Newcastle United secured a place in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 after overcoming Qarabağ FK in a thrilling encounter at St James’ Park. The English side won 3-2 on the night on Tuesday, confirming a 9-3 aggregate victory over the Azerbaijani champions.
Following last week’s commanding 6-1 first-leg triumph in Baku, Newcastle were already in a strong position heading into the return fixture. They made a blistering start, taking a two-goal lead within the opening eight minutes. Sandro Tonali struck in the fourth minute, followed by Joelinton in the sixth, giving the home side a 2-0 advantage in just 80 seconds of gameplay.
Unlike the first leg, the scoring slowed thereafter, but Qarabağ showed resilience in the second half. Camilo Duran reduced the deficit in the 51st minute. However, one minute later, Sven Botman capitalised on Kieran Trippier’s corner to head Newcastle’s third goal, marking his first ever goal in the Champions League. Qarabağ responded once more when Marko Janković’s penalty was saved by Aaron Ramsdale, but a handball by Dan Burn allowed Elvin Jafarguliyev to slot home, concluding the scoreline at 3-2.
Following the match, Newcastle manager Eddie Howe commented, “After going 2-0 up, we eased off slightly. While the aggregate result is excellent, today’s victory feels somewhat hollow. Nevertheless, it is historic for the club.” Newcastle will face either Barcelona or Chelsea in the Round of 16, with the draw scheduled for Friday. This marks the first time in the club’s history that they have reached the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Leverkusen Advance with Draw
Meanwhile, Bayer Leverkusen confirmed their last-16 berth with a goalless draw against Olympiacos on Tuesday. The German side had established a comfortable 2-0 first-leg lead courtesy of Patrick Schick’s brace, meaning the return match required only a stalemate to progress.
During the deadlock in Greece, Alex Grimaldo hit the crossbar, but Leverkusen’s defence, marshalled by goalkeeper Yanis Blaswich, held firm. Blaswich reflected on the achievement, stating, “We have achieved our objective. Strong teams like Bayern Munich or Arsenal await in the next round.” Despite late pressure from Olympiacos, Leverkusen maintained their clean sheet to secure progression.
Champions League Last 16 Qualifiers: Tuesday Night
| Club | Opponent | First Leg | Second Leg | Aggregate | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newcastle United | Qarabağ FK | 6-1 | 3-2 | 9-3 | Advanced |
| Bayer Leverkusen | Olympiacos | 2-0 | 0-0 | 2-0 | Advanced |
Both clubs now await Friday’s draw to discover their Round of 16 opponents, promising high-stakes fixtures in Europe’s premier club competition.