One of the biggest surprises of this Champions League campaign is called Sabah Baku. The team from Azerbaijan, created only nine years ago, achieved a historic qualification for the main phase after a dramatic comeback against Hapoel Beer-Sheva.
From elimination to celebration in just a few minutes
Sabah were very close to going out, in a match that for a long time seemed to be going in favor of the Israeli team. Hapoel Beer-Sheva had built a 4-2 aggregate lead in the 61st minute, when Guy Mizrahi scored with a shot from outside the box.
When qualification seemed sealed, the team from Baku reacted late on. Tellur Mutallimov, brought on as a substitute, scored in stoppage time and changed the course of the entire tie, sending the match into extra time.
Extra time sealed the historic comeback
After the dramatic equalizer, Sabah took complete control of the match. Gabonese striker Orphe Mbina scored with a header in the 101st minute, while Joy-Lance Mickels added a third goal in extra time in the 115th minute.
In the end, Sabah won 5-2 in the second leg and 6-4 on aggregate, securing a place in the Champions League main phase for the first time in the club’s history.
A heavy blow for Hapoel Beer-Sheva
The elimination was even more painful for the Israeli side because of the way it happened. From a clear aggregate advantage, Hapoel ended up collapsing at the end of the match.
The situation became even more complicated in extra time, when Djibril Diop and Eliel Peretz were shown second yellow cards, leaving the team with nine players.
Sabah among the 36 teams in the new phase
With this success, Sabah will be part of the draw for the main phase, which will be held on Thursday in Monaco. The Azerbaijani club thus enters the group of 36 teams that will compete in the new Champions League format.
Sabah will also be one of the debutants at this stage, together with Italy’s Como, in a season that has already taken on the dimensions of an unusual European story for the club from Baku.
For such a young club, this qualification is a rare leap in European football.
From a team that was seconds away from elimination, Sabah Baku turned overnight into one of the most talked-about names in the Champions League.