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When Jose Mourinho came at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his squad, local fans were concerned about a difficult game. However those fears vanished due to a strike from the winger and a brace from replacement the forward, making sure the visitors' coach did not inflict pain for Newcastle.

Game Flow and Initial Action

The Benfica boss had forecast that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his own team displayed their similar combative approach. The visitors certainly enjoyed disrupting the Magpies' initial efforts to build a fluent passing rhythm.

Adding to Newcastle's issues, two midfielders, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, started on the bench as they were convalescing from illness and injury respectively.

Before kick-off, the two managers shared a perfunctory, cool greeting, and it quickly became apparent that Mourinho had instructed his side to subdue the home fans by delaying the game and reducing the intensity whenever possible.

Key Moments and Turning Points

The visitors' strategy yielded mixed results, but when Gordon and his teammates managed to dismantle Benfica's backline, they at first struggled to create clear chances.

Additionally, the Belgian winger Dodi Lukebakio nearly demonstrated how to finish when, after beating the defender on the ground, he forced Nick Pope with a powerful shot that got an excellent one-handed stop. It's no surprise Pope still hopes for an national team return in time for the World Cup.

Yet when Lukebakio hit a further shot against 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 finally broke the scoreless tie.

The England winger's scorching speed had caused consternation for Mourinho all night, and he calmly side-footed the opener past the goalkeeper after Murphy's quick cross into the area paid off.

On the occasion Newcastle's hard, high press was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was available to pass a ground ball across the face of goal for the winger to finish.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Changes

From the beginning, Benfica could not be accused of defending deeply and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's side attacked with real freedom. Lukebakio repeatedly showed an ability to unsettle Howe's defense, and the Magpies were likely relieved to reset at the break.

The opening period concluded with Pope again rescuing his side by diverting the attacker's left-foot wide of the post, and as the sides came out for the second half, everything seemed finely poised.

If Gordon, clearly buoyed by netting his fourth goal in three Champions League games this season, played with the zeal of a wide player set to shift the power balance in his team's direction, the Benfica attacker had different plans.

The manager's winger had previously emphasized that, while Burn is a capable centre-back, he is not a natural left-back, and home hearts were nervous every time he advanced.

Howe might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, deputising for Sandro Tonali, not headed a set-piece above the crossbar from a good position. Instead, this absorbing contest continued to move from one goal to the other, persuading Newcastle's manager to bring on the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

The Benfica boss, meanwhile, threw on an extra striker in Franjo Ivanovic. It would arguably prove a risk that backfired.

Barnes Wins the Game

Until then, Benfica, and in particular their Portugal defender Antonio Silva, had performed a fine job in limiting Nick Woltemade's space and forcing the Germany striker back. However, with defender Amar Dedic substituted, the defense was weakened, and the way was open for Barnes to prove that Anthony Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring wide player.

The home side's double substitution was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper sent a superb throw in the substitute's path. When Silva, on this occasion, misread the flight, Barnes was clear, accelerating into the penalty box before keeping impressive poise to fire a superb strike past Trubin.

After Barnes rolled a low effort through unfortunate the goalkeeper's feet after meeting Anthony Gordon's excellent pass, it was all over. The Benfica manager had cautioned that Newcastle have several quick wingers, and three goals from a pair of wingers had shattered his hopes of securing the team's first Champions League result of the campaign.