Newcastle United close in on Champions League round of 16

February 19, 2026 / 9:41 PM

Sharjah 24 – AFP: Newcastle United F.C. moved a step closer to the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 after a commanding 6-1 away victory over Qarabağ FK in the first leg of their playoff tie.

The emphatic win puts the Magpies in a dominant position ahead of the return leg.

Anthony Gordon delivers a historic performance

Winger Anthony Gordon was the undisputed star of the night, scoring four goals in a sensational first-half display. He found the net in the 3rd, 32nd, and 45+1 minutes, with two of his goals coming from the penalty spot, before being substituted in the 68th minute for Danish striker William Owusola.

The 24-year-old now has 14 goals in all competitions this season, including 10 in the Champions League. In doing so, he surpassed the previous club record for most goals in a single Champions League campaign, formerly held by Newcastle legend Alan Shearer.

A rare Champions League feat

Gordon also etched his name into Champions League history by becoming only the second player ever to score four goals in the first half of a match. The only other player to achieve the feat was Luiz Adriano, who accomplished it for FC Shakhtar Donetsk against BATE Borisov in October 2014, according to Opta statistics.

With this dominant performance, Newcastle have firmly positioned themselves on the brink of advancing to the knockout stages.