Let’s break down Qarabag FK’s unbelievable 3-2 comeback against Benfica in the Champions League. First-ever win for an Azerbaijani side-relive the goals, heroes, and storylines shaking up Europe’s elite.
Qarabag Shocks Benfica 3-2: Historic UCL Win for Azerbaijan and Comeback Drama
It’s a crisp evening in Lisbon, the Estádio da Luz buzzing with over 60,000 fans expecting a routine Benfica masterclass. Benfica, the Portuguese giants with a trophy cabinet bursting at the seams, take a comfy 2-0 lead inside 16 minutes. The underdogs from Azerbaijan? They’re supposed to roll over, right? Wrong. Anyone casually glancing at live scores today matches would have done a double-take at the final result. What unfolded next was pure football fairy tale, Qarabag FK clawing back from the brink to snag a 3-2 victory, etching their name into Champions League lore as the first Azerbaijani team to win in the main draw. Yeah, you read that right. On September 16, 2025, the minnows turned the giants into mincemeat, and the soccer world is still reeling.
As a die-hard footy fan who’s seen my share of giant-killings from Leicester’s miracle season to Iceland’s Euro, this one hits different. Qarabag aren’t just any scrappy side; they’re Azerbaijan’s pride, a club that’s grinded through qualifiers for years without tasting proper UCL glory. Beating Benfica? That’s not just a win; it’s a statement. Let’s break down the madness, the magic, and the must-watch threads that’ll keep us glued to this group stage.
The Build-Up: Underdogs with a Point to Prove
Benfica rolled into this opener riding high. Fresh off a solid domestic start, they boasted stars like Vangelis Pavlidis up top and a midfield humming with energy. Under newish boss Roger Schmidt, the Eagles were tipped as dark horses for the quarters, with odds stacked heavily in their favour, around 1/4 pre-match. Qarabag, meanwhile? They squeaked through the playoffs, knocking out Lincoln Red Imps in a tense tie. Coached by Gurban Gurbanov, the 52-year-old legend who’s turned Qarabag into Azerbaijan’s powerhouse (seven straight league titles, anyone?), this squad was all grit and guile. No household names, but players like Abdellah Zoubir and Olavio Juninho had whispers of quality from Europa League runs.
The narrative screamed mismatch. Benfica at home hadn’t lost in the UCL group phase since 2020. Qarabag? Zero wins in 14 main-stage attempts. Fans back in Baku were dreaming big, though, streams crashed servers as 2 million tuned in from Azerbaijan. Little did anyone know that this was the spark that could ignite a nation’s football fever.
A Shocking Start Turns Sour for the Hosts
The first half-hour? Benfica scripted the script. Enzo Barrenechea, the Argentine midfielder on loan from Aston Villa, rifled in the opener after just eight minutes with a low drive from 20 yards that wrong-footed keeper David Yurchenko. Then, at 16′, Pavlidis nodded home a pinpoint cross from Kerem Aktürkoğlu, making it 2-0. The Luz erupted; Portuguese pundits were already eyeing three points and gushing about Schmidt’s tactics. Qarabag looked shell-shocked, pinned back with just 28% possession. But here’s where football loves to troll: resilience. Leandro Andrade, the 22-year-old winger with flair for days, pulled one back at the half-hour mark. A slick counter saw him latch onto a Juninho through-ball, dinking it over keeper Anatoliy Trubin. 2-1 at the break. Benfica fans grumbled, but no panic yet. Qarabag headed to the tunnel with belief flickering, Gurbanov barking adjustments like a man possessed.
The Epic Comeback: Drama in the Second Half
If the first half was Benfica’s warm-up, the second was Qarabag’s heist movie. Three minutes in, boom-2-2. Marko Janković, the Montenegrin maestro, threaded a beauty to debutant Camilo Duran. The 19-year-old Colombian, straight off the bench for his UCL bow, slotted it coolly past Trubin. Pandemonium in the away end; social media exploded with “Qarabag miracles” trending worldwide.
Benfica pushed, but cracks showed. Schmidt threw on Ángel Di María for magic dust, but Qarabag’s press turned frantic into fatal. The killer blow? 85th minute. Substitute Oleksii Kashchuk, the Ukrainian forward with a knack for late drama, latched onto Zoubir’s clever flick inside the box. One touch, swivel, thunderbolt-3-2. The net bulged, the bench invaded the pitch, and Benfica’s dreams deflated like a punctured ball. Eight minutes of injury time? Qarabag defended like lions, Yurchenko pulling off a miracle save on Prestianni’s header. Final whistle: history made.
Standout Stars: Heroes Who Delivered
- Oleksii Kashchuk: Match-winner and cult hero. That 85th-minute finish? Pure instinct. The 24-year-old, who joined from Shakhtar in the summer, now has Azerbaijani fans chanting his name.
- Camilo Duran: Debut dream. Equalising on 48′? Kid’s got ice in his veins-expect scouting reports flooding his inbox.
- Leandro Andrade: The spark. His goal shifted momentum; his pace terrorised Benfica’s backline all night.
- For Benfica, Pavlidis shone early, but what about defence? A collective off-day that’ll haunt Schmidt.
Stats tell the tale too: Qarabag with 14 shots to Benfica’s 12, but way more clinical. Possession? Benfica edged it 53-47, but who cares when you win?
What It Means: Ripples Across Europe
This isn’t just three points; it’s seismic. For anyone asking, yesterday match who won? The answer is Qarabag, and it says everything about why this result shakes the football world. The Azerbaijani side now tops their group (with Bayern and others lurking), breathing life into the nation’s Euro 2028 co-hosting bid. Back home, it’s front-page frenzy; President Ilham Aliyev even tweeted congrats. But for Benfica, it’s a full-blown disaster. A home loss to open the campaign piles pressure on manager Roger Schmidt, especially with a tricky run-in ahead. UEFA Champions League shocks like this remind us why we love the game: money can’t buy heart.
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