In a tightly contested UEFA Champions League third qualifying round first leg, Qarabağ edged past Shkëndija with a narrow 1:0 victory, thanks to an early penalty converted by Bayramov in the 18th minute.
photo by Qarabağ FK
The Azerbaijani side showed composure and tactical discipline to hold their lead, while Shkëndija struggled to break down a resolute defense.
Qarabağ’s head coach Gurban Gurbanov has long been known for his structured, possession-based philosophy, and today’s match was a textbook example of his tactical discipline. He operated in a flexible 4-2-3-1, morphing into a compact 4-4-2 when defending deep. Center-backs Kevin Medina and Bahlul Mustafazada were rock-solid, maintaining tight lines and stepping out aggressively to intercept, while fullbacks Matheus Silva and Toral Bayramov rarely overlapped, instead staying narrow to prevent Shkëndija’s wingers from cutting inside.
This was a game of control versus ambition. Qarabağ’s defensive shape was methodical and suffocating, while Shkëndija’s attacking play lacked the cohesion and creativity needed to break through. The 0:1 scoreline reflects not just a moment of quality from Qarabağ, but a broader tactical superiority.
The winner was decided in the 18th minute from the spot after a clumsy foul inside the box by Jamaican international Ronaldo Webster. Captain Toral Bayramov converted it giving no chance to keeper Baboucarr Gaye, who had several great interventions.
The Macedonian champion could not defeat Qarabağ defense, with Ibraimi forcing several shots but without a good finish. His best chance was in the 88th minute when he found himself behind the sport with an eternity to decide where to hit, but he chose right at the visiting keeper.
“I want to thank our players — they fought until the very end. In matches like this, it’s crucial not to lose focus until the final whistle. Our players managed to play for the result, and I congratulate them. I also want to say kind words about our opponent. They had won both matches in the previous round. With today’s performance, they proved that those victories were well-deserved against a strong team. They put us under serious pressure as well. Returning with a win from an away game against such an opponent is a big advantage. However, we must be more focused and serious in Baku because we’re facing a team that doesn’t like to lose.” – said Qarabağ’s head coach Gurban Gurbanov.
“I think this was a match in which we should not have conceded such a goal, from a situation in which we had to be more careful. To be honest, Qarabag had good chances, but so did we. We were better in the second half compared to the first, but I want to congratulate the players despite everything, and we will try to find our own mistakes, because I am responsible. We will try all our chances in Baku, because, after all, we lost by only one goal, nothing is over. If we play a perfect match, we can get a good result away from home,” said Jeton Bekjiri, the head coach of the Macedonian champions.
The return leg will be played in Azerbaijan’s capital city of Baku on August 12, where Qarabağ will look to defend their slim advantage. Shkëndija faces an uphill battle but will hope to turn the tie around with a more aggressive approach.