50,000 people booed! Champions League cold: Dark horses reversed 3-2 in 86 minutes, waiting for 38 years to realize their dream

On the stage of the Champions League, the strength gap is often regarded as an important weather vane for the results of the game, but the charm of football lies precisely in its uncertainty - the persistence and struggle of the weak can often break the monopoly of the strong and write a passionate counterattack legend. In the early morning of September 17, in a round 1 of the 2025-2026 Champions League group stage, Karabakh from Azerbaijan used a soul-stirring reversal to interpret the football belief that "everything is possible". In a desperate situation where they were lagging behind Portuguese giant Benfica 0-2 away, they finally defeated their opponent 3-2 and won their first victory in the Champions League in history with a fierce counterattack in the second half. This victory not only brought Karabakh's dream of waiting for 38 years into reality, but also made Benfica's 50,000 home fans disappointed. The booing sounded at the scene became a clear footnote to this unpopular event.

1. Pre-match pattern: the gap between dark horses and giants, the 4700-kilometer expedition

To understand the shocking degree of this reversal, you must first see the gap in strength and background of the two teams before the game. As a traditional giant in the Portuguese Football Super League, Benfica has won the Champions League many times (including its predecessor, the European Champions League). There are many players in the team who are well-known in European football. They have obvious advantages in both overall strength, Champions League experience and home court advantages. Karabach is a "dark horse" in the Champions League. In the previous Champions League journey, it was regarded as a "bottom-skin" by many fans.

Karabakh's Champions League road is not smooth. This Azerbaijani team, founded in 1987, first stood on the Champions League stage in the 2017-2018 season. At that time, they were assigned to the "Death Group" with Chelsea, Atletico Madrid and Roma. They were eventually eliminated at the bottom of the group with 0 wins, 2 draws and 4 losses, and failed to win a victory. After 8 years, Karabach once again launched an attack on the Champions League main competition. They passed the third-level test of the first, second and play-offs of the Champions League qualifiers, defeated several European teams, and were able to enter the Champions League group stage again.

Karabach's entire team paid a huge price for the itinerary for this away game against Benfica. From Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, to the home court of Benfica in Lisbon, Portugal, the team will take a long trek of 4,700 kilometers, spanning multiple countries and waters, with a flight time of more than 6 hours. Such a long-distance expedition is a significant test of the players' physical fitness and condition. At the pre-match press conference, when asked about his expectations for the game, the head coach Karabach just said in a low-key manner: "We will do our best to show the team's best level and bring surprises to the fans." At that time, few people would have thought that this "surprise" would be so shocking.

In contrast, Benfica occupies the right time, place and people. Their home court, the Light Stadium, can accommodate more than 65,000 spectators, attracted about 50,000 fans to watch the game. Benfica's red team flags can be seen everywhere in the stadium. Fans wear red jerseys and waving scarves and start singing team songs in the stands one hour in advance, creating a warm and depressing home atmosphere. Pre-match data predictions show that Benfica's probability of winning is more than 70%, and many media even predict that Benfica may easily win with a score of 3-0 or 4-0.

2. First half: Lightning concedes the ball, 0-2 Desperate situation

After the game started, the situation seemed to be moving in the direction that most people predicted. With his home advantage, Benfica quickly controlled the rhythm of the game. Through smooth passing, the players kept putting pressure on Karabach's penalty area. In the 6th minute, Benfica was the first to break the deadlock - left winger Barenicea received a straight pass from his teammate on the left side of the penalty area, facing the defense of Karabach's defender, suddenly changed direction and broke through, and then pushed the ball into the net with a small angle. The football was placed on the right post of the goal and entered the net, 1-0! After scoring the goal, Barenicea ran to the bottom of the stands excitedly and celebrating with the fans. The thunderous cheers burst out in an instant, and the shouts of 50,000 fans almost overturned the roof of the stadium.

After conceding the ball, Karabach tried to organize a counterattack, but the team's offense was repeatedly resolved by Benfica's defense. Benfica took advantage of the situation to strengthen the attack. In the 16th minute, they expanded the score again - After midfielder Pavlidis received a return pass from his teammate outside the penalty area, he observed that the goalkeeper Karabach was standing in front and suddenly shot from a long shot. The football flew to the upper right corner of the goal like a shell. The goalkeeper tried hard to save but failed to touch the ball, 2-0! The goal climaxed the atmosphere on the scene. Benfica fans waved their arms and shouted the players' names. The big screen in the stands kept replaying the goal scenes, and many fans even began to celebrate the victory in advance.

From the 16th minute to the end of the first half, Benfica continued to control the game, with their possession of more than 65%, creating threats around Karabach's penalty area many times. Karabach's players seemed a little panicked, with more pass mistakes, and it was difficult to form an effective threat to attack. They could only rely on intensive defense to block Benfica's offense. Before the end of the first half, Benfica had an excellent chance to score a goal - Pavlitis received a cross from his teammate in the penalty area and headed the ball. The football flew out against the crossbar, which shocked the Karabach fans in a cold sweat.

The first half ended, and the score was frozen at 2-0, with Benfica leading. At this time, the fans of the Light Stadium were still cheering, while Karabach's bench seemed particularly quiet. The players lowered their heads and the head coach kept gesturing the tactical board in the locker room, as if adjusting their tactics. The live commentator said: "In the first half, Benfica performed well, Karabach was in a huge dilemma. If they wanted to reverse, they needed more effort and even some luck.. ”

Karabakh's head coach could not hide his excitement at the post-match press conference: "Our players showed tenacious will and fighting spirit in the game. Even when they were behind 0-2, they did not give up and were working hard to find opportunities. This victory is the best reward for the players' efforts and gives us more confidence in facing the next game. When asked about the tactical adjustments in the game, he said: "In the second half we increased the offensive strength, encouraged the players to attack boldly, create opportunities, and the players executed the tactics well, which is the key to our ability to reverse. ”

Benfica's head coach apologized to the fans at the press conference: "We performed very badly in this game, especially in the second half, the players' mentality was problematic, the number of defensive mistakes increased, and the offense lacked efficiency. We lived up to the expectations of the fans and I am very sorry for it. Next, we will carefully summarize the lessons of this game, adjust our state, and strive to achieve good results in the next game. ”

For Karabach's players, this victory will become an important memory in their careers. The goal-scoring hero Leandro said: "When I scored the first goal, I knew we still had a chance. My teammates worked very hard, everyone encouraged each other, and we finally achieved a reversal. This is the most memorable game of my career and I will always remember this moment. "The ultimate hero Olexi said: "That goal happened too quickly. I just turned around and shot instinctively, but I didn't expect it to go in. Looking back now, I am still very excited. This is a gift I gave to the team and the fans. ”