The long and winding road to Baku proved to be a journey worth making for Anthony Gordon, who took to the field against Qarabag with his form under scrutiny, and barely half an hour later, found himself Newcastle United’s record goalscorer in the Champions League. Clearing a high watermark set by Alan Shearer is a significant achievement.
Gordon scored four goals in the first half, setting Newcastle on course for a convincing 6-1 victory over Qarabag, which guarantees the Premier League side a spot in the round of 16. Record after record shattered for the England international in just 33 minutes, delivering the fastest hat trick ever by an English player in the competition. It was a memorable match as Gordon joined Luiz Adriano as the only player to score four goals in one half of Champions League football.
His performance is not just remarkable statistically; he also became the outright record appearance maker for the Magpies in his 15th game—marking the occasion with goals seven through 10, three more than Shearer managed in the competition. With these scores all coming this season, Gordon finds himself firmly in second place in the race for this season’s golden boot, trailing only Kylian Mbappe by three goals and ahead of Harry Kane by two. If he scores two more before Newcastle’s campaign concludes, he will have broken Kane’s single-season scoring record for an English player in this prestigious competition.
“It’s a dream start for Newcastle in Azerbaijan as goals from Anthony Gordon and Malick Thiaw puts the away side 2-0 up in just eight minutes ⚫️⚪️ @CBSSportsGolazo”
Translation: It’s a phenomenal beginning for Newcastle in Azerbaijan with early goals from Anthony Gordon and Malick Thiaw, leading the match 2-0 in just 8 minutes.
Most notably, two of Gordon’s four goals resulted from penalties, against a poorly organized Qarabag defense, which allowed Malick Thiaw to score with little resistance. When chances arrived from open play, Gordon was sharp, seizing a through ball on the right and firing a first-time shot into the net to open the scoring inside two minutes.
His hat-trick goal, scored just seconds after the first penalty, showcased the explosive pace and composed finishing that has attracted interest from clubs like Arsenal and Liverpool. The second half saw a slight improvement from Qarabag, prompting coach Eddie Howe to substitute Gordon around the hour mark, with Jacob Murphy later sealing the win with a deflected strike. The road home stretches another 2,500 miles, necessitating fresh legs for their upcoming match against Manchester City on Saturday night.
Gordon needs to carry this European form into the Premier League, where his tally sits at three goals—including two penalties—compared to five in the Champions League. His recent inefficiencies in domestic matches relate to finishing difficulties, but he notably performs better in the freer exchanges of continental play.
