If Leandro Andrade is on the field, the fans should ideally be in their seats on time: since Wednesday evening, the Qarabag Agdam striker has become the first professional footballer to score a goal in the first minute in three different European Cup games.
The 26-year-old took the lead after 48 seconds in his team’s Champions League game at Athletic Bilbao.
A Cape Verdean goal in the first minute of the game? It wasn’t the first time, as statisticians noted after the end of the game: In the Qarabag jersey, Andrade scored against BK Häcken (2:1) in 2023 and against FCS Bucharest (2:3) in the Europa League at the beginning of 2025 – a feat and a unique selling point at the same time.
Europe’s most accurate early starter would probably have been happy to forego the bizarre record after the final whistle: Qarabag lost 1:3 (1:1) despite a dream start.
It was the first defeat of the Champions League season for the Azerbaijani club, while Bilbao clinched their first three points in front of their home crowd.