On Thursday, 16 July 2026, Iceland's Vestri and Azerbaijan's Qarabag FK will meet in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League first qualifying round. Kick-off is at 21:00 BST at the Throttarvollur in Reykjavik.
In Baku, everything was perfectly clear: Qarabag FK thrashed Vestri 3:0, and now the side from Aghdam simply need to finish the job away from home to continue their run in the second qualifying round. The game will be played at the tiny Throttarvollur, which holds fewer than 1,600 spectators, making the contrast with the level of the opposition striking.
The Icelandic club are playing this season in the country's second tier: the team were relegated from the top flight at the end of the previous campaign, but earned a place in European competition by winning the Icelandic Cup. Vestri have been doing respectably in the domestic league: across their last five rounds, they have recorded two wins, two draws and a heavy defeat to Fylkir Reykjavik (2:5). Even so, the gap in class to opponents who regularly play in the group stage of European competitions is huge, while the entire budget of the home team is lower than the value of individual Qarabag FK players.
Last season was trophyless for Qarabag FK, while in the Champions League the club were knocked out in the play-off round by Newcastle United. Even so, the team's international experience is incomparable with that of their opponents: the Azerbaijanis play in European competitions almost every year. The first match showed a clear advantage: a goal from Jamaican newcomer Jayden Cephas, who moved from FC Pari Nizhniy Novgorod this summer, sealed the emphatic scoreline late in the game. Before the return leg, the team travelled to Iceland on a separate charter flight, while the club's supporters were allocated only 100 tickets, so organisationally the trip looks like a routine formality before progressing further.
Recovering a three-goal deficit away to a team from a higher division is an almost impossible task. We expect the side from Aghdam to settle the question of reaching the next round without any particular problems, even if they rotate their squad.
Marek Radina (Czech Republic)
Matches – 9 (international matches, 2024–2026);
Average fouls per match – 24;
Average yellow cards per match (including second yellow cards) – 5.7;
Matches with a red card – 2 out of 9;
Matches with a penalty awarded – 3 out of 9.
|
D. Osafo-Badu
|
coach | ||
| Player | Matches | Goals | |
|
Line-up
|
|||
|
Marvin Darri Steinarsson
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Albert Ingi Jóhannsson
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Elmar Atli Garðarsson
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Guðmundur Páll Einarsson
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Édson Eduardo Dias Gomes
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Birkir Eydal
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Jacob Tim Fredrik Stensson
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Sergine Modou Fall
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Emmanuel Agyemang Duah
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Johannes Daniel Erik Selvén
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Marinó Steinar Hagbarðsson
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Substitutes
|
|||
|
Ibrahima Baldé Bah
|
0 | 0 | |
|
Benedikt Jóhann Snædal
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Guðmundur Arnar Svavarsson
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Konstantin Cheshmedzhiev
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Breki Þór Hermannsson
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Fatai Adebowale Gbadamosi
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Gunnar Jónas Hauksson
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Thibang Sindile Theophilus Phete
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Þórður Gunnar Hafþórsson
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Chriss-Albin Alexander Mörfelt
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Qurban Qurbanov
|
coach | ||
| Player | Matches | Goals | |
|
Line-up
|
|||
|
Mateusz Kochalski
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Bence Várkonyi
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Bruno Alberto Langa
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Bədavi Hüseynov
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Matheus de Barros da Silva
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Abdellah Zoubir
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Kady Iuri Borges Malinowski
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Marko Janković
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Pedro Henrique Rodrigues Bicalho
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Jaly Mouaddib
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Zakaria Sarjo Sawo
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Substitutes
|
|||
|
Əli Bəşirov
|
0 | 0 | |
|
Şahrudin Məhəmmədəliyev
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Bəhlul Mustafazadə
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Daniel Lima de Castro
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Elvin Cəfərquliyev
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
H. Cəbrayılzadə
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Oleksii Kashchuk
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Samuel Gomes Lobato
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Čebrails Makreckis
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Renaldo Showayne Cephas
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
Qarabağ
Vestri
Qarabağ
Vestri
Newcastle United
Qarabağ
Qarabağ
Newcastle United
Liverpool
Qarabağ
Qarabağ
Eintracht Frankfurt
Qarabağ
Ajax
Napoli
Qarabağ
Qarabağ
Chelsea
Athletic Bilbao
Qarabağ
Qarabağ
Copenhagen
Europa League 2026/27
Qarabağ
Vestri
| # | Team | Form | Matches played | W | D | L | G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Benfica
|
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10:2 | 9 |
|
2
|
Bayer 04
|
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8:0 | 9 |
|
3
|
Bournemouth
|
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8:1 | 9 |
|
4
|
Ferencvárosi
|
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9:3 | 9 |
|
5
|
Olympiacos Piraeus
|
|
3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4:1 | 9 |
|
6
|
Saint-Gilloise
|
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8:1 | 7 |
|
7
|
Juventus
|
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9:3 | 7 |
|
8
|
Beşiktaş JK
|
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 9:5 | 7 |
|
9
|
Sunderland
|
|
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4:2 | 7 |
|
10
|
AZ Alkmaar
|
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6:2 | 6 |
|
11
|
Omonia
|
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5:4 | 6 |
|
12
|
Lyon
|
|
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5:6 | 6 |
|
13
|
Rennes
|
|
3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4:3 | 5 |
|
14
|
Real Sociedad
|
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8:3 | 4 |
|
15
|
Crystal Palace
|
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8:5 | 4 |
|
16
|
Sparta Prague
|
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5:3 | 4 |
|
17
|
Levski Sofia
|
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3:3 | 4 |
|
18
|
