🔗 Share this article

As Jose Mourinho arrived at St James' Park and praised Eddie Howe and his squad, local supporters were concerned about a tough match. However those fears vanished due to a goal from the winger and two more from substitute the forward, ensuring the visitors' coach would not cause any trouble for Newcastle.

Game Flow and Early Exchanges

The Benfica boss had predicted that the home side would be extremely aggressive, but his own team showed their similar aggressive approach. Benfica clearly enjoyed breaking up the Magpies' initial efforts to establish a fluent passing rhythm.

Compounding the home team's challenges, two midfielders, Tonali and the Brazilian, began on the bench as they were recovering from illness and a knock each.

Prior to kick-off, the two managers exchanged a perfunctory, reserved greeting, and it soon became apparent that the Benfica coach had instructed his team to subdue the crowd by delaying the game and reducing the temperature at every chance.

Critical Events and Turning Points

Benfica's tactic yielded mixed results, but when Gordon and the Newcastle attack succeeded to break through Benfica's defensive barricades, they initially found it hard to create clear chances.

Additionally, Benfica's Belgium winger Dodi Lukebakio almost demonstrated how to finish when, after leaving the defender on the ground, he tested Newcastle's keeper with a powerful shot that got an terrific single-hand save. It's no surprise the goalkeeper still hopes for an national team recall in time for the global tournament.

Yet when Lukebakio hit a further attempt off the post, Newcastle roused themselves. Murphy fired wide, and Anatoliy Trubin made an impressive close-range save from Guimaraes before Anthony Gordon at last broke the scoreless tie.

The England winger's blazing pace had created consternation for the Benfica coach all night, and he calmly slotted the opener past the goalkeeper after Murphy's early ball into the area proved effective.

When the Magpies' intense, pressing game was not anticipated by Benfica, Murphy, chosen over the expensive signing, was available to deliver a ground ball across the goal for Gordon to finish.

Later Stages and Match-Winning Changes

From the beginning, the Portuguese team could not be accused of parking the bus and playing for a draw, but now Mourinho's players pushed forward with real freedom. Lukebakio repeatedly displayed an skill to unsettle Howe's defense, and the Magpies were probably grateful to reset at the break.

The opening period concluded with the keeper again saving his side by tipping the attacker's left-foot around the post, and as the sides emerged for the next period, everything seemed finely poised.

While Gordon, evidently boosted by netting his fourth strike in three Champions League games this season, played with the zeal of a winger set to shift the power balance in his team's favor, the Benfica attacker had other ideas.

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

The Newcastle manager might have relaxed had Lewis Miley, deputising for Tonali, not directed a corner over the bar from a well-placed position. Instead, this absorbing game continued to swing from end to end, persuading the manager to bring on the midfielder and Harvey Barnes in place of Ramsey and Murphy.

The Benfica boss, at the same time, brought on an additional forward in Franjo Ivanovic. This would arguably prove a risk that backfired.

Barnes Seals the Game

Before that, the away team, and in particular their Portuguese defender Antonio Silva, had performed a good job in limiting Woltemade's room and forcing the Germany striker deep. However, with defender Dedic off, the backline was weakened, and the way was open for Harvey Barnes to prove that Gordon is not Howe's only goal-scoring winger.

The home side's double substitution was already proving effective by the time Pope sent a wonderful throw in the substitute's direction. When Silva, on this occasion, misjudged the flight, the winger was away, sprinting into the penalty box before maintaining impressive composure to lash a superb shot past the keeper.

After Harvey Barnes slid a shot through poor Trubin's legs after meeting Gordon's excellent through ball, it was all over. The Benfica manager had cautioned that Newcastle have several quick wingers, and three goals from a pair of wingers had destroyed his hopes of earning Benfica's first European points of the campaign.