Azerbaijan's home strength could turn the tide: prediction for Sabah vs Hapoel Be'er Sheva
Sabah FK
The second leg of the Champions League qualification playoff between Sabah and Hapoel Be'er Sheva will take place on August 25, 2026, at the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium in Baku. After the first encounter, the Azerbaijani club trails 1-2, so the hosts need to overturn a narrow deficit to make history and reach the main stage of the tournament.
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Sabah: home turf has already sparked a comeback
Sabah started the first leg perfectly, with Veljko Simic opening the scoring in the sixth minute. However, Valdas Dambrauskas' squad couldn't hold on to their advantage, allowing their rivals to turn the match around - 1-2.
At home, though, the Azerbaijanis look far more convincing. In this qualifying campaign, they've won every European match at their own ground, and against Aarhus, they already clawed back from a 1-2 deficit in the first leg, crushing the Danes 4-0 in the return.
Hapoel Be'er Sheva: slim advantage offers little comfort
The Israeli champions showed real grit in the opener. After conceding early, Jayvon East leveled the score before halftime, and Igor Zlatanovic secured the win for Hapoel.
Ran Kozhuk's team has now won four straight matches in Champions League qualification and already proved they can get results on the road. Their 2-0 victory over Crvena Zvezda in the previous round was particularly telling.
Match facts
- The first leg ended with a 2-1 win for Hapoel Be'er Sheva.
- Sabah has won all of their home matches in this season's Champions League qualification.
- In the previous round, the Azerbaijanis bounced back from a 1-2 defeat to AGF by thrashing them 4-0 at home in the return leg.
The hosts can repeat their comeback: prediction for Sabah vs Hapoel Be'er Sheva
Sabah has already shown how dramatically their game changes at home. Simic is in top form, and the need to fight back should push the hosts to attack from the opening whistle.
Hapoel are resilient and know how to defend a lead, but constant pressure in Baku could become the deciding factor. Given Sabah's formidable home form, another high-scoring comeback could well be on the cards.
