Emmanuel Addai makes history in UEFA Champions League cameo against Copenhagen
2nd October 2025
Emmanuel Addai climbed off the bench to deliver a moment of magic for Qarabag FK, scoring the decisive goal in their 2–0 UEFA Champions League Matchday 2 victory over FC Copenhagen in Baku.
The 24-year-old Ghanaian forward, introduced with 20 minutes to play, needed just 13 minutes to make his mark — receiving a pass from Nariman Ahmad Akhundzade, fending off his marker, and powering home in the 83rd minute.
Addai’s goal — his first in Europe’s elite competition after eight appearances (six in qualifiers) — earned him an 8.6 Sofascore rating, capping a remarkable rise from academy football to continental glory.
His goal secured a historic back-to-back victories for FK Qarabag in the competition as they now sit 6th on the 37-club table amongst the elites. This happens to be their only second participation in the competition after their debut in the 2017/18 season where they got eliminated in the Group stages after securing only two points in six games.
From Bamako to Baku
Only four years ago, Addai was playing for JMG Academy Bamako in Mali. After stints in France and Spain’s lower tiers, representing FC Bogigny and AD Alcorcon respectively, he now joins an elite group of Ghanaian scorers in the UCL group stages.
He becomes the first Ghanaian player to score in the UEFA Champions League Group stages after three years, breaking the jinx after only 44 minutes in the competition.
Before this milestone, it was Right To Dream Academy graduates, Mohammed Kudus and Kamal Sowah who scored in back-to-back Group stage games in September and October 2022 for Ajax and Club Brugge respectively
Addai’s milestone rekindles excitement around Ghana’s attacking depth ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, with fans hopeful he’ll earn a Black Stars call-up for the final doubleheader against CAR and Comoros.