Qarabag’s European experience proved decisive as the Azerbaijani champions secured a 3-0 victory over Shelbourne, ending the Irish club’s 11-match home unbeaten streak in European competition.
Late Strikes Seal Defeat for Shelbourne
Shelbourne succumbed to late goals from Qarabag, falling 3-0 in the first leg and facing an uphill battle in the return fixture.
- Qarabag secured a 3-0 victory over Shelbourne.
- Leandro Andrade opened the scoring in the first half.
- Late goals from Olexiy Kashchuk and Nariman Akhundzade sealed the win.
- Shelbourne’s 11-match home unbeaten run in Europe ended.
- The team now faces a tough challenge in the second leg.
The Azerbaijani champions’ experience was evident early on. Shelbourne struggled to match their visitors for extended periods, with Leandro Andrade giving Qarabag the lead. Despite a more spirited second-half performance from Joey O’Brien’s side, including close chances from Harry Wood and Paddy Barrett, Shelbourne couldn’t find an equalizer. Late strikes from Olexiy Kashchuk and Nariman Akhundzade ultimately put the game beyond reach.
Sean Gannon of Shelbourne reacts after a missed chance.
Early Drama and Missed Opportunities
The match started at a frantic pace. In the opening 15 minutes, a misplaced pass from Seán Gannon nearly gifted Kady a scoring opportunity, but his shot went wide. Shelbourne themselves came agonizingly close to an early lead just seven minutes in. Harry Wood’s cross was recycled by Ali Coote, and Tyreke Wilson saw his powerful header blocked. The rebound fell to Gannon, whose shot struck the post before Akhundzade cleared the ball off the line.
Further warnings were issued when Akhundzade narrowly missed the target after being set up by Zoubir, who had outpaced Paddy Barrett. However, Qarabag capitalized on their next attack. A well-executed move down the left flank saw Zoubir play Tural Bayramov through, and the Azerbaijani international squared the ball to Andrade for a 13th-minute opener that silenced the home crowd.
After losing Tyreke Wilson to injury, Shelbourne were thankful the crossbar denied Akhundzade again before halftime. Mipo Odubeko also went close, exploiting a moment of indecision from Qarabag keeper Fabijan Buntic, and Harry Wood dragged a shot wide from a promising position.
Second-Half Fightback Falls Short
Qarabag began the second half strongly, forcing a good save from Lorcan Healy, making his first European start, from an Emmanuel Addai header. However, Shelbourne responded with renewed energy. A brilliant cross from Kerr McInroy in the 54th minute presented Harry Wood with a clear chance to equalize, but the midfielder directed his shot wide, showing clear frustration.
Shelbourne continued to push for an equalizer, with center-half Paddy Barrett coming closest when his attempted cross hit the crossbar. Despite their efforts, Qarabag struck twice in four minutes late in the game. At 81 minutes, a simple through ball found Zoubir, whose shot hit the post, only for Kashchuk to tap in the rebound. The deficit doubled moments later when a misplaced header back to goalkeeper Healy by Ledwidge looped over him, allowing Akhundzade to score into an empty net.
The Premier Division champions now face a daunting task in the return leg in Baku. Qarabag are aiming for their 12th consecutive group stage qualification. Shelbourne will look to capitalize on any remaining chances in the Europa and Conference League if Qarabag advances in the Champions League second round.
Shelbourne lineup: Healy; Gannon (Coyle 46), Ledwidge, Barrett; Caffrey (O’Sullivan 66), McInroy, Lunney, Coote (Martin 66), Wilson (Norris 19); Wood; Odubeko (Boyd 77).
Qarabag lineup: Buntic; Bolt (Huseynov 76), Mustafazade, Silva, Bayramov; Bichalho, Addai, Kady; Andrade (Kashchuk 77), Akhundzade (Gurbanli 87), Zoubir (Jafarguliyev 87)
Referee: The view of the Holy Cross
