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As Jose Mourinho arrived at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his players, home fans feared a tough game. But those fears vanished thanks to a goal from the winger and a brace from replacement the forward, ensuring the visitors' coach would not cause any trouble for Howe's team.

Game Dynamics and Initial Exchanges

Mourinho had predicted that the home side would be very physical, but his Benfica players displayed their similar combative style. The visitors certainly delighted in breaking up the Magpies' initial efforts to establish a fluent attacking rhythm.

Compounding Newcastle's challenges, two players, Tonali and Joelinton, started as substitutes as they were convalescing from sickness and a knock respectively.

Before kick-off, the coaches exchanged a brief, cool greeting, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had told his side to quiet the home fans by delaying Newcastle and lowering the intensity whenever possible.

Key Moments and Turning Points

The visitors' strategy yielded varied results, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates succeeded to dismantle Benfica's defensive barricades, they initially struggled to generate good chances.

Additionally, the Belgian attacker Lukebakio nearly demonstrated scoring skill when, after beating the defender on the ground, he forced Nick Pope with a tremendous shot that required an terrific one-handed save. No wonder Pope still hopes for an national team return in time for the global tournament.

But when Lukebakio directed another shot off the woodwork, Newcastle roused themselves. Murphy shot wide, and Benfica's keeper made an impressive close-range stop from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last broke the scoreless tie.

The England winger's blazing pace had caused problems for Mourinho all night, and he calmly slotted the opener past the goalkeeper after his teammate's early ball into the box paid off.

When Newcastle's hard, high press was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, preferred over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to pass a low cross across the goal for the winger to polish off.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Substitutions

Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's side pushed forward with real abandon. The winger repeatedly showed an skill to unsettle Newcastle's defense, and the home team were probably relieved to reset at the break.

The first half concluded with the keeper again rescuing his side by diverting the attacker's shot around the post, and as the sides emerged for the second half, the match seemed finely poised.

While Anthony Gordon, evidently boosted by netting his fourth goal in three European games this season, played with the determination of a winger aiming to shift the balance in Newcastle's direction, Lukebakio had different ideas.

The manager's winger had previously shown that, while Dan Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a natural left-back, and Newcastle fans were in mouths every time Lukebakio advanced.

Howe might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not directed a corner over the bar from a good position. Instead, this thrilling game continued to move from end to end, prompting the coach to introduce Joelinton and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

The Benfica boss, meanwhile, brought on an additional striker in Franjo Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a gamble too far.

Barnes Wins the Match

Before that, the away team, and especially their Portugal defender Silva, had done a fine job in restricting Woltemade's space and forcing Newcastle's German centre-forward deep. But now, with right-back Amar Dedic off, the backline was underpowered, and the path was open for Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not the manager's only attacking wide player.

The home side's two changes was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper sent a wonderful long throw in Barnes's direction. When Antonio Silva, for once, misread the flight, the winger was clear, accelerating into the area before keeping commendable composure to lash a sublime shot past the keeper.

When Barnes slid a shot through unfortunate Trubin's legs after receiving Gordon's stellar pass, it was finished. The Benfica manager had warned that the Magpies have several very fast wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wide men had shattered his hopes of securing the team's first Champions League result of the campaign.