In a night that will be remembered by Qarabağ fans long after the final whistle, the Azerbaijani side asserted themselves in the UEFA Champions League with a polished 2-0 victory over Copenhagen at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium.
Having already stunned Benfica in the opening round, Qarabağ confirmed they are no mere underdogs—they are serious contenders, delivering a composed and clinical performance that left the Danish visitors frustrated and bereft of ideas.
From the opening minutes, the home team carried a freshness and purpose that hinted at their confidence. Copenhagen, on the other hand, looked tentative—not the hardened European outfit that many expectations had cast them to be.
The first real chance fell to Qarabağ in the 28th minute, when Pedro Bicalho unleashed a left-foot effort from just outside the box which rattled the post. But it was captain Abdellah Zoubir who was quickest to react, pouncing on the rebound and slotting home from close range to break the deadlock. His finish was clinical, and the timing perfectly suited to unsettle the visitors.
Copenhagen tried to find a response, but much of their early attacking play felt fragmented. A brief moment of promise emerged when Robert Silva threaded a pass into Mohamed Elyounoussi in the box, but the Norwegian’s side-foot finish sailed well wide—a wasted opportunity that only fed into Qarabağ’s growing momentum.
The home side continued to push, and Zoubir nearly doubled the lead with a header that forced a reflex save from keeper Dominik Kotarski. That close shave seemed to shake Copenhagen further; the rest of the half petered out with the hosts in control.
In the second half Copenhagen attempted to respond with greater intensity, stepping up their presses and probing for gaps in Qarabağ’s defense. But each attack felt hurried.
The visitors managed to muster seven shots in that period, and three on target, yet none proved decisive. Qarabağ, defending with discipline, remained composed, and their counterattacks looked sharper—even when they were few and far between.
The clincher arrived in the 83rd minute. Substitute Emmanuel Addai took matters into his own hands, picking up a pass from Nariman Akhundzada, dribbling past a trio of defenders, and unleashing a low drive from outside the box that nestled inside the far corner.
It was a beautiful and thoroughly deserved goal, a moment of individual brilliance that capped an evening of collective control. By then, Copenhagen looked beaten—bereft of structure and momentum, unable to fashion openings against a side resolute in shape and confident in execution.
Copenhagen made late substitutions, seeking a spark, but nothing changed. Qarabağ in the closing minutes brought on Musa Qurbanlı and Chris Kouakou, partly to see the night out and partly to reward their attacking depth. Copenhagen toiled, but the night belonged to the hosts.
In statistical terms the match was closer than the scoreline suggests. Copenhagen held 51 percent of possession to Qarabağ’s 49 percent; they also registered 12 shots to 10, though the quality of those chances seldom threatened the hosts’ goal in a meaningful way.
Qarabağ committed fewer fouls, showed sharper transitions, and proved far more incisive when it mattered. Copenhagen’s discipline was tested too; Toral Bayramov received a second yellow late in the match, though the resultant free kick was negated by an offside call.
For Qarabağ, the journey ahead remains demanding. Their next fixture takes them to Spain to face Athletic Bilbao on October 22, in what promises to be a stern test of their credentials.
But having already claimed victories over Benfica and now Copenhagen, the Azerbaijani side are no longer content to play midtable shadow roles—they are staking a claim. Their ambition, by the standards of their club history, is growing.