Newcastle United delivered one of the most devastating European performances of the season as they crushed Qarabag 6–1 away from home in Azerbaijan, putting one foot firmly into the next round of the UEFA Champions League knockout phase.
The night belonged entirely to Anthony Gordon, whose sensational four-goal performance inside the first half stunned the home crowd and left Qarabag chasing shadows from the earliest moments of the contest. Supported by goals from Malick Thiaw and substitute Jacob Murphy, Eddie Howe’s side produced an attacking display full of intensity, precision, and ruthless efficiency.
From kickoff, Newcastle showed their intent immediately, and the breakthrough arrived almost instantly.
Just three minutes into the match, Dan Burn surged forward and delivered a precise pass into the path of Gordon, who calmly finished past goalkeeper Mateusz Kochalski to give the visitors a dream start. The early goal silenced the stadium and set the tone for what would become a brutal first-half demolition.
Before Qarabag could reorganize defensively, Newcastle struck again in the 8th minute. Kieran Trippier delivered a dangerous deep cross from the right flank, and defender Malick Thiaw rose highest inside the penalty area to power a header into the net, doubling the lead and leaving the Azerbaijani champions reeling.
With Newcastle dominating possession and pressing relentlessly, Qarabag struggled to cope with the pace and movement of the English side’s front line. Gordon continued to torment the defense with his direct running, and his influence grew even more decisive after the half-hour mark.
In the 32nd minute, Newcastle were awarded a penalty after a handball by Matheus Silva inside the area. Gordon stepped up confidently and converted from the spot to make it 3–0.
The chaos did not stop there.
Barely a minute later, Gordon capitalized on a defensive error immediately after the restart. He stole possession from Kevin Medina, rounded goalkeeper Kochalski with composure, and finished into an empty net to complete a rapid hat-trick, leaving Qarabag completely shell-shocked.
Newcastle continued to press forward relentlessly, and just before halftime Gordon added his fourth goal of the evening. Another penalty deep into stoppage time was awarded, and once again the winger showed composure to convert, completing a remarkable four-goal haul before the break and sending Newcastle into halftime with a staggering 5–0 advantage.
The scale of Newcastle’s dominance in the first half was extraordinary. They generated wave after wave of attacks, with midfield control from Sandro Tonali and Joe Willock allowing the wide players to exploit spaces repeatedly. Qarabag’s defensive structure collapsed under sustained pressure, and the scoreline could easily have been even more severe without several saves from Kochalski.
After the restart, Qarabag showed some resilience and managed to pull one goal back in the 54th minute through Elvin Cafarquliyev, who finished from close range after Newcastle briefly switched off defensively. The goal gave the home supporters something to cheer, but realistically it did little to alter the course of the match.
With the result already secure, Newcastle slightly reduced their attacking tempo in the second half, focusing more on game management while maintaining control of possession. Eddie Howe also used the opportunity to rotate his squad, introducing fresh legs including Jacob Murphy from the bench.
Murphy made an immediate impact.
In the 72nd minute, he completed the scoring after finishing a well-constructed Newcastle attack, restoring the five-goal margin and sealing a commanding 6–1 victory for the Premier League side.
Defensively, Newcastle were largely comfortable throughout the contest. Nick Pope had little to do apart from the moment leading to Qarabag’s goal, while the defensive pairing of Thiaw and Burn handled aerial threats effectively. Trippier and Lewis Hall provided width from full-back positions, contributing both offensively and defensively.
However, the undisputed story of the night remained Anthony Gordon’s extraordinary performance. His movement, finishing, and relentless pressing caused constant problems for the Qarabag backline. Scoring four goals in a single Champions League knockout match, all before halftime, underlined both his individual quality and Newcastle’s growing confidence on the European stage.
Manager Eddie Howe will be particularly pleased not only with the scoreline but also with the clinical nature of his team’s performance. Newcastle demonstrated maturity, tactical discipline, and ruthless attacking intent, qualities essential for success deep into European competition.
For Qarabag, the defeat was a harsh lesson at this level. Despite moments of attacking ambition, they simply could not match Newcastle’s intensity, pace, or physicality, especially during the catastrophic first half that effectively ended the tie.
With a five-goal aggregate advantage heading into the return leg at St James’ Park, Newcastle are now overwhelming favorites to progress to the next round.
If this performance is any indication, they may also be emerging as one of the tournament’s most dangerous attacking sides.
