Shelbourne vs Qarabağ: Overview

Shelbourne FC suffered a disappointing 0-3 defeat at the hands of Qarabağ Ağdam FK in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League second qualifying round tie at Tolka Park. The Azerbaijani champions displayed their European pedigree with a commanding performance that leaves the Irish side with a mountain to climb in the return fixture.

On a mild July evening in Dublin, the atmosphere at Tolka Park was electric as Shelbourne hosted their first Champions League qualifier in over a decade. The historic venue was packed to capacity with passionate supporters hoping to witness a famous European night, but it was the visitors who silenced the crowd with their clinical display.

Leandro Andrade opened the scoring for Qarabağ in the first half with a well-taken strike, before second-half goals from Oleksii Kashchuk and Nariman Akhundzada put the tie firmly in the visitors' control. The Azerbaijani side's experience in European competition was evident throughout, as they managed the game expertly after taking the lead.

This comprehensive victory puts Qarabağ in a commanding position ahead of the second leg in Baku, with Shelbourne now facing an uphill battle to remain in the Champions League. Should the aggregate result hold, Qarabağ will advance to face either Shkendija from North Macedonia or Romania's FCSB in the next qualifying round, while Shelbourne would drop into the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifiers.

"We're obviously disappointed with the result, but I can't fault the effort of the lads. Qarabağ showed why they've been regulars in European group stages. We've got a difficult task ahead in Baku, but in football, you never know. We'll go there and give it everything," reflected Joey O'Brien, Shelbourne's manager.

"This is only half-time in the tie, but we've put ourselves in a strong position. I'm pleased with how we adapted to the conditions and the atmosphere. Scoring three away goals is excellent, but we must maintain our focus for the second leg. Shelbourne showed they can be dangerous, especially at set-pieces," stated Qurban Qurbanov, Qarabağ's experienced coach.

"The level of Champions League football is something we're still adapting to. Qarabağ were clinical with their chances and punished our mistakes. We created some opportunities ourselves but couldn't find the finishing touch. We'll learn from this experience," said Mipo Odubeko, Shelbourne's forward.

"We executed our game plan perfectly tonight. We knew Shelbourne would have strong support, so scoring early was important to manage the atmosphere. Our experience in European competitions helped us control the match after taking the lead," explained Leandro Andrade, Qarabağ's goalscorer.

"The difference in European experience was evident tonight. Qarabağ have consistently competed at this level, while Shelbourne are returning after a long absence. The Irish side showed heart but lacked the clinical edge needed at this level," commented former Republic of Ireland international and football analyst Keith Andrews.

Possession: Shelbourne FC 42% - 58% Qarabağ Ağdam FK

Shots (On Target): Shelbourne FC 9 (3) - 14 (8) Qarabağ Ağdam FK

Corners: Shelbourne FC 5 - 7 Qarabağ Ağdam FK

Yellow Cards: Shelbourne FC 3 (Wilson, Barrett, McInroy) - 2 (Mustafazadə, Bicalho) Qarabağ Ağdam FK

Red Cards: None

Individual Performances:

• Leandro Andrade (Qarabağ): 1 goal, 3 shots on target, 89% pass completion
• Nariman Akhundzada (Qarabağ): 1 goal, 2 key passes, 7 successful dribbles
• Lorcan Healy (Shelbourne): 5 saves, including a penalty stop
• Mipo Odubeko (Shelbourne): 2 shots on target, 3 aerial duels won

Qarabağ dominated the midfield battle with Pedro Bicalho and Toral Bayramov controlling the tempo, completing 87 and 82 passes respectively. Shelbourne's Kerr McInroy fought valiantly in the center, winning 8 duels and making 4 interceptions, but the visitors' technical superiority was evident in their precise passing and movement.

The statistical dominance of Qarabağ reflected their control of the match, with the Azerbaijani champions making the most of their possession advantage to create quality scoring opportunities. Shelbourne struggled to convert their chances, with their expected goals (xG) of 0.7 contrasting sharply with Qarabağ's 2.8.

3': Early warning for Shelbourne as Andrade's curling effort from 20 yards narrowly misses the top corner.

