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As the Benfica manager arrived at Newcastle's stadium and complimented Eddie Howe and his squad, local supporters were concerned about a tough game. However those worries vanished due to a strike from the winger and a brace from replacement Harvey Barnes, ensuring the visitors' new manager did not inflict pain for Howe's team.

Game Dynamics and Early Exchanges

Mourinho had forecast that Newcastle would be extremely aggressive, but his Benfica players displayed their own aggressive approach. The visitors clearly delighted in disrupting the Magpies' early attempts to build a fluent attacking rhythm.

Compounding Newcastle's issues, key midfielders, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, began as substitutes as they continued recovering from illness and injury respectively.

Before the start, the coaches exchanged a brief, cool greeting, and it quickly became clear that Mourinho had instructed his side to subdue the crowd by slowing Newcastle and reducing the temperature whenever possible.

Critical Events and Decisive Actions

Benfica's strategy yielded varied results, but when Gordon and his teammates managed to dismantle Benfica's backline, they at first struggled to generate good opportunities.

Additionally, the Belgian winger Dodi Lukebakio nearly demonstrated how to finish when, after leaving the defender behind, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that required an excellent one-handed save. No wonder the goalkeeper still hopes for an England recall in time for the World Cup.

Yet when Lukebakio directed another shot against the post, the home side roused themselves. Jacob Murphy fired wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an excellent close-range stop from Guimaraes before Gordon at last opened the scoreless tie.

The England winger's scorching pace had created consternation for Mourinho all evening, and he calmly slotted the first goal past Trubin after Murphy's quick ball into the area proved effective.

On the occasion the Magpies' intense, high press was not anticipated by the opposition, Jacob Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to deliver a low cross across the face of goal for Gordon to finish.

Later Stages and Decisive Substitutions

From the beginning, Benfica could not be accused of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's players attacked with real abandon. Lukebakio consistently showed an ability to destabilize Newcastle's back four, and the Magpies were likely relieved to reset at the break.

The opening period ended with Pope again rescuing his team by diverting the attacker's left-foot wide of the goal frame, and as the teams came out for the second half, the match seemed evenly poised.

If Gordon, evidently boosted by netting his fourth strike in three European games this campaign, played with the zeal of a wide player set to shift the power balance in his team's direction, Lukebakio had other ideas.

Mourinho's No 11 had already shown that, while Dan Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a born full-back, and Newcastle fans were nervous every time he moved forward.

Howe might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not headed a corner over the bar from a good spot. Instead, this absorbing contest continued to swing from end to end, persuading the manager to bring on the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

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

Barnes Wins the Match

Before that, the away team, and in particular their Portugal defender Silva, had done a good job in restricting Nick Woltemade's space and forcing the German centre-forward back. But now, with defender Amar Dedic off, the backline was weakened, and the way was open for Barnes to show that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only attacking winger.

The home side's two changes was already paying off by the time Pope dispatched a superb throw in Barnes's direction. When Silva, on this occasion, misread the flight, the winger was clear, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining commendable poise to fire a sublime strike past Trubin.

When Harvey Barnes rolled a low effort through unfortunate the goalkeeper's feet after meeting Gordon's stellar pass, it was finished. Mourinho had cautioned that Newcastle have four very fast wide attackers, and three goals from two wide men had destroyed his chances of earning the team's first European result of the campaign.