Newcastle United on Brink of Champions League Last-16 After Demolishing Qarabag
Newcastle United have taken a stranglehold on their Champions League play-off tie after a rampant 6-1 first leg victory over Qarabag in Baku. The Magpies produced a merciless performance to all but secure their place in the last-16, with Anthony Gordon plundering four goals in a stunning individual display.
Gordon's Record-Breaking Night
The 24-year-old England international needed just three minutes to eclipse Alan Shearer's club record of six goals in a single Champions League campaign. Gordon added three more before the break, two from the penalty spot, as Newcastle routed the champions of Azerbaijan in devastating fashion.
Gordon opened the scoring when central defender Dan Burn surged upfield to pick out his run, with the striker shooting right-footed across goalkeeper Mateusz Kochalski. Malick Thiaw then made it 2-0 after eight minutes with a headed finish from Kieran Trippier's cross.
Despite Kochalski making several fine saves during the first half, Gordon extended Newcastle's lead from the penalty spot after Matheus Silva was adjudged to have blocked a Harvey Barnes shot with his arm following a VAR review. The former Everton forward completed his hat-trick within seconds, capitalising on Kevin Medina's defensive error to round Kochalski and score.
Gordon claimed his fourth goal in first-half stoppage time, beating Kochalski from the penalty spot for the second time after the goalkeeper brought him down.
Qarabag's Brief Resurgence and Newcastle's Response
The home side showed improvement after the break, reducing the deficit within nine minutes when Elvin Jafarguliyev squeezed a shot through Nick Pope. Qarabag created several chances, with Joni Montiel forcing Pope into an uncomfortable save and Trippier deflecting a Pedro Bicalho effort wide.
However, substitute Jacob Murphy restored Newcastle's five-goal advantage with a 72nd-minute effort that went in off Jafarguliyev, marking his first Champions League goal. Kochalski made a stunning double save from Burn and substitute Will Osula late on to spare Qarabag further punishment, while 18-year-old Sean Neave nearly marked his debut with a late strike.
What This Means for Newcastle
Eddie Howe's men will welcome Qarabag to St James' Park next Tuesday knowing they are virtually assured of a last-16 showdown with either Barcelona or Premier League rivals Chelsea. This victory ends a difficult run of form with successive away wins over Tottenham, Aston Villa, and Qarabag across different competitions.
The Magpies now turn their attention to a Premier League trip to Manchester City at the weekend, buoyed by this emphatic European performance that has put them on the brink of Champions League progression.
