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As Jose Mourinho came at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Eddie Howe and his squad, home fans were concerned about a difficult game. But such fears vanished thanks to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from replacement Harvey Barnes, making sure Benfica's coach did not inflict any trouble for Howe's team.

Game Flow and Early Action

Mourinho had forecast that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his own team displayed their own combative approach. Benfica clearly delighted in breaking up Newcastle's initial efforts to establish a fluent attacking tempo.

Adding to Newcastle's challenges, key players, Tonali and Joelinton, started as substitutes as they continued recovering from illness and a knock each.

Before the start, the coaches shared a brief, cool embrace, and it quickly became apparent that the Benfica coach had told his side to subdue the home fans by slowing Newcastle and reducing the temperature at every chance.

Key Events and Decisive Actions

Benfica's strategy yielded mixed results, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack managed to break through Benfica's defensive barricades, they at first found it hard to create clear opportunities.

Additionally, the Belgium attacker Dodi Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after leaving the defender behind, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a powerful strike that required an terrific single-hand stop. It's no surprise Pope still hopes for an England recall in time for the global tournament.

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

The England winger's blazing pace had created problems for the Benfica coach all evening, and he calmly slotted the first goal past the goalkeeper after his teammate's early cross into the area paid off.

When the Magpies' intense, pressing game was not second-guessed by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was available to deliver a low ball across the goal for the winger to polish off.

Second Half and Match-Winning Changes

From the beginning, Benfica could not be blamed of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's side attacked with real abandon. Lukebakio consistently displayed an skill to unsettle Newcastle's defense, and the home team were probably grateful to reset at half-time.

The opening period ended with Pope once more rescuing his side by diverting the attacker's shot wide of the goal frame, and as the sides emerged for the second half, the match seemed finely poised.

If Gordon, evidently boosted by scoring his fourth strike in three European games this campaign, played with the zeal of a winger aiming to alter the balance in Newcastle's direction, the Benfica attacker had different ideas.

Mourinho's No 11 had already emphasized that, while Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a natural full-back, and Newcastle fans were in mouths every time he moved forward.

Howe might have felt easier had Miley, filling in for Sandro Tonali, not directed a corner above the bar from a good position. Instead, this absorbing contest continued to swing from one goal to the other, persuading Newcastle's coach to bring on Joelinton and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, brought on an additional forward in Franjo Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a gamble too far.

Barnes Seals the Game

Before that, the away team, and in particular their Portugal defender Antonio Silva, had done a fine job in restricting Nick Woltemade's space and forcing the Germany centre-forward back. But now, with defender Dedic off, the defense was underpowered, and the way was clear for Barnes to show that Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring winger.

The home side's double substitution was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper sent a superb throw in the substitute's path. When Silva, on this occasion, misread the bounce, Barnes was away, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining impressive poise to lash a superb shot past the keeper.

After Barnes rolled a low effort through unfortunate Trubin's feet after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar through ball, it was finished. Mourinho had warned that Newcastle have four quick wide attackers, and three goals from two wingers had shattered his hopes of securing the team's first European points of the campaign.