UEFA Champions League Qualifying Round 3
Qarabag 5 - 1 FT Shkendija
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Futmetrix Verdict
100
FT
Sun, Sep 20
Manchester City
5-3
Sunderland
⚡ Intensity
100
⚖️ Balance
91
🏆 Stakes
70
🎲 Upset
0
Eight goals, hat-trick heroics, pure chaos.
Futmetrix Verdict
55
FT
Sun, Sep 20
Gamba Osaka
0-1
Vissel Kobe
⚡ Intensity
40
⚖️ Balance
20
🏆 Stakes
78
🎲 Upset
0
Erik breaks Gamba hearts at 90'
Futmetrix Verdict
100
FT
Sun, Sep 20
Atletico Madrid
2-1
Real Madrid
⚡ Intensity
86
⚖️ Balance
31
🏆 Stakes
100
🎲 Upset
60
A chaotic derby flips Madrid's hierarchy.
Match Events
F. Tamba (B. Ibraimi) 10'
16' K. Cake
18' Kady Borges (A. Zoubir)
33' N. Akhundzade (A. Zoubir)
Kamer Qaka 35'
35' M. Jankovic
HT
46' ↓ K. Qaka ↑E. Krasniqi
46' ↓ L. Latifi ↑A. Alhassan
Adamu Alhassan 48'
59' Leandro Andrade (E. Cafarquliyev)
↓ B. Mustafazada ↑S. Mmaee 63'
↓ Pedro Bicalho ↑Chriso 63'
63' ↓ B. Ibraimi ↑F. Ademi
↓ Matheus Silva ↑Dani Bolt 63'
↓ N. Akhundzade ↑M. Qurbanly 70'
75' ↓ F. Tamba ↑F. Ramadani
↓ Leandro Andrade ↑H. Cabrayilzada 78'
84' ↓ A. Zejnullai ↑L. Kaba
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Qarabag
Midfielders
B. Gaye
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
A. Trumci
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
I. Fetai
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
K. Cake
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
R. Webster
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
R. Ramadani
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
K. Qaka
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
F. Tamba
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
A. Zejnullai
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
L. Latifi
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
B. Ibraimi
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
BENCH
A. Amzai
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
F. Ramani
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
A. Alhassan
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
F. Ramadani
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
F. Ademi
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
E. Krasniqi
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
M. Murati
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
V. Krstevski
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
N. Ajetovikj
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
A. Meliqi
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
L. Kaba
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
A. Nuhija
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Shkendija
Midfielders
Mateusz Kochalski
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Matheus Silva
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Bahlul Mustafazada
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Kevin Medina
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Elvin Jafarguliyev
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Pedro Bicalho
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Marko Janković
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Leandro Andrade
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Kady Borges
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
A. Zoubir
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Nariman Akhundzade
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
BENCH
Shahruddin Mahammadaliyev
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Fabijan Buntić
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Samy Mmaee
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Chris Kouakou
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Emmanuel Addai
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Daniel Lima
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Oleksii Kashchuk
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Musa Gurbanli
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Toral Bayramov
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Abbas Huseynov
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
H. Cabrayilzada
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Badavi Huseynov
👻 Invisible Nothing to note
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Qarabag
Shkendija
Qarabag
Shkendija
Qarabag's Five-Star Statement Crushes Shkendija's Champions League Dream
Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 50/100. This wasn't a football match—it was a coronation, a statement of intent that Qarabag belong in Europe's elite competition, and Shkendija do not.
The Early Shock That Never Came
Shkendija arrived at Tofiq Bahramov Stadium with a spark. F. Tamba's tenth-minute strike, assisted by B. Ibraimi, sent shockwaves through the Azerbaijani side. For eight minutes, the underdog had tasted blood. Then came the Intensity shift that would define the evening.
The Turning Point: Own Goal Chaos
K. Cake's own goal in the 16th minute wasn't just a mistake—it was the psychological fracture that broke Shkendija completely. Within 120 seconds, Kady Borges restored parity. The Balance had shifted irreversibly toward the hosts. N. Akhundzade's finish in the 33rd minute, set up by A. Zoubir's vision, made it 3-1 before the half hour was done. By the 35th minute, M. Jankovic converted a penalty—clinical, merciless, final. The Stakes were no longer in doubt.
The Second-Half Formality
Leandro Andrade's 59th-minute goal, assisted by E. Cafarquliyev, was merely the exclamation mark on a sentence already written. Five goals in 59 minutes. Qarabag had transformed a potential upset into a demolition, turning the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium into a fortress of attacking prowess. Shkendija offered resistance in patches, but their Champions League journey had already been decided in those frantic opening minutes.
Key Questions
What caused the 6-goal thriller?
An early Shkendija lead was obliterated by Qarabag's ruthless clinical finishing. Cake's own goal sparked the avalanche; Borges, Akhundzade, and Jankovic's penalty sealed domination before half-time.
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.
Archive note: this preview was written after the match was played.
A Tactical Chess Match in Baku
Skip It Futmetrix Score: 8/100. This encounter is a battle of attrition where tactical discipline will outweigh individual brilliance in the race for the next round.
The Setup
As the sun sets on Baku this August 12, 2025, Qarabag prepares for a defining moment in their European campaign. The 3rd Qualifying Round of the UEFA Champions League brings a level of Stakes that can make or break a season's ambitions. However, the hosts enter this fixture with a Form that suggests vulnerability; three losses in their last five outings highlight a defensive fragility that must be addressed. Despite the lack of marquee Stars in either squad, the competitive Balance of this tie remains its most intriguing factor. Played at the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium, this first leg is less about flair and more about surviving the psychological pressure of continental qualification.
Key Battle
With no individual names dominating the headlines, the spotlight falls on the collective units. The primary conflict will unfold in the middle of the park, where the Qarabag midfield must find a way to dismantle the compact defensive block of Shkendija. The visitors are expected to sit deep and absorb pressure, challenging the home side to find creative solutions without leaving themselves exposed to the counter-attack. It is a game of patience, where one misplaced pass could decide the trajectory of the entire tie.
Our Prediction
The match is likely to develop into a slow-burn encounter with limited clear-cut opportunities. Qarabag will dominate the ball, but their recent struggles in front of goal might allow Shkendija to stay competitive until the final whistle. Expect a narrow 1-0 victory for the home side, secured by a late set-piece or a moment of defensive hesitation from the visitors.