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As Jose Mourinho arrived at St James' Park and praised Newcastle's coach and his players, home fans feared a tough game. However such fears disappeared due to a strike from Anthony Gordon and a brace from substitute Harvey Barnes, ensuring the visitors' coach did not inflict pain for Newcastle.

Game Dynamics and Early Action

Mourinho had predicted that the home side would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their own combative approach. The visitors clearly enjoyed breaking up the Magpies' initial efforts to establish a fluent attacking tempo.

Adding to the home team's challenges, two midfielders, Tonali and Joelinton, started as substitutes as they continued recovering from sickness and a knock respectively.

Prior to kick-off, the coaches shared a perfunctory, reserved embrace, and it quickly became apparent that the Benfica coach had told his team to subdue the crowd by slowing the game and lowering the temperature at every chance.

Critical Events and Decisive Actions

Benfica's tactic produced varied results, but when Gordon and his teammates succeeded to dismantle the backline, they initially struggled to generate clear chances.

Additionally, the Belgium winger Lukebakio nearly showed scoring skill when, after beating the defender on the ground, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a powerful strike that required an terrific single-hand save. No wonder Pope retains hope for an England return in time for the global tournament.

But when the winger hit another attempt against the post, Newcastle roused themselves. Jacob Murphy fired off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive near-post save from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last broke the deadlock.

The England winger's scorching pace had caused consternation for Mourinho all night, and he neatly slotted the opener past Trubin after his teammate's early ball into the box paid off.

On the occasion the Magpies' intense, high press was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was there to pass a low ball across the face of goal for the winger to finish.

Second Half and Match-Winning Changes

Right from the start, Benfica could not be blamed of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now their side attacked with real freedom. The winger consistently showed an ability to destabilize Newcastle's back four, and the home team were likely relieved to regroup at half-time.

The first half ended with Pope once more rescuing his side by diverting Lukebakio's shot wide of the post, and as the teams emerged for the next period, everything seemed finely balanced.

If Anthony Gordon, evidently boosted by netting his fourth goal in three Champions League games this campaign, played with the determination of a winger aiming to shift the balance in his team's favor, Lukebakio had different ideas.

Mourinho's No 11 had already emphasized that, while Burn is a fine centre-back, he is not a born full-back, and home hearts were nervous every time Lukebakio advanced.

The Newcastle manager might have felt easier had Miley, filling in for Tonali, not directed a set-piece over the crossbar from a good spot. Rather, this absorbing contest continued to swing from one goal to the other, persuading the coach to bring on the midfielder and Barnes in place of Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, brought on an extra striker in Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a risk that backfired.

Barnes Seals the Game

Until then, Benfica, and especially their Portugal defender Silva, had done a good job in restricting Woltemade's space and pushing the German centre-forward back. But now, with right-back Amar Dedic off, the backline was weakened, and the way was open for Barnes to prove that Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring wide player.

The home side's two changes was already proving effective by the time Pope sent a superb long throw in the substitute's direction. When Antonio Silva, for once, misread the flight, the winger was away, sprinting into the area before keeping impressive composure to fire a superb strike past Trubin.

After Harvey Barnes rolled a shot through poor Trubin's feet after receiving Gordon's stellar through ball, it was finished. The Benfica manager had cautioned that Newcastle have four very fast wide attackers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wingers had destroyed his hopes of securing the team's first European points of the season.