NEWCASTLE, ENGLAND — With Champions League ambitions very much alive and a raucous St. James' Park crowd roaring them on, Newcastle United needed every ounce of their home advantage to edge past a tenacious FK Qarabag side 3-2 in a breathless encounter. The Magpies raced into an early two-goal lead, were pegged back by the visitors, and then summoned the resolve to reclaim the advantage — only to survive a nervy final half-hour that tested their composure to the limit.
The opening exchanges were electric. Sandro Tonali drew first blood in the 4th minute, tucking home from very close range following a set-piece situation, and the crowd had barely settled before Joelinton doubled the advantage just two minutes later. Harvey Barnes delivered a precise cross from the left, and the Brazilian powerhouse met it with a clinical right-footed finish into the top right corner. Newcastle were flying, and Qarabag looked shell-shocked.
Yet the Azerbaijani side refused to fold. Camilo Durán pulled one back in the 50th minute, converting a right-footed shot from the centre of the box after Joni Montiel's incisive assist, and suddenly the atmosphere inside St. James' Park shifted from celebration to anxiety. Newcastle's response was immediate and emphatic. In the 52nd minute, Sven Botman rose majestically at a corner to power a header into the bottom right corner, with Kieran Trippier's delivery from the right picking out the Dutch defender perfectly. It was a crucial blow — but Qarabag were not done.
The visitors' second came through a moment of controversy. Dan Burn conceded a penalty for handball in the 56th minute, and though Aaron Ramsdale brilliantly saved Marko Jankovic's spot-kick, Elvin Cafarquliyev pounced on the rebound, slotting left-footed from the left side of the six-yard box into the bottom left corner. Suddenly, it was 3-2, and Qarabag scented something extraordinary.
The final half-hour was a nervy, absorbing battle. Newcastle dominated the ball with 65.5% possession, pinning Qarabag back for long stretches, but the visitors showed genuine defensive resilience and continued to threaten on the break. Mateusz Kochalski in the Qarabag goal was called into action five times, producing a series of important stops — including denying Harvey Barnes in the 80th minute after Anthony Gordon's assist had set up the chance. At the other end, Aaron Ramsdale was equally alert, thwarting Musa Qurbanli's long-range effort in the 85th minute to preserve the slender advantage.
The tactical battle in midfield was compelling. Sandro Tonali pulled the strings for the hosts, while Anthony Gordon — introduced as a substitute in the 54th minute — brought energy and directness to Newcastle's attacking play. Joe Willock and Jacob Murphy also contributed to the Magpies' relentless pressure, with Newcastle registering 19 shots in total compared to Qarabag's 13. The hosts placed eight shots on target to Qarabag's six, underlining their dominance without ever quite managing to kill the game off.
Defensively, Newcastle were tested more than they would have liked. Dan Burn's handball that gifted the penalty was a costly error, and Qarabag's willingness to press and transition quickly gave the Magpies' backline uncomfortable moments throughout the second half. The introduction of Lewis Hall and Joe Willock at the break helped shore things up, but Qarabag's persistence meant there was no comfort until the final whistle.
The statistics told a clear story of Newcastle's control: 65.5% possession, nine corners to Qarabag's six, and a shot advantage of 19 to 13. Yet the 3-2 scoreline was a reminder that dominance does not always translate to comfort. Pedro Bicalho's yellow card in the 80th minute was the only booking of the match, keeping the contest competitive but relatively disciplined.
Newcastle now sit 12th in the Champions League standings with 14 points, firmly in contention to secure a top-eight finish and automatic passage to the Round of 16. The win positions Newcastle well ahead of their trip to Everton on February 28, where they will look to maintain momentum in what is shaping up to be a defining stretch of their season.