UEFA Champions League Round of 32
Qarabag 1 - 6 FT Newcastle
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
A. Gordon (D. Burn) 3'
M. Thiaw (K. Trippier) 8'
22' ↓ B. Mustafazada ↑Dani Bolt
A. Gordon 32'
A. Gordon 33'
A. Gordon 45'+1
HT
46' ↓ Leandro Andrade ↑B. Huseynov
54' E. Cafarquliyev (A. Zoubir)
↓ A. Elanga ↑J. Murphy 68'
↓ J. Willock ↑J. Ramsey 68'
↓ A. Gordon ↑W. Osula 68'
J. Murphy 72'
M. Thiaw 77'
↓ K. Trippier ↑Joelinton 77'
85' ↓ J. Montiel ↑Kady Borges
85' ↓ A. Zoubir ↑E. Addai
↓ H. Barnes ↑S. Neave 87'
88' ↓ C. Duran ↑M. Qurbanly
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Qarabag
Goalkeepers
Mateusz Kochalski 
FRIENDLY FIRE
Pen Given
Mistake
Pen Given
Mistake
1
Fouls
6.5
Rating
Defenders
Matheus Silva
FRIENDLY FIRE
Pen Given
Mistake
Pen Given
Mistake
1
Fouls
5.2
Rating
Bahlul Mustafazada 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
22
Total Mins
22
Entry
Kevin Medina
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Elvin Jafarguliyev 
SNIPER
100%
Conversion
100%
Conversion
1
Goals
1
Shots
Midfielders
Pedro Bicalho
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Marko Janković 
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Leandro Andrade
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
45
Total Mins
46
Entry
Joni Montiel
LATE SHIFT
5
Late Mins
5
Late Mins
85
Total Mins
85
Entry
Abdellah Zoubir 
PROVIDER
1
Assists
1
Assists
3
Key Passes
6.5
Rating
Forwards
Camilo Durán 
NPC
88
Minutes
88
Minutes
13%
Pass Acc
6.3
Rating
BENCH
Amin Ramazanov 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Fabijan Buntić
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Dani Bolt
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
68
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Bədavi Hüseynov
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Samy Mmaee
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Toral Bayramov
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Abbas Hüseynov
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Hikmat Cabrayilzada
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kady Borges
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
5
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Oleksiy Kashchuk
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Emmanuel Addai
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
5
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Musa Qurbanlı
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
2
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Newcastle
Goalkeepers
Nick Pope
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Kieran Trippier 
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
1
Assists
46%
Pass Acc
Malick Thiaw
SNIPER
50%
Conversion
50%
Conversion
1
Goals
2
Shots
Dan Burn
PROVIDER
1
Assists
1
Assists
1
Key Passes
7.3
Rating
Lewis Hall 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
4
Tackles
67%
Duel Win %
Midfielders
Joe Willock
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
68
Total Mins
68
Entry
Sandro Tonali 
MAGNET
71
Activity
71
Activity
63
Passes
8
Duels
Anthony Elanga
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
68
Total Mins
68
Entry
Nick Woltemade
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Harvey Barnes
PROVIDER
1
Assists
1
Assists
3
Key Passes
6.7
Rating
Forwards
Anthony Gordon 
HAT-TRICK HERO
4
Goals
4
Goals
6
On Target
10
Rating
BENCH
Aaron Ramsdale
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
John Ruddy
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Aidan Harris
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Alex Murphy
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Leo Shahar
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jacob Ramsey
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
22
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jacob Murphy 
SUPER SUB
1
Goal
1
Goal
22
Minutes
7.9
Rating
Joelinton
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
13
Total Mins
Started
Entry
William Osula
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
22
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Sean Neave
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
3
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Gordon Hits Four in Baku Demolition
Must-Watch Futmetrix Score: 84/100. This was a ruthless demolition that turned a European knockout tie into a personal playground for Newcastle's star man.
The Early Blitz
Newcastle didn't just arrive at Tofiq Bəhramov; they invaded it. The Intensity was off the charts from the first whistle as the Magpies sought to kill the tie before the locals could settle. It took exactly three minutes for Anthony Gordon to silence the home crowd, latching onto a delivery from D. Burn to open the floodgates. This wasn't a tentative European away performance; it was a statement of intent. Before Qarabag could catch their breath, Malick Thiaw doubled the advantage in the eighth minute after a pinpoint K. Trippier assist. The Balance of the match was non-existent as the visitors controlled possession (57%) and peppered the goal with a barrage of 22 shots.
The Gordon Flurry
The middle period of this match belonged entirely to one man. While Qarabag tried to find a foothold, they were completely overwhelmed by a thirteen-minute storm. Anthony Gordon turned a lead into a massacre between the 32nd and 45th minutes. He converted a penalty with cool precision, then immediately added a third from open play just sixty seconds later. By the time he stepped up to smash home his second penalty in first-half stoppage time, the Stakes felt entirely settled. A hat-trick before the break is rare, but a four-goal first half in the Champions League is legendary. The Upset Factor had been completely extinguished by Gordon’s clinical finishing, leaving the hosts staring at a five-goal deficit before they even reached the dressing room.
Professional Resolution
With the result beyond doubt, the second half became a matter of professional management for Newcastle. The hosts did manage to claw back a shred of pride when E. Cafarquliyev found the net in the 54th minute, but it was nothing more than a footnote in a dominant display. The visitors weren't finished, however, proving their depth when Jacob Murphy came off the bench to add a sixth in the 72nd minute. Despite Qarabag winning eight corners and attempting to show some fight, they were simply outclassed by a side operating at a different level. This 6-1 victory puts Newcastle in a commanding position, having turned a potentially tricky trip to Azerbaijan into a walk in the park.
Key Questions
What made Anthony Gordon the Man of the Match?
Gordon was clinical, scoring four goals—including two penalties—from just 22 team shots, completely dismantling the defence with a perfect performance.
What caused the 7-goal thriller?
Newcastle's relentless high-intensity attack produced 14 shots on target, combined with Qarabag's defensive struggles and a consolation goal from Cafarquliyev.
How did substitute Anthony Gordon change the game?
Gordon actually started the match, but his transformative presence and four-goal haul turned a competitive knockout tie into a one-sided demolition.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Magpies Seek Baku Breakthrough in Knockout Opener
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 27/100. This Round of 32 clash tests Newcastle’s continental maturity against a Qarabag side desperate to keep their underdog story alive at the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium.
The Setup
The transition into the knockout phase brings a fresh Stakes profile to this tie, where survival is the only currency. Newcastle enters this February 18 encounter as the clear favorite, backed by a 66.7% win probability. While Eddie Howe's men secured a strong 7th-place finish in the league stage, Qarabag scraped through in 18th. The disparity in Balance is evident; however, the Azerbaijani champions have proven they can be volatile at home, averaging 2.2 goals per game despite a Form rating that has stuttered with three losses in their last five outings.
Key Battle
The clinical finishing of Camilo Duran represents the primary threat to the visitors' backline. Duran has been the focal point for the hosts, but he faces a daunting task against the creative engine of Anthony Gordon. Gordon’s ability to transition at pace and exploit the space left by a Qarabag defense that has conceded 15 goals this season will likely define the tactical flow of the evening.
Our Prediction
Expect an open contest where technical superiority eventually overwrites local passion. With Bruno Guimarães and S. Tonali controlling the tempo, Newcastle will look to weather an early storm before systematically breaking down the hosts. Qarabag’s tendency to trade blows—evidenced by their high goals-per-game average—suggests they will find the net, but the Magpies have too much firepower. We anticipate a 1-3 victory for the away side, effectively sealing the tie before the return leg.