Qarabag Creates A Historic Moment with Sensational Win Versus Benfica
An outfit representing Azerbaijan had not once claimed victory in the UEFA’s elite competition before Qarabag's stunning performance against Benfica.
Qarabag delivered a stunning recovery at Benfica to establish a historic moment and emerge as the first Azerbaijani club to claim victory in a Champions League group stage encounter.
Earning their place for the continent’s top club tournament for the first time in almost a decade, Gurban Gurbanov's side found themselves facing a 2-0 deficit after only 16 minutes due to goals from Enzo Barrenechea and Vangelis Pavlidis.
Qarabag cut the gap on the half-hour mark through a superb Andrade finish before team-mate Borges hit the base of the post.
Just moments after the interval, Gurbanov's side shut up the Lisbon arena with the tying strike. Marko Jankovic's incisive pass found Camilo Duran and he brilliantly found the far post on his first UCL appearance.
Substitute Oleksii Kashchuk got the historic winning goal five minutes from time, collecting the ball up with his back to goal before converting superbly on the turn.
The team and coaching staff dropped to their knees in jubilation at the end of the match after a triumph that will be recorded in European football annals, with their previous campaign concluding with two draws and losses.
Up next for the Azerbaijani champions is a home tie with FC Copenhagen, while the Portuguese outfit head to the London club.
Connected Subjects
- European Football
- UEFA Champions League
- Football
