In a surprising turn during the UEFA Champions League league phase, Qarabag FK secured a 2-0 victory over FC Copenhagen on Wednesday night at the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium in Baku. The Azerbaijani champions, already buoyed by their earlier comeback against Benfica, demonstrated resilience and tactical discipline to claim their second straight win in Europe's premier club competition. Indeed, this result marks a historic milestone, as Qarabag becomes the first team from Azerbaijan to achieve back-to-back triumphs in the Champions League.
The match started cautiously, with both sides probing for weaknesses under the bright lights. Copenhagen, no strangers to the big stage after their 2023 semifinal run, pressed early but found Qarabag's defense unyielding. Juninho opened the scoring in the 27th minute with a clinical finish after a swift counterattack, capitalizing on a rare lapse from the Danish outfit. The home crowd erupted, sensing an opportunity to build on their momentum.
However, the second half brought more tension. Copenhagen ramped up the pressure, creating several chances that tested goalkeeper David Yurchenko, but Qarabag held firm. Moreover, the Azeris struck again on the hour mark when Olavio Juninho—wait, no, it was actually Andrey Lunev's side maintaining control, but the clincher came from Badavi Huseynov in the 62nd minute, sealing the points with a header from a well-delivered corner. Copenhagen's attacks fizzled out, hampered by injuries and perhaps an underestimation of their hosts' growing confidence.
This win propels Qarabag to four points in Group D, level with Benfica and ahead of a stumbling Copenhagen on zero. For the Danish side, it's a stark reminder of the competition's unpredictability; they've now conceded four goals without reply in their opening two fixtures. Qarabag's coach Gurban Gurbanov praised his team's spirit post-match, hinting at bigger ambitions ahead.
Yet, as the group stage unfolds, one wonders how far this Cinderella story from Baku can stretch in a tournament dominated by giants.