Mansion Sports – Qarabag and Chelsea were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw on Matchday 4 of the 2025/2026 UEFA Champions League league phase at the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium.

Chelsea initially took the lead through Estevao, but the home side turned the game around with goals from Leandro Andrade and Marko Jankovic. 

The Blues eventually rescued a point thanks to Alejandro Garnacho’s equalizer in the second half.

The match was played at a high tempo and with great intensity. Chelsea dominated possession, while Qarabag were sharp in transition and dangerous on quick counterattacks. 

Both sides created several promising chances until the final whistle, with both goalkeepers making crucial saves to keep their teams in the contest.

The draw keeps both teams in the middle of the group standings, as Qarabag and Chelsea now sit level on seven points, maintaining their hopes of qualification for the knockout rounds but still facing a tough challenge in the remaining fixtures.

First Half: Qarabag Turn the Tide After Falling Behind

The match began with high intensity, but Chelsea were dealt an early setback when Romeo Lavia was forced off due to injury in the fifth minute and replaced by Moises Caicedo, slightly disrupting their rhythm in midfield.

Despite that, the visitors struck first in the 16th minute. From a swift move down the right flank, Estevao cut inside before unleashing a low drive into the bottom corner, beating goalkeeper Mateusz Kochalski. It was his second consecutive goal in the Champions League.

However, Chelsea’s advantage did not last long. The visitors struggled to cope with Qarabag’s high pressing, and defender Jorrel Hato appeared unsettled when playing out from the back, allowing the hosts to capitalize on mistakes.

In the 29th minute, Qarabag leveled the score after Hato failed to control the ball properly. Camilo Duran pounced to fire a shot that struck the post, and the rebound was quickly finished by Leandro Andrade, making it 1-1.

Buoyed by the equalizer, Qarabag increased the pressure and forced Chelsea onto the defensive. 

In the 37th minute, Hato was penalized for handball while trying to block Andrade’s cross inside the penalty area. 

Marko Jankovic stepped up and calmly converted from the spot in the 39th minute to put the hosts ahead 2-1.

Chelsea struggled to regain control and rhythm for the remainder of the half, going into the break trailing in Baku.

Second Half: Garnacho Saves Chelsea from Defeat

Chelsea manager Mauricio Pochettino made three substitutions at halftime in an effort to shift the momentum. Enzo Fernandez, Alejandro Garnacho, and Liam Delap entered the field, and their introduction immediately injected more attacking urgency into the team.

Just eight minutes after the restart, Chelsea drew level. Delap received the ball near the edge of the box and laid it off to Garnacho, who fired a precise strike into the bottom corner, bringing the score to 2-2 with a clinical finish.

The match opened up again following the equalizer. Qarabag threatened through Nariman Akhundzade’s long-range effort, while Enzo Fernandez came close to giving Chelsea the lead with a shot that curled narrowly wide.

Chelsea dominated the closing stages, with Delap and Buonanotte adding variety in attack and Estevao continuing to trouble Qarabag’s defense from the flanks. In stoppage time, Garnacho nearly scored his second with an acrobatic bicycle kick, but Kochalski produced a brilliant save to deny him.

Qarabag also came close to snatching victory in the 90+2 minute when Oleksii Kashchuk found himself in space, but his effort went straight at Robert Sanchez. 

The match ended 2-2, with both teams ultimately sharing a hard-fought point in an intense and dramatic encounter.

Match Statistics: Qarabag vs Chelsea

The draw reflected a contest of contrasting styles—Chelsea’s controlled possession against Qarabag’s disciplined counterattacks—producing a tense and evenly balanced European night in Baku.