Qarabag Stuns Chelsea: a 2-2 Champions League Thriller
5 November 2025
Match Recap
Chelsea escaped a scare and avoided a defeat on the road by drawing 2-2 with Qarabag in the Champions League on Wednesday, the fourth matchday of the group stage.
Estevao gave Chelsea the lead in the 16th minute, drilling a precise low shot after a smart move inside the box.
Qarabag flipped the script with a quick double, first through Leandro Andrade in the 29th minute and then Marco Yankovic from the penalty spot in the 39th, sending the hosts ahead before the break.
Chelsea rallied and found a lifeline when Alejandro Garnacho finished a well-worked move in the 52nd minute to level the score.
Key Moments
Early in the match, Roméo Lavia pulled up with an injury and was replaced by Caicedo, forcing Chelsea to reshuffle their plans.
Qarabag pressed in the opening minutes, with Chelsea’s defense and goalkeeper Sanchez under pressure as the hosts looked to pin Chelsea back.
A first-half handball by Hato earned Qarabag a penalty, converted by Yankovic, briefly restoring their lead.
In the second half, Enzo Fernández came on for Santos and Garnacho continued to threaten, while Chelsea sought to sustain pressure and find a winner.
The match swung back and forth, with chances at both ends, but the equilibrium persisted until the final whistle.
Aftermath
Chelsea’s lineup on the night was notably young for an away Champions League game — described by Squawka as the second youngest in English football’s history in such a setting, averaging 23 years and 97 days. Opta later highlighted Estevão as the only South American under 19 to score in two consecutive CL matches.
As for the standings, Chelsea remained in a precarious position with seven points, while Qarabag sat just behind on goal difference, still fighting for their place in the group.
Humor note: if a 2-2 scoreline were a movie, the plot twist would be written by a shot of espresso and a calendar reminder that says, “Play the match again, you forgot the winner.” Punchline delivered—football is the only sport where a goal can be both a sigh of relief and a tactical data point at the same time.
