Newcastle United took a giant step towards the Champions League group stage with a stunning 6-1 victory over Qarabag in the first leg of their playoff tie. Anthony Gordon stole the show with a four-goal haul in a dominant first-half performance that left the Azerbaijani side shell-shocked.
The visitors raced into a 4-0 lead inside the opening 45 minutes, with Gordon scoring a hat-trick before halftime. Newcastle piled on the pressure with 18 attempts on goal in the first half, and only the heroics of Qarabag goalkeeper Mateusz Kochalski kept the scoreline from being even more lopsided.
Gordon completed his fourth goal from the penalty spot early in the second half, making it 5-0. Qarabag managed a consolation goal through Elvin Cafarquliyev in the 59th minute, but Jacob Murphy restored Newcastle's five-goal cushion soon after with a deflected strike.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe praised his team's performance, saying, 'We were really good in the first half. That's as good as we have played in a long time.' However, he warned that the tie is not over, adding, 'We know the tie isn't dead or over but we are in a great position.'
Gordon's four goals moved him second in the Champions League scoring charts behind Kylian Mbappé. The second leg will be played at St James' Park next week, with Newcastle in a commanding position to progress.
