cross into the area proved effective.

On the occasion the Magpies' intense, pressing game was not second-guessed by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to pass a low cross across the goal for Gordon to finish.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Substitutions

From the beginning, Benfica could not be accused of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's players attacked with total freedom. Lukebakio repeatedly showed an skill to destabilize Howe's back four, and the Magpies were likely relieved to regroup at half-time.

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

While Anthony Gordon, clearly buoyed by netting his fourth goal in three European appearances this season, played with the determination of a wide player aiming to alter the power balance in Newcastle's favor, Lukebakio had different plans.

Mourinho's winger had already emphasized 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.

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not directed a corner over the bar from a good spot. Instead, this absorbing contest continued to swing from end to end, persuading Newcastle's coach to introduce the midfielder and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, meanwhile, brought on an extra striker in Franjo Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a risk that backfired.

Harvey Barnes Seals the Game

Until then, Benfica, and in particular their Portuguese back Silva, had performed a fine job in restricting Nick Woltemade's space and pushing the Germany striker deep. But now, with right-back Amar Dedic off, the backline was underpowered, and the path was clear for Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring winger.

Newcastle's double substitution was already proving effective by the time Pope dispatched a wonderful throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the flight, Barnes was away, sprinting into the area before maintaining commendable poise to fire a superb strike past Trubin.

When Harvey Barnes slid a shot through unfortunate the goalkeeper's legs after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar pass, it was all over. Mourinho had cautioned that Newcastle have four very fast wingers, and three goals from two wingers had destroyed his chances of securing Benfica's first European result of the season.