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As Jose Mourinho came at Newcastle's stadium and praised Newcastle's coach and his players, local supporters were concerned about a difficult match. However those fears disappeared thanks to a strike from the winger and two more from substitute Harvey Barnes, making sure Benfica's new manager did not inflict any trouble for Howe's team.

Game Dynamics and Early Action

Mourinho had forecast that Newcastle would be very physical, but his Benfica players showed their similar combative style. The visitors certainly enjoyed disrupting Newcastle's initial attempts to establish a smooth passing rhythm.

Compounding the home team's issues, two midfielders, Sandro Tonali and the Brazilian, began as substitutes as they were convalescing from sickness and injury respectively.

Before kick-off, the two managers shared a perfunctory, cool greeting, and it quickly became clear that the Benfica coach had instructed his team to quiet the crowd by slowing the game and reducing the intensity at every chance.

Critical Events and Turning Points

The visitors' strategy yielded mixed outcomes, but when Gordon and his teammates managed to dismantle the defensive barricades, they initially found it hard to create good chances.

Additionally, the Belgium attacker Lukebakio nearly showed how to finish when, after leaving Dan Burn behind, he forced Newcastle's keeper with a tremendous strike that required an excellent one-handed stop. No wonder the goalkeeper still hopes for an England recall in time for the global tournament.

But when Lukebakio directed a further attempt off the post, the home side roused themselves. Jacob Murphy fired off target, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive near-post stop from Bruno Guimaraes before Gordon finally opened the scoreless tie.

The England winger's blazing pace had created consternation for the Benfica coach all night, and he neatly slotted the opener past Trubin after Murphy's early cross into the box proved effective.

When the Magpies' hard, pressing game was not anticipated by Benfica, Jacob Murphy, preferred over the expensive signing, was available to pass a ground cross across the face of goal for the winger to finish.

Later Stages and Decisive 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. Lukebakio consistently showed an skill to destabilize Newcastle's back four, and the Magpies were probably grateful to regroup at the break.

The opening period ended with the keeper once more rescuing his team by tipping Lukebakio's left-foot around the post, and as the sides emerged for the second half, everything seemed evenly balanced.

If Anthony Gordon, clearly boosted by scoring his fourth strike in three European games this season, played with the zeal of a wide player aiming to shift the power balance in Newcastle's favor, the Benfica attacker had different ideas.

The manager's No 11 had already emphasized that, while Dan Burn is a capable central defender, he is not a born full-back, and home fans were nervous every time he advanced.

Howe might have felt easier had Lewis Miley, filling in for Tonali, not directed a corner above the crossbar from a well-placed spot. Rather, this absorbing game continued to move from one goal to the other, prompting the manager to bring on the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Jacob Ramsey and Jacob Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, threw on an extra forward in Ivanovic. This would perhaps prove a risk that backfired.

Harvey Barnes Wins the Game

Before that, Benfica, and in particular their Portugal back Silva, had performed a good job in limiting Nick Woltemade's room and pushing the Germany centre-forward deep. However, with right-back Dedic off, the defense was underpowered, and the path was clear for Barnes to prove that Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring wide player.

Newcastle's double substitution was already proving effective by the time Pope sent a wonderful long throw in Barnes's direction. When Antonio Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the bounce, the winger was clear, accelerating into the area before maintaining impressive composure to lash a sublime shot past Trubin.

When Barnes rolled a shot through unfortunate the goalkeeper's feet after receiving Anthony Gordon's excellent through ball, it was finished. Mourinho had warned that Newcastle have four very fast wingers, and a trio of strikes from a pair of wingers had destroyed his hopes of securing Benfica's first European result of the campaign.