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When the Benfica manager arrived at St James' Park and complimented Newcastle's coach and his players, home fans were concerned about a difficult match. However those fears vanished thanks to a goal from the winger and two more from substitute the forward, ensuring Benfica's new manager did not inflict any trouble for Howe's team.

Game Dynamics and Early Exchanges

Mourinho had predicted that Newcastle would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their own aggressive style. Benfica certainly delighted in breaking up the Magpies' initial attempts to establish a fluent passing tempo.

Adding to the home team's challenges, key midfielders, Tonali and Joelinton, started as substitutes as they were recovering from illness and a knock respectively.

Prior to the start, the two managers shared a brief, cool embrace, and it quickly became apparent that the Benfica coach had told his team to quiet the crowd by slowing the game and lowering the temperature at every chance.

Critical Moments and Turning Points

Benfica's strategy yielded varied outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to dismantle the backline, they initially struggled to generate clear chances.

Moreover, the Belgium winger Lukebakio nearly showed how to finish when, after leaving Dan Burn behind, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that got an terrific single-hand stop. No wonder Pope retains hope for an England return in time for the World Cup.

Yet when the winger directed another attempt against the post, Newcastle woke up. Jacob Murphy fired wide, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent near-post stop from Guimaraes before Gordon finally opened the deadlock.

Gordon's blazing speed had caused consternation for Mourinho all evening, and he neatly side-footed the opener past Trubin after his teammate's early cross into the area paid off.

On the occasion Newcastle's hard, high press was not anticipated by the opposition, Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to deliver a ground cross across the goal for Gordon to polish off.

Second Half and Decisive Changes

From the beginning, Benfica could not be accused of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's side attacked with real freedom. The winger consistently showed an skill to unsettle Newcastle's defense, and the home team were likely grateful to regroup at the break.

The first half ended with Pope again rescuing his side by tipping the attacker's shot wide of the post, and as the sides emerged for the second half, the match seemed evenly poised.

While Gordon, evidently buoyed by scoring his fourth strike in three Champions League games this season, played with the zeal of a winger set to alter the balance in Newcastle's direction, the Benfica attacker had different plans.

The manager's No 11 had previously shown that, while Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a born full-back, and Newcastle hearts were nervous every time he advanced.

The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, filling in for Tonali, not directed a corner over the crossbar from a good position. Instead, this absorbing game continued to swing from one goal to the other, prompting Newcastle's coach to bring on the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, brought on an extra striker in Franjo Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a gamble too far.

Barnes Seals the Match

Before that, Benfica, and in particular their Portugal back Antonio Silva, had performed a good job in limiting Woltemade's room and forcing the Germany centre-forward back. However, with defender Dedic off, the defense was underpowered, and the path was open for Harvey Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only attacking winger.

The home side's double substitution was already paying off by the time Pope dispatched a wonderful throw in Barnes's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the bounce, Barnes was away, accelerating into the penalty box before keeping commendable poise to lash a sublime strike past the keeper.

After Harvey Barnes rolled a shot through unfortunate the goalkeeper's feet after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar pass, it was finished. Mourinho had warned that Newcastle have four very fast wingers, and three goals from a pair of wingers had destroyed his hopes of securing Benfica's first Champions League points of the campaign.