Dinamo Zagreb
|
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3:4 | 4 |
|
19
|
Sturm Graz
|
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1:3 | 4 |
|
20
|
NEC Nijmegen
|
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5:8 | 4 |
|
21
|
Red Bull Salzburg
|
|
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3:6 | 4 |
|
22
|
Anderlecht
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4:3 | 3 |
|
23
|
Hoffenheim
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5:5 | 3 |
|
24
|
AC Milan
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4:5 | 3 |
|
25
|
Celta
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3:4 | 3 |
|
26
|
OFI Crete
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3:4 | 3 |
|
27
|
Jagiellonia
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4:6 | 3 |
|
28
|
União Torreense
|
|
3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4:7 | 3 |
|
29
|
NK Celje
|
|
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2:7 | 1 |
|
30
|
Hapoel Be'er Sheva
|
|
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1:6 | 1 |
|
31
|
Lillestrom
|
|
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2:9 | 1 |
|
32
|
Lech
|
|
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1:9 | 1 |
|
33
|
Viktoria Plzen
|
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2:7 | 0 |
|
34
|
Marseille
|
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1:6 | 0 |
|
35
|
Celtic
|
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3:9 | 0 |
|
36
|
Ararat-Armenia
|
|
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2:11 | 0 |
| # | Team | Form | Matches played | W | D | L | G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Bournemouth
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6:0 | 6 |
|
2
|
Ferencvárosi
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6:2 | 6 |
|
3
|
Olympiacos Piraeus
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3:1 | 6 |
|
4
|
Saint-Gilloise
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5:1 | 4 |
|
5
|
Juventus
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7:2 | 4 |
|
6
|
Beşiktaş JK
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6:3 | 4 |
|
7
|
Sturm Graz
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1:0 | 4 |
|
8
|
Benfica
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:1 | 3 |
|
9
|
Bayer 04
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:0 | 3 |
|
10
|
Sunderland
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1:0 | 3 |
|
11
|
AZ Alkmaar
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
12
|
Omonia
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2:4 | 3 |
|
13
|
Lyon
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
14
|
Rennes
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
15
|
Crystal Palace
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:0 | 3 |
|
16
|
Dinamo Zagreb
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3:4 | 3 |
|
17
|
Hoffenheim
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5:3 | 3 |
|
18
|
OFI Crete
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2:2 | 3 |
|
19
|
Jagiellonia
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3:4 | 3 |
|
20
|
Sparta Prague
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
21
|
NEC Nijmegen
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
22
|
NK Celje
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2:5 | 1 |
|
23
|
Hapoel Be'er Sheva
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0:0 | 1 |
|
24
|
Lech
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1:5 | 1 |
|
25
|
Real Sociedad
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
26
|
Levski Sofia
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:1 | 0 |
|
27
|
Red Bull Salzburg
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:4 | 0 |
|
28
|
Anderlecht
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
29
|
AC Milan
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:2 | 0 |
|
30
|
Celta
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
31
|
União Torreense
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
32
|
Lillestrom
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1:8 | 0 |
|
33
|
Viktoria Plzen
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1:5 | 0 |
|
34
|
Marseille
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:1 | 0 |
|
35
|
Celtic
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2:5 | 0 |
|
36
|
Ararat-Armenia
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1:8 | 0 |
| # | Team | Form | Matches played | W | D | L | G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Benfica
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6:1 | 6 |
|
2
|
Bayer 04
|
|
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6:0 | 6 |
|
3
|
Sunderland
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3:2 | 4 |
|
4
|
Real Sociedad
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7:1 | 4 |
|
5
|
Levski Sofia
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3:2 | 4 |
|
6
|
Red Bull Salzburg
|
|
2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3:2 | 4 |
|
7
|
Bournemouth
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
8
|
Ferencvárosi
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:1 | 3 |
|
9
|
Olympiacos Piraeus
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1:0 | 3 |
|
10
|
Saint-Gilloise
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:0 | 3 |
|
11
|
Juventus
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
12
|
Beşiktaş JK
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
13
|
AZ Alkmaar
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4:1 | 3 |
|
14
|
Omonia
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:0 | 3 |
|
15
|
Lyon
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2:4 | 3 |
|
16
|
Sparta Prague
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4:2 | 3 |
|
17
|
NEC Nijmegen
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4:7 | 3 |
|
18
|
Anderlecht
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3:1 | 3 |
|
19
|
AC Milan
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4:3 | 3 |
|
20
|
Celta
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2:2 | 3 |
|
21
|
União Torreense
|
|
2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3:5 | 3 |
|
22
|
Rennes
|
|
2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2:2 | 2 |
|
23
|
Crystal Palace
|
|
2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4:5 | 1 |
|
24
|
Dinamo Zagreb
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0:0 | 1 |
|
25
|
Lillestrom
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
26
|
Sturm Graz
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:3 | 0 |
|
27
|
Hoffenheim
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:2 | 0 |
|
28
|
OFI Crete
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
29
|
Jagiellonia
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
30
|
NK Celje
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:2 | 0 |
|
31
|
Hapoel Be'er Sheva
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1:6 | 0 |
|
32
|
Lech
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:4 | 0 |
|
33
|
Viktoria Plzen
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
34
|
Marseille
|
|
2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1:5 | 0 |
|
35
|
Celtic
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:4 | 0 |
|
36
|
Ararat-Armenia
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:3 | 0 |
