Anthony Gordon scored 4 first-half objectives as Newcastle all however booked a Champions League last-16 tie towards Chelsea or Barcelona by thrashing Qarabag 6-1 within the first leg of their knockout play-off.
Gordon took his tally to 10 in Europe this season by scoring within the third minute, netting two penalties and rounding goalkeeper Mateusz Kochalski, who was additionally crushed by Malick Thiaw’s header in a rare opening interval and Jacob Murphy’s deflected effort within the second half.
Regardless of the five-goal lead at half-time, Newcastle captain Kieran Trippier and Gordon needed to be separated by their team-mates as they headed for the dressing rooms, with their dispute seemingly over Gordon taking the second penalty.
Newcastle had 16 pictures within the first half and 11 of these have been heading in the right direction as Kochalski prevented additional embarrassment by making six saves to disclaim the rampant guests.
Newcastle made gentle work of the two,529-mile journey to Azerbaijan, the longest-ever distance travelled by an English membership for a Champions League away match, as they went two up inside eight minutes. Gordon completed effectively after Dan Burn had surged ahead and performed him in earlier than Thiaw rose to move in Trippier’s cross.
Newcastle defender Malick Thiaw (centre) celebrates his first-half header
Eddie Howe’s aspect ought to have been additional forward by the point Gordon smashed a penalty into the left nook after Matheus Silva was penalised for handball. However straight from the restart, he pounced on extra schoolboy defending to spherical Kochalski for his hat-trick and Newcastle’s fourth within the thirty third minute.
There was nonetheless time for extra as Gordon was then introduced down by the goalkeeper and, after a short dialogue with Trippier, the ahead despatched the spot kick within the reverse nook to his first.
Newcastle eased off after the break and Qarabag left-back Elvin Cafarquliyev punished them, firing a shot from an angle by means of Nick Pope with the purpose awarded by VAR after initially being dominated out for offside.
Cafarquliyev was then concerned within the seventh purpose of the evening and Newcastle’s sixth, diverting substitute Murphy’s shot from exterior the field previous his goalkeeper.
Newcastle go to title-chasing Manchester Metropolis within the Premier League on Saturday night adopted by the second leg towards Qarabag on Tuesday February 24.
