Newcastle United delivered a statement of intent in the first leg of their 2026 UEFA Champions Cup knockout tie, crushing Qarabag 6-1 in a one-sided encounter.
The Magpies raced into an early lead through Anthony Gordon in the third minute, and Malick Thiaw doubled the advantage just five minutes later. Gordon continued his fine form with a penalty in the 32nd minute and completed a hat-trick with a clinical finish in the 34th minute. Anthony Gordon’s relentless attacking play left Qarabag defenders chasing shadows throughout the first half.
By halftime, Newcastle had already established a commanding 5-0 lead, with Nick Pope keeping the Qarabag attacks at bay, though the Azerbaijani side’s goalkeeper Mateusz Kochalski made several impressive saves.
The second half saw Newcastle maintain their dominance. Jacob Murphy capped the night with the sixth goal in the 71st minute, while Qarabag managed a late consolation through Cafarquliyev in the 55th minute.
Manager Eddie Howe’s side showed sharp attacking combinations, high pressing, and clinical finishing. Standout performances came from Gordon, Thiaw, and Harvey Barnes, who linked effectively to create multiple scoring chances.
With the second leg still to come, Newcastle are firmly in control of the tie and will look to complete the job against a Qarabag side that will need a miraculous performance to overturn the deficit.
The result also highlights Newcastle’s growing confidence in European competition this season, as they aim to advance deeper into the Champions Cup while maintaining strong Premier League form.