24': GOAL! Shelbourne 0-1 Qarabağ – Leandro Andrade breaks the deadlock with a precise finish into the bottom corner after a swift counter-attack orchestrated by Kady Borges.

38': Massive chance for Shelbourne to equalize as Mipo Odubeko's header from Ali Coote's cross forces a spectacular save from Fabijan Buntić.

52': Qarabağ win a penalty after Sean Gannon's challenge on Zoubir. Lorcan Healy becomes the home hero by diving to his right to save Bicalho's spot-kick.

67': GOAL! Shelbourne 0-2 Qarabağ – The visitors double their advantage through substitute Oleksii Kashchuk, who slots home from close range after a well-worked move down the right flank.

73': Tactical switch by Shelbourne as O'Brien moves to a 3-5-2 formation in an attempt to get back into the match.

78': Yellow card for Shelbourne's Paddy Barrett after a frustrated challenge on Zoubir.

85': GOAL! Shelbourne 0-3 Qarabağ – Nariman Akhundzada puts the tie virtually beyond doubt with a superb solo effort, dribbling past two defenders before firing into the roof of the net.

90'+4: Final whistle blows with Qarabağ taking a commanding 3-0 lead back to Azerbaijan for the second leg.

The match evolved from a competitive first half-hour into a demonstration of Qarabağ's superior European experience. Shelbourne's tactical switch in the second half opened up more space for the visitors to exploit, leading to their second and third goals.

The clash between Shelbourne FC and Qarabağ Ağdam FK marks the first-ever meeting between these clubs from Ireland and Azerbaijan. With no previous head-to-head history to analyze, this UEFA Champions League qualifier represents new territory for both sides.

Historically, Irish clubs have struggled against teams from Eastern Europe and the Caucasus region in European competitions, winning just 3 of the last 15 such encounters. Qarabağ, meanwhile, have developed a reputation as European regulars, having faced British Isles opposition on multiple occasions, including victories over clubs from Scotland and Wales in recent campaigns.

The key individual battle on the pitch proved to be between Shelbourne's defensive midfielder Kerr McInroy and Qarabağ's creative force Abdellah Zoubir. The Azerbaijani side's playmaker ultimately won this duel, being involved in two of the three goals and drawing the penalty that was ultimately saved.

In the wider tactical context, Joey O'Brien's relatively inexperienced Shelbourne side found themselves outmaneuvered by Qurban Qurbanov's well-drilled Qarabağ outfit. The visitors demonstrated why they have become regulars in European group stages, with their transitional play proving particularly effective against Shelbourne's high defensive line.

This first encounter suggests a significant gap in European experience between the sides, with Qarabağ's squad featuring players who have competed in Champions League and Europa League group stages. Shelbourne will hope to use this experience as a learning opportunity as they look to establish themselves as regulars in European competition in the coming years.

The return leg in Baku will provide another fascinating chapter in this newly-established rivalry, though Shelbourne face an uphill battle to overcome the three-goal deficit at Qarabağ's imposing home stadium.

As this match represents the first leg of the UEFA Champions League second qualifying round for the 2025/26 season, there is no traditional league table to reference. Instead, the teams' positions in this knockout competition are determined by their progress through the qualifying rounds.

With this 3-0 first-leg victory, Qarabağ Ağdam FK have put themselves in an extremely favorable position to advance to the third qualifying round, where they would face either Shkendija (North Macedonia) or FCSB (Romania). The aggregate winner of that tie would then proceed to the playoff round, just one step away from the lucrative Champions League group stage.

Shelbourne FC, currently sitting in 11th position in European club rankings, face a monumental task in the return leg. Should they fail to overcome the three-goal deficit, they would drop into the UEFA Europa Conference League qualifying rounds, where they would still have an opportunity to secure European football for the autumn.

In their domestic competitions, Shelbourne are currently challenging for the League of Ireland Premier Division title, sitting in a respectable position that has enabled their Champions League qualification. Meanwhile, Qarabağ, positioned 26th in UEFA rankings, continue their dominance of Azerbaijani football as reigning champions, having qualified for European group stages multiple times in recent seasons.

This current Champions League campaign represents Shelbourne's first appearance in Europe's elite competition in over a decade, while Qarabağ are seeking to reach the group stage for the third time in their history.