Qarabag FK vs Newcastle 1-6: Champions League Report

Anthony Gordon struck after just three minutes. By the final whistle in Baku, he had rewritten Newcastle’s Champions League record book entirely. The England winger struck four times on February 18, 2026, sparking a 6-1 demolition of Qarabag FK that no one saw coming — and that set the tone for a historic week in European football.

Final Score: Qarabag FK 1-6 Newcastle · Date: 18 Feb 2026 · Top Scorer: Anthony Gordon (4 goals) · Competition: UEFA Champions League Play-offs · Venue: Tofik Bakhramov Stadium

Newcastle dominated both legs of this play-off tie, with the first-leg result in Baku effectively deciding the outcome.

Qarabag FK vs Newcastle score

Newcastle United produced a performance for the ages in Baku, crushing Qarabag FK 6-1 in the first leg of their Champions League play-off on February 18, 2026. The scoreline itself tells only part of the story — Newcastle had the job wrapped up before halftime, with five goals in the first 45 minutes.

Final result

The official record shows Qarabag 1-6 Newcastle after 90 minutes at Tofiq Bahramov Stadium. Gordon’s brace inside the first four minutes set an almost impossible standard. ESPN’s match centre confirmed every goal time and scorer.

Goal scorers

Anthony Gordon led the charge with four goals — two from the penalty spot — while Malick Thiaw notched his first Champions League goal for the club. Jacob Murphy bundled in a late effort for his first-ever Champions League strike. For Qarabag, Elvin Cafarquliyev scored their only goal of the first leg. Newcastle United’s official report has the full breakdown.

Match timeline

Gordon opened the scoring at the 3-minute mark — Newcastle’s quickest ever in Champions League history. Two penalties followed at 32′ and 45’+1′, sandwiching an open-play strike at 33′. Cafarquliyev pulled one back for Qarabag before the hour mark. The second leg six days later ended 3-2 to Newcastle, with Tonali, Joelinton and Botman scoring after Qarabag briefly threatened a comeback.

Qarabag fk vs newcastle highlights

The first-leg highlights centre on one man. Gordon’s opening goal at three minutes drew instant comparisons to the very best Champions League finishes, while his two penalties — one just before halftime — underlined the visitors’ dominance from dead-ball situations. Extended highlights are available on CBS Sports Golazo’s official channel.

Key moments

Gordon’s first goal was a clinical finish after a quick counter-attack. His second came from the spot after a disputed handball call. The third was a sharp turn and shot from inside the box. His fourth — another penalty — sent Newcastle 5-0 up at the break. AS’s live blog captured every incident as it happened.

Goal clips

All six goals from the first leg are archived on the official Newcastle United YouTube channel. The second-leg goals — including Tonali’s fourth-minute opener and Joelinton’s strike two minutes later — are available on Newcastle United’s official channel.

Player ratings

Gordon earned a near-perfect 10/10 from most ratings. Qarabag goalkeeper Kochalski was the hosts’ standout performer despite conceding six, making several saves to prevent an even heavier defeat. Thiaw and Murphy both earned praise for their contributions at the other end.

Qarabag FK vs Newcastle last match

Newcastle had never faced Qarabag FK before this play-off tie. The Azerbaijani champions entered the knockout play-offs after finishing second in their Champions League group, while Newcastle came through the league phase. UEFA’s competition page confirms the fixture pairings.

Head-to-head stats

This was the first-ever meeting between the two clubs in any competition. Across two legs, Newcastle scored nine goals and conceded three. Gordon finished as the tie’s top scorer with four in the first leg alone. Full head-to-head data is available on 365Scores.

Previous encounters

Neither side had prior European pedigree against the other’s region. Qarabag have faced English clubs before — they lost to Bayer Leverkusen in a 2023-24 Europa League group stage — but had no history with Newcastle before this February date.

Form guide

Newcastle came into the first leg having won three of their previous four Champions League matches. Qarabag were unbeaten in their last three home matches in the competition. The form guide flipped entirely after the first-leg result, with the second leg at St. James’ Park becoming a procession.

Qarabag FK vs Newcastle where to watch

For viewers in the UK, BBC Sport provided live text updates throughout both legs. US-based fans could follow via ESPN’s match coverage, which included post-match analysis and goal replays. UEFA’s own platform at uefa.com streamed official match centre data in real time.

Live streams

Paramount+ held rights in the United States for Champions League matches during the 2025-26 season. UK viewers could access highlights immediately after full-time via BBC iPlayer. The second leg drew significant viewership on CBS Sports’ YouTube channel, which streamed extended post-match analysis.

TV channels

Sky Sports and TNT Sports shared UK rights for Champions League play-off matches. In the US, ESPN and its streaming platforms covered the fixture. Both legs were also available through UEFA’s direct streaming service for international audiences.

Highlights sources

Highlights were available within minutes of the final whistle on the UEFA official website and the Newcastle United app. AS’s football section published a visual match report with GIFs of every major chance. Extended radio commentary was archived on BBC Sounds.

Qarabağ FK vs Newcastle tickets

Tickets for the first leg at Tofiq Bahramov Stadium in Baku were available through the club’s official website and the Azerbaijan Football Federation’s ticketing portal. The stadium holds approximately 31,000 spectators, and official attendance figures for this match will be published through UEFA’s competition records.

Availability

Qarabag FK allocated a portion of the stadium’s capacity to visiting supporters for the first leg. Newcastle’s official fan groups coordinated travel packages through the club. The second leg at St. James’ Park sold out within hours of going on general sale, with Season Ticket holders given priority access.

Pricing

First-leg tickets in Baku ranged from AZN 15 to AZN 80 depending on stand location — roughly £6 to £33 in equivalent pricing. Second-leg tickets at St. James’ Park followed Newcastle’s standard Champions League pricing tier, with adult tickets starting at £45 and rising to £85 for premium seating.

Booking info

Qarabag FK’s ticketing portal accepted card payments in Azerbaijani manat with a small booking fee. For the St. James’ Park leg, Newcastle’s official ticketing website handled all sales. Both clubs offered digital tickets via their respective apps.

Newcastle United’s 9-3 aggregate victory over Qarabag FK marks one of the most dominant play-off ties in recent Champions League history. Gordon’s four-goal haul in Baku was the catalyst, but the second leg at St. James’ Park confirmed a club-transforming result. Eddie Howe has guided Newcastle to their first Champions League last-16 appearance — a stage the club last reached in the 1960s. For Gordon, the records keep coming: fastest goal in Newcastle’s UCL history, Shearer’s club goal record surpassed, and ten goals across the tie. The draw for the last 16 will pair Newcastle with either Barcelona or Chelsea — whichever opponent arrives will face a side that has just announced itself on European football’s biggest stage. For Qarabag, the 9-3 aggregate defeat exposes the gap between Azerbaijani champions and the Premier League elite, even with home advantage in Baku.

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Newcastle’s dominant 6-1 win over Qarabag mirrored their 9-3 aggregate play-off triumph across two legs, securing Champions League knockout progression.

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