Newcastle United vs Qarabag FK: Magpies Advance to Champions League Last 16 With 9-3 Aggregate Win
Newcastle United are through to the UEFA Champions League Round of 16. The Magpies sealed their place in Europe's elite eight with a 3-2 victory over Qarabag FK in the second leg at St. James' Park on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, completing a commanding 9-3 aggregate win. It caps a stunning two-legged demolition of the Azerbaijani champions, headlined by Anthony Gordon's extraordinary four-goal first-leg heroics in Baku.
Newcastle 3-2 Qarabag FK: Second Leg Final Result
Tuesday's second leg at St. James' Park was a far tighter affair than the first, but Newcastle handled the tension comfortably enough to advance. The Magpies raced out to a 2-0 lead inside six minutes thanks to Sandro Tonali (4') and Joelinton (6'), making the aggregate position essentially unassailable. Qarabag hit back twice in the second half — pulling back to 2-1 in the 50th minute and 3-2 in the 57th — before Newcastle held firm to see the tie out.
| Fixture | Result | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Leg 1 – Qarabag vs Newcastle (Baku) | 1-6 Newcastle | Feb 18, 2026 |
| Leg 2 – Newcastle vs Qarabag (St. James' Park) | 3-2 Newcastle | Feb 24, 2026 |
| Aggregate | Newcastle 9-3 | Newcastle advance |
Second Leg Match Stats
| Stat | Newcastle | Qarabag FK |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 65% | 35% |
| Shots Total | 17 | 11 |
| Shots on Target | 8 | 7 |
| Shots Saved | 5 | 4 |
| Corner Kicks | 9 | 6 |
| Yellow Cards | 0 | 1 |
Anthony Gordon's Historic First Leg Performance
The defining story of this two-legged tie was Anthony Gordon's staggering display in Baku in the first leg. The 24-year-old England international scored four goals in the first half alone — becoming only the second player in Champions League history to score four goals in the first half of a match, and the first ever to do so in the knockout phase. Gordon opened the scoring in the third minute, eclipsing Alan Shearer's Newcastle record of six goals in a single European campaign with that very strike, then added two penalties and a fourth with a composed finish around the goalkeeper. Malick Thiaw headed a fifth and Jacob Murphy added a deflected sixth in the second half to complete a historic rout.
Gordon's tally now stands at 10 Champions League goals in 15 appearances this season — making him the second-quickest English player to reach double figures in the competition, behind only Harry Kane.
Newcastle United Lineup — Second Leg
Ramsdale; Trippier, Botman, Burn, A. Murphy; J. Murphy, Tonali, Joelinton; Woltemade, Osula, Barnes.
Notable absences included Malick Thiaw (suspended after accumulating three yellow cards), Bruno Guimarães, Lewis Miley, Tino Livramento, and Fabian Schär through injury. Dan Burn and Joelinton were both on two bookings heading into the tie, requiring careful management.
What's Next for Newcastle United
Newcastle United now advance to the UEFA Champions League Round of 16, where they are set to face either Chelsea or FC Barcelona. The Magpies have won six Champions League matches in 2025-26, surpassing their previous best of five wins in a single European campaign set back in 2002-03. For Qarabag FK, despite the heavy defeat, their run to the knockout playoffs represented the furthest the Azerbaijani club had ever progressed in UEFA Champions League history.
