Qarabağ Hold Chelsea 2-2; Points Shared in Baku

Karun Abraham

صحفي رياضي

“Early lead squandered, halftime reset, and a super-sub rescue, Chelsea survived a raucous night in Azerbaijan.”

Gritty Draw for Both Teams

Chelsea were held to a 2-2 draw by Qarabağ at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium on 5 November 2025. The visitors led through Estêvão (16′) before Qarabağ flipped the game with Leandro Andrade (29′) and Marko Janković’s penalty (39′). A triple change at the interval swung the momentum back, and substitute Alejandro Garnacho smashed in the leveller on 52′. The result leaves both sides on seven points after four league-phase games. 

First Half - Bright start, then a flip

Chelsea’s plan to strike early worked: João Pedro and Andrey Santos combined to free Estêvão, who drilled low inside Mateusz Kochalski’s near post for 0-1. Qarabağ answered with fearless transitions that led to a direct ball exposed Chelsea’s back line, Camilo Durán crashed an effort off the woodwork, and Andrade followed in the rebound for 1-1 (29′). The stadium volume rose and the hosts pressed the advantage; after Jorrel Hato handled in the area, Janković converted from the spot to make it 2-1 (39′). 

Adding to Chelsea’s problems, Roméo Lavia limped off after four minutes, forcing an early reshuffle. While Chelsea may not have won, they will bounce back. Support the Blues and book your Chelsea football tickets via 1BoxOffice for the most reasonable prices for genuine tickets.

Second Half - Maresca’s reset, Garnacho’s punch

Head coach Enzo Maresca turned to the bench at half-time, introducing Garnacho, Liam Delap, and Enzo Fernández. The change paid off almost immediately: Delap’s involvement in the move helped free Garnacho on the edge, and the Argentine drove a left-footer beyond Kochalski for 2-2 (52′/53′). 

Both sides had late looks, but Kochalski denied Fernández and Garnacho, while Oleksii Kashchuk forced Robert Sánchez into a stop, but neither found a winner in a breathless final 20 minutes. Support the underdogs from Azerbaijan and book your Quarabağ tickets from 1BoxOffice.

Tactical Snapshot

Qarabağ

• Fearless transitions & wide entries: Gurban Gurbanov’s side targeted the gaps around Chelsea’s young centre-backs, using direct balls to create second-phase chaos. Andrade’s equaliser stemmed from exactly that pattern.
• Restart ruthlessness: Clear plan on set pieces and restarts; the handball sequence punished Chelsea’s defensive indecision. 

Chelsea

• Rotation risks, then reinforcement: A youthful XI struggled for control; the triple HT substitution (Garnacho, Delap, Fernández) stabilised structure and restored threat between the lines.
• Shot profile vs. scoreboard: Chelsea led the volume 16-9 shots, 61.4% possession, 8-2 corners, but conceded the bigger first-half moments before regaining parity. 

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Standout Performers

• Alejandro Garnacho (Chelsea) - Player of the Match: Had the most impact this match; his equaliser made sure that Chelsea did not go home empty.
• Estêvão (Chelsea): Outstanding 1v1 threat and a composed opener; Chelsea’s most consistent spark before and after the break.
• Leandro Andrade (Qarabăg): Relentless on transitions; well-taken equaliser and constant outlet.
• Marko Janković (Qarabăg): Ice-cool from the spot at a key game state.
• Mateusz Kochalski (Qarabăg): Two big late saves preserved the point. 

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Match Ratings

Aftermath & Implications

The draw feels more like a loss for Chelsea, given the added pressure on them now to do well in their next fixture. While both teams have seven points, Chelsea is desperate, as their goal of finishing in the top eight is getting tighter. Their next UCL match is against Barcelona, and they must win to go on. Book your Chelsea vs Barcelona tickets via 1BoxOffice for the most reasonable prices.

Qarabağ, on the other hand, banked on a landmark result and remains firmly in the qualification picture, while the Blues have injuries clouding their night. The home team is getting ready for their next fixture against Napoli, who too has been in a draw against Eintracht Frankfurt 0-0. So their matchup will be one to watch. Click here to book your tickets for what will be an almost electric experience.

Be Part of the Action

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