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When Jose Mourinho came at St James' Park and complimented Eddie Howe and his squad, home supporters were concerned about a tough game. But those fears disappeared due to a goal from Anthony Gordon and a brace from replacement the forward, ensuring Benfica's new manager did not inflict any trouble for Newcastle.

Game Flow and Initial Action

The Benfica boss had predicted that the home side would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their own combative approach. Benfica clearly enjoyed disrupting the Magpies' early attempts to establish a smooth attacking rhythm.

Compounding the home team's issues, two midfielders, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, started as substitutes as they continued convalescing from illness and a knock each.

Prior to the start, the coaches exchanged a perfunctory, reserved greeting, and it quickly became apparent that the Benfica coach had told his team to subdue the home fans by slowing the game and reducing the temperature whenever possible.

Key Events and Decisive Actions

The visitors' tactic yielded mixed outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates managed to dismantle Benfica's backline, they initially struggled to create clear opportunities.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgium attacker Lukebakio nearly demonstrated how to finish when, after beating the defender behind, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that required an terrific single-hand stop. It's no surprise Pope still hopes for an national team recall in time for the World Cup.

Yet when Lukebakio directed another attempt off the woodwork, the home side woke up. Jacob Murphy fired wide, and Benfica's keeper made an excellent close-range save from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last broke the deadlock.

The England winger's blazing speed had caused problems for Mourinho all evening, and he neatly slotted the opener past the goalkeeper after his teammate's early cross into the area proved effective.

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 low ball across the face of goal for the winger to polish off.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Changes

From the beginning, Benfica could not be accused of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now their players pushed forward with total freedom. The winger consistently displayed an skill to unsettle Howe's defense, and the Magpies were probably grateful to regroup at half-time.

The opening period ended with the keeper once more saving his side by diverting Lukebakio's shot around the post, and as the teams emerged for the second half, the match seemed evenly balanced.

If Gordon, clearly buoyed by scoring his fourth goal in three European games this campaign, played with the zeal of a wide player aiming to alter the power balance in his team's favor, Lukebakio had other plans.

The manager's winger had previously emphasized that, while Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a born full-back, and Newcastle hearts were in mouths every time he moved forward.

Howe might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, deputising for Tonali, not directed a set-piece above the crossbar from a good position. Rather, this thrilling contest continued to swing from end to end, persuading Newcastle's coach to bring on the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, brought on an extra striker in Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a risk that backfired.

Barnes Seals the Match

Before that, the away team, and especially their Portuguese defender Antonio Silva, had performed a fine job in restricting Woltemade's space and forcing Newcastle's German centre-forward deep. However, with defender Amar Dedic off, the backline was weakened, and the way was clear for Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring wide player.

Newcastle's double substitution was already proving effective by the time Pope dispatched a superb throw in the substitute's path. When Antonio Silva, for once, misread the bounce, Barnes was away, accelerating into the area before maintaining impressive poise to fire a sublime strike past Trubin.

When Barnes slid a shot through poor Trubin's legs after receiving Gordon's stellar through ball, it was finished. Mourinho had cautioned that the Magpies have four quick wingers, and three goals from two wingers had destroyed his chances of securing Benfica's first Champions League result of the campaign.