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When the Benfica manager arrived at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his squad, local fans were concerned about a tough match. However such worries vanished due to a goal from the winger and a brace from substitute Harvey Barnes, ensuring Benfica's coach would not cause pain for Howe's team.

Match Flow and Initial Action

Mourinho had forecast that the home side would be very physical, but his own team showed their similar combative style. Benfica clearly delighted in disrupting the Magpies' early attempts to build a smooth passing rhythm.

Adding to the home team's issues, key players, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton, began on the bench as they continued convalescing from illness and injury each.

Prior to kick-off, the coaches shared a perfunctory, cool greeting, and it soon became clear that the Benfica coach had instructed his team to subdue the home fans by slowing the game and reducing the intensity at every chance.

Critical Events and Turning Points

Benfica's strategy produced varied outcomes, but when Anthony Gordon and his teammates succeeded to break through Benfica's defensive barricades, they initially found it hard to create clear chances.

Moreover, Benfica's Belgium attacker Dodi Lukebakio nearly demonstrated scoring skill when, after beating the defender behind, he tested Nick Pope with a tremendous shot that got an excellent single-hand save. No wonder Pope retains hope for an national team return in time for the World Cup.

But when the winger directed another shot against the post, the home side woke up. Jacob Murphy shot wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive close-range save from Guimaraes before Gordon at last opened the deadlock.

The England winger's blazing pace had caused consternation for Mourinho all night, and he calmly side-footed the first goal past Trubin after his teammate's quick cross into the area proved effective.

When Newcastle's hard, high press was not anticipated by the opposition, Murphy, chosen over £55m Anthony Elanga, was available to pass a ground cross across the face of goal for Gordon to finish.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Changes

Right from the start, the Portuguese team could not be blamed of parking the bus and seeking a point, but now their side pushed forward with total abandon. The winger consistently showed an ability to unsettle Howe's defense, and the home team were probably relieved to regroup at half-time.

The first half concluded with the keeper again rescuing his side by tipping Lukebakio's left-foot wide of the goal frame, and as the teams emerged for the next period, everything seemed finely poised.

While Gordon, evidently buoyed by netting his fourth goal in three Champions League appearances this campaign, played with the determination of a winger aiming to shift the balance in Newcastle's direction, the Benfica attacker had other plans.

Mourinho's winger had previously emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a fine central defender, he is not a born full-back, and home fans were in mouths every time Lukebakio advanced.

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, filling in for Tonali, not directed a set-piece over the bar from a well-placed position. Instead, this absorbing game continued to swing from one goal to the other, persuading Newcastle's manager to bring on Joelinton and Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

Mourinho, at the same time, threw on an additional forward in Ivanovic. It would perhaps prove a gamble that backfired.

Harvey Barnes Wins the Match

Before that, Benfica, and especially their Portugal defender Silva, had performed a good job in restricting Woltemade's room and pushing Newcastle's German centre-forward deep. However, with defender Amar Dedic substituted, the backline was weakened, and the way was clear for Barnes to show that Gordon is not the manager's only goal-scoring winger.

Newcastle's double substitution was already proving effective by the time the goalkeeper dispatched a superb throw in Barnes's path. When Antonio Silva, for once, misjudged the bounce, Barnes was away, accelerating into the penalty box before maintaining impressive poise to fire a sublime shot past the keeper.

When Harvey Barnes slid a low effort through poor Trubin's legs after meeting Anthony Gordon's stellar through ball, it was finished. Mourinho had warned that Newcastle have four very fast wide attackers, and three goals from a pair of wingers had shattered his chances of securing Benfica's first Champions League points of the season.