Newcastle United Demolish Qarabağ 6-1 in Champions League Playoff First Leg

Newcastle United delivered a dominant performance, thrashing Qarabağ 6-1 in the first leg of their Champions League playoff on Wednesday, February 18, 2026. The victory puts the Magpies in a commanding position to secure their place in the next stage of the competition.

Gordon Scores Four Goals in Stunning Display

Anthony Gordon was the star of the show, netting four goals to lead Newcastle’s attack. He opened the scoring in the 3rd minute and added further goals in the 32nd and 34th minutes, completing a first-half hat-trick. Gordon then extended Newcastle’s lead shortly after the restart, scoring in the 45+1 minute. With 10 goals in 9 Champions League matches, Gordon is now second in the competition’s scoring charts, trailing only Kylian Mbappé who has 13 goals ESPN.

Thiaw and Murphy Add to Qarabağ’s Misery

Malick Thiaw contributed to the rout with a goal in the 8th minute, while Jacob Murphy added a sixth in the 71st minute. Qarabağ managed to pull one back through Elvin Jafarguliyev in the 55th minute, but the damage was already done. The Guardian

Brief On-Field Disagreement

Despite the comprehensive victory, a minor incident occurred within the Newcastle camp. Captain Kieran Trippier expressed his dissatisfaction at not being allowed to take a penalty, leading to a brief exchange with a teammate as the team headed to the locker room at halftime. The Guardian

Second Leg Awaits

Newcastle will look to finish the job in the second leg at St James’ Park next Tuesday. A win or even a draw would see them advance, with a potential round of 16 clash against either Chelsea or FC Barcelona awaiting them. The Guardian

Match Facts

Qarabağ are winless in their previous nine meetings with English opposition (D1 L8). UEFA