Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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FC Qarabag has made history with a stunning comeback against Benfica, becoming the first Azerbaijani club to secure a win in the UEFA Champions League main draw, Azernews reports.

Playing in Europe's top competition for the first time in eight years, Gurban Gurbanov's team faced a difficult start in Lisbon. Benfica quickly raced to a 2-0 lead within 16 minutes, with Enzo Barrenechea and Vangelis Pavlidis capitalizing on Qarabag's early errors.

However, Qarabag showed remarkable resilience. Leandro Andrade pulled one back on the half-hour mark with a composed finish, and Kady Borges almost leveled the score when his shot hit the post.

Just three minutes after the break, Marko Jankovic played a brilliant pass through Benfica's defense to set up Camilo Duran, who calmly netted on his Champions League debut.

The match was decided five minutes from time when substitute Oleksii Kashchuk turned sharply inside the box and fired past the Benfica goalkeeper to seal a memorable win.

At the final whistle, Qarabag's players and staff dropped to their knees in disbelief and celebration. After a tough previous campaign that saw them earn two draws and suffer four defeats, this victory in Lisbon marked a monumental moment for Azerbaijani football.

Next, Qarabag will host Copenhagen in Baku, while Benfica will travel to Stamford Bridge to face Chelsea.

The UEFA Champions League is a continental tournament that brings together the best teams from Europe's top domestic leagues.

It is widely regarded as the pinnacle of club football, attracting millions of fans around the world. Clubs from UEFA's member countries compete for the title, which is seen as the ultimate achievement for European club teams.

The format of the UEFA Champions League evolved over time. The current structure includes several stages: Qualifying Rounds, Group Stage, Knockout Rounds, and Final.

The 2025–26 UEFA Champions League marks the 71st edition of Europe's premier club football competition, organized by UEFA. The final match will take place on May 30, 2026, at the Puskás Aréna in Budapest, Hungary.

The champion of this season will earn automatic qualification for the 2026–27 UEFA Champions League group stage, secure a spot in the 2026 FIFA Intercontinental Cup finals, gain entry to the 2029 FIFA Club World Cup group stage, and have the opportunity to face the winner of the 2025–26 UEFA Europa League in the 2026 UEFA Super Cup.