qarabag fk vs newcastle — Anthony Gordon breaks Alan Shearer’s Champions League record
Anthony Gordon produced a career-defining display as Newcastle United ran riot in Baku, beating Qarabag 6-1 in the first leg of their Champions League play-off tie. The 24-year-old forward scored four times in the opening 45 minutes and left the match having overtaken a long-standing club Champions League record held by Alan Shearer.
Gordon's historic night: records and reaction
Gordon opened the scoring inside three minutes and had a hat-trick inside 33 minutes, the fastest Champions League treble by an Englishman in the competition's knockout phase. He added a fourth goal from the penalty spot before half-time to cap a remarkable first-half performance.
By the final whistle he had taken his Champions League tally for the club to 10 goals, surpassing the previous benchmark. He also bettered the club’s single-season Champions League total that had stood for years. Asked about the milestones, Gordon emphasized the team element of the win and underlined his hunger to keep contributing in attack. Manager Eddie Howe praised his pressing, movement and finishing, noting the forward’s role both on and off the ball as key to the performance.
How the game unfolded in Baku
Newcastle’s dominance was clear from the start. The visitors exploited space behind Qarabag’s high defensive line, with Gordon especially effective playing in a more advanced central role. A rapid start unsettled the hosts: a quick opener, a second from a set piece scramble and then the flurry of finishes that broke the tie open.
The match featured a moment of tension at the end of the first half when Gordon won a penalty and insisted on taking it despite team-mate Kieran Trippier and other players offering to convert. The forward coolly obliged, scoring from the spot and then rounding the goalkeeper moments later to seal his hat-trick. He converted a second penalty in stoppage time to complete a stunning first-half haul.
Qarabag rallied in the second half and managed a consolation strike through Elvin Cafarquliyev, but Newcastle answered through a late deflected strike that completed the 6-1 margin. The scoreline leaves the tie heavily weighted in Newcastle’s favour heading into the return leg.
Implications for the tie and Newcastle's season
The emphatic win gives Newcastle a huge advantage heading into the second leg, shifting the psychological and tactical balance. With Gordon in this kind of form, Newcastle have an extra dimension through the middle: his pace, movement and finishing force opponents to change how they defend, opening room for team-mates on the flanks and in midfield.
For Qarabag, the result is a setback but not an impossibility to overturn at home. The Azerbaijani side have shown they can be competitive this season, but the defensive approach in Baku — particularly the decision to hold a high line against a quick frontman — was exploited ruthlessly.
For Newcastle, the night will be remembered for the statement it sent about their European ambitions. Gordon’s haul left long-standing club marks in tatters and handed the team a platform to approach the return fixture with confidence. The tie is far from dead mathematically, but the margin means Newcastle can prioritise game management in the second leg while protecting a comfortable aggregate lead.
