Qarabag Makes History with Champions League Victory
Qarabag achieved a remarkable comeback against Benfica, making history as the first Azerbaijani team to win a match in the Champions League main draw.
After qualifying for Europe's premier tournament for the first time in eight years, Gurban Gurbanov's team found themselves in a challenging position, trailing 2-0 within just 16 minutes due to goals from Enzo Barrenechea and Vangelis Pavlidis.
The Azerbaijani champions managed to reduce the deficit in the 30th minute, thanks to a superb finish by Leandro Andrade. Shortly after, Kady Borges nearly equalized, hitting the post.
Three minutes into the second half, Gurbanov's squad stunned the Estadio da Luz by scoring the equalizer. Marko Jankovic delivered a precise pass to Camilo Duran, who expertly found the far post on his Champions League debut.
Substitute Oleksii Kashchuk secured the historic winning goal five minutes before the end, turning brilliantly to finish after receiving the ball with his back to the goal.
Players and staff from Qarabag fell to their knees in celebration at the final whistle, marking a victory that will be remembered in Champions League history, especially after their previous campaign concluded with two draws and four losses.
Looking ahead, Gurbanov and his team will face Copenhagen at home, while Benfica will travel to Chelsea.