The Magpies’ first appearance in the knockout stages of the competition resulted in a resounding six-goal aggregate win, but their second set of knockout matches, in the last 16, will be markedly different. Whether it is the Nou Camp or Stamford Bridge that awaits them after Friday’s draw, their next test will be on a completely different planet to the one offered up by Qarabag over the course of the last week.
How on earth the Azerbaijani champions made it beyond the group stage, drawing with Chelsea along the way, is an absolute mystery given the scale of their capitulation at the hands of Newcastle, but you can only beat what is put in front of you, and Eddie Howe’s side have been both ruthless and rampant as they have extended their Champions League journey.
Any hopes of Qarabag staging the most unlikely comeback in Champions League history in last night’s second leg were extinguished in the opening six minutes as Sandro Tonali and Joelinton both scored, and while the visitors scored two goals of their own in the second half to ensure their trip to Tyneside was not a wholly wasted experience, Sven Botman’s second-half header meant the Magpies were victorious in both legs.
The hard work, of course, had already been done in Baku last week. With his side boasting a five-goal advantage from the first leg, Howe could have named a host of fringe players and youngsters and effectively written off last night’s return game.
Alex Murphy was handed a first senior start at left-back, and Howe made seven changes from the team that had lost at Manchester City on Saturday evening, but the Newcastle side that lined up at kick-off was still an extremely strong one with the likes of Kieran Trippier, Nick Woltemade, Botman and Tonali all featuring. With his team in good form despite Saturday’s setback at the Etihad, Howe clearly wanted to maintain momentum.
His wish was granted. In last week’s first leg, Newcastle raced out of the traps, scoring two goals in the opening eight minutes. Six days on, and they managed to shave two minutes off that.
With Qarabag’s defending every bit as shambolic as it had been in Baku, the Magpies claimed a fourth-minute lead. Visiting goalkeeper Mateusz Kochalski kept out Will Osula’s header from Harvey Barnes’ cross, but he could only parry the ball into the path of Tonali, who stabbed home from close range.
Barnes has been enjoying himself on the European stage this season, and he claimed another assist for Newcastle’s second goal, which came just two minutes after their opener. Qarabag gave the ball away in their own half, and when Barnes delivered a cross from the left, an unmarked Joelinton drilled an excellent first-time volley into the net.
At that stage, thoughts were beginning to turn to Bayern Munich’s record for the biggest aggregate win in Champions League history, set in 2009 when the German giants thrashed Sporting 12-1.
Had they needed to, Newcastle could almost certainly have tightened the screw at any stage, but somewhat understandably given the uncompetitive nature of the contest, last night’s game quickly developed a ‘training-ground’ feel.
Newcastle’s attacking play was slick, but lacked intensity, yet the hosts still almost added a third goal midway through the first half when Osula tackled the Qarabag goalkeeper, who was dawdling in his own 18-yard box, with the ball spinning wide.
Jacob Murphy drilled a low shot just wide of the far post after a wonderful piece of skill from Woltemade sent him scampering into the right of the 18-yard box, before Aaron Ramsdale was woken from his slumbers to produce a wonderful save on the stroke of half-time, with the Newcastle goalkeeper tipping over Camilo Duran’s shot.
Duran was a reasonably lively presence at the head of the Qarabag attack, and the Colombian’s efforts were rewarded when he scored seven minutes into the second half. Having outpaced Dan Burn as he broke on the outside of the centre-half, Duran drilled a low strike past Ramsdale’s left hand.
That made it 2-1 on the night, but Newcastle reasserted their authority within five minutes. Botman leapt highest to meet a corner from the right and thumped home a header from eight yards.
The second half had become ridiculously open, and Qarabag closed to within one goal on the night again just before the hour mark. A sliding Burn conceded a penalty as he blocked Pedro Bicalho’s cross with his hand, and while Ramsdale saved Marko Jankovic’s spot-kick, Elvin Jafarguliyev squeezed home the rebound from an acute angle.