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Sabah FK Qualifies for Champions League Group Stage First Time

8/27/2026

31 2 Full Breakdown

Summary

Sabah FK Qualifies

Sabah FK defeated Hapoel Beersheba 5-2 after extra time, winning 6-4 on aggregate.
The win gave Sabah FK its first-ever berth in the UEFA Champions League league phase.
Tellur Mutallimov scored in the 94th minute to force extra-time.
Djibril Diop received a second yellow card and was sent off in the 100th minute.

Summary

Aliyev Praises Sabah

President Ilham Aliyev praised Sabah FK on X, calling the qualification a “matter of special joy and pride.”
Sabah FK, founded in 2017 in Baku, won its first Premier League title in the 2025-26 season.
The club captured two Azerbaijan Cups before qualifying for the 2026-27 Champions League league phase as a Pot 4 side.

History

Historical Context

In 2008 BATE Borisov became the first Belarusian club in the UEFA Champions League group stage, joining Anorthosis Famagusta’s debut in the competition’s 54th edition. The 28 August 2008 draw in Monaco illustrated UEFA’s rule of promoting champions from lower-ranked associations, a framework that later lets clubs such as Azerbaijan’s Sabah FK aim for group-stage participation.

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Sabah FK Qualifies

Sabah FK defeated Hapoel Beersheba 5-2 after extra time, winning 6-4 on aggregate.
The win gave Sabah FK its first-ever berth in the UEFA Champions League league phase.
Tellur Mutallimov scored in the 94th minute to force extra-time.
Djibril Diop received a second yellow card and was sent off in the 100th minute.

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