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When Jose Mourinho came at Newcastle's stadium and praised Eddie Howe and his squad, local supporters were concerned about a tough match. But those fears disappeared due to a goal from Anthony Gordon and two more from substitute the forward, making sure the visitors' new manager did not inflict any trouble for Newcastle.

Game Dynamics and Initial Exchanges

Mourinho had forecast that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players showed their own aggressive approach. Benfica certainly delighted in breaking up Newcastle's initial efforts to establish a smooth attacking tempo.

Adding to the home team's issues, two midfielders, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, began on the bench as they continued recovering from illness and injury each.

Prior to the start, the two managers shared a perfunctory, cool embrace, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had told his team to quiet the home fans by slowing Newcastle and lowering the intensity whenever possible.

Critical Events and Decisive Actions

The visitors' tactic yielded varied outcomes, but when Gordon and his teammates managed to break through Benfica's defensive barricades, they at first found it hard to generate good opportunities.

Moreover, the Belgian winger Dodi Lukebakio nearly demonstrated scoring skill when, after beating Dan Burn behind, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that got an terrific one-handed save. It's no surprise Pope retains hope for an national team return in time for the global tournament.

But when the winger hit another attempt off the woodwork, the home side woke up. Jacob Murphy shot off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive near-post save from Bruno Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last broke the deadlock.

The England winger's blazing speed had caused problems for the Benfica coach all night, and he calmly slotted the opener past the goalkeeper after Murphy's early cross into the box paid off.

When Newcastle's intense, high press was not anticipated by the opposition, Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was there to deliver a ground cross across the goal for Gordon to finish.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Substitutions

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be accused of defending deeply and seeking a point, but now Mourinho's side pushed forward with total abandon. Lukebakio repeatedly displayed an skill to destabilize Newcastle's defense, and the home team were likely relieved to reset at half-time.

The opening period concluded with Pope again rescuing his side by tipping the attacker's shot wide of the post, and as the teams emerged for the second half, everything seemed finely balanced.

While Anthony Gordon, clearly buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three Champions League games this season, played with the zeal of a winger aiming to alter the power balance in Newcastle's favor, Lukebakio had other plans.

Mourinho's winger 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 felt easier had Lewis Miley, filling in for Tonali, not directed a corner above the crossbar from a well-placed spot. Rather, this absorbing contest continued to swing from one goal to the other, persuading Newcastle's coach to introduce the midfielder and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, brought on an additional forward in Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a gamble too far.

Harvey Barnes Wins the Game

Until then, the away team, and in particular their Portugal defender Antonio Silva, had done a good job in restricting Woltemade's space and pushing Newcastle's Germany striker back. But now, with defender Amar Dedic substituted, the backline was weakened, and the way was open for Barnes to show that Gordon is not Howe's only attacking winger.

The home side's double substitution was already proving effective by the time Pope dispatched a superb long throw in the substitute's path. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misread the flight, Barnes was clear, accelerating into the area before maintaining commendable composure to lash a superb shot past Trubin.

When Barnes slid a shot through poor Trubin's feet after receiving Anthony Gordon's stellar through ball, it was all over. The Benfica manager had warned that the Magpies have four very fast wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wide men had destroyed his hopes of securing the team's first European points of the campaign.