Azerbaijan’s Qarabağ FK have made history once again, becoming the country’s only club to qualify twice for the UEFA Champions League group stage.
Playing at Baku’s Tofiq Bahramov Stadium, Qarabağ FK overcame a determined Ferencváros side. The visitors opened the scoring in the 12th minute when Lenny Joseph found the net following a VAR-reviewed play. Qarabağ FK responded in the 25th, with Leandro Andrade levelling the match with a left-footed strike from inside the box.
Abdellah Zoubir gave Qarabağ FK the lead just before half-time, scoring in added time after a well-timed assist from Andrade. In the second half, Barnabás Varga equalised from the penalty spot in the 55th minute, before Alex Tóth added a third for Ferencváros with a free-kick in the 81st. Despite the 3-2 loss on the night, the Horsemen progressed 5-4 on aggregate.
Qarabağ FK’s journey to the group stage has been dominant. They beat Shelbourne 4-0 on aggregate in the second qualifying round (3-0 away, 1-0 home) and thrashed Shkëndija 6-1 in the third (1-0 away, 5-1 home). With five wins from six games, they have scored 15 goals and conceded just five.
This is Qarabağ FK’s first appearance in the Champions League group stage since 2017/18, when they held Atlético de Madrid to two draws but finished fourth in their section. They remain the only Azerbaijani club to have ever reached this level.
Ferencváros, aiming for a third group stage appearance, had defeated Noah and Ludogorets in earlier qualifying rounds but fell short in Baku. Varga finishes the qualifying campaign with five goals in five matches, but his side now drop out of the competition.
Qarabağ FK represent the city of Aghdam, a region that saw decades of displacement and destruction. Although based in Baku for home matches, the club has become a powerful symbol of Azerbaijani resilience.
Their qualification for Europe’s top competition is seen not only as a sporting milestone but also a moment of national pride. Their return to the Champions League is being hailed by fans as a significant step forward for football in the country.
At least 12 people including an alleged shooter were killed in a shooting incident on Australia's Bondi Beach on Sunday according to Police....
Police in Berlin dispersed a protest on Saturday evening after around one thousand demonstrators gathered against alleged police violence....
Street clashes broke out for a second night in the Tunisian city of Kairouan after a man died following a police pursuit, raising fears of wider unres...
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says international cooperation is essential for Syria’s recovery as investment slowly begins to return despite ...
Thailand’s caretaker Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul said on Saturday (13 December) that Thai forces would continue military action along the Cam...
In a dramatic Champions League clash at Baku’s Tofiq Bahramov Stadium, Qarabağ grabbed an early lead, but Ajax staged a thrilling comeback to win 4-2.
SSC Napoli secured a 2-0 victory over Qarabağ FK in their UEFA Champions League group stage clash at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona in Italy.
Azerbaijan’s Qarabağ FK and Spain’s Athletic Club are facing each other in a UEFA Champions League group-stage match at San Mamés Stadium in Bilbao.
Qarabağ FK has become the first Azerbaijani side to win a Champions League main draw match after Benfica squandered a two-goal advantage, falling 3-2 at home to Qarabağ FK in their Champions League opener in Lisbon on Tuesday.
The Oligarch’s Design is an investigative documentary exploring how financial power, political influence and carefully constructed narratives can shape conflict and public perception.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated his offer to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Ankara, at his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The talks took place on the sidelines of the international Forum for Peace and Trust in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on Friday (12 December).
Iranian authorities have seized a foreign tanker carrying more than 6 million litres of smuggled fuel in the Sea of Oman, detaining all 18 crew members on board.
Russian forces struck Ukraine’s southern port city of Odesa for a second consecutive day on Saturday (13 December), deploying Kinzhal hypersonic missiles for the first time in the conflict, Ukrainian authorities said.
The latest round of clashes between Thailand and Cambodia has left 15 Thai soldiers dead and 270 others injured, Thailand’s Ministry of Defence spokesman Surasant Kongsiri said at a press conference on Saturday.
Iranian authorities have seized a foreign tanker carrying more than 6 million litres of smuggled fuel in the Sea of Oman, detaining all 18 crew members on board.
The Israeli military said Raed Saed, described as one of the architects of the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel, was killed on Saturday when a vehicle was hit in Gaza City.
A flash of light followed by the sound of an explosion was observed over Gaza early on Saturday, according to witnesses, as severe winter storms worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis in the territory.
Hundreds of people gathered for a second consecutive week at Tel Aviv’s Hostages Square, on Friday (12 December), to support the family of Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, the last remaining Israeli hostage whose body is believed to be held in Gaza.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Russian President Vladimir Putin met for a closed-door discussion on the sidelines of the International Forum for Peace and Trust in Ashgabat, Turkmenistan, on Friday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment