- Recent form: Sabah FK are in fine form, having won three and lost two of their last five.
- Form: Hapoel Beer-Sheva are in good form, winning four and losing one of their last five.
- Scoring: Hapoel's all-competition record is more volatile, but they have scored 16 times at a rate of 1.60 per-game.
Sabah's structure vs Hapoel's sharpness
Recent results
Sabah FK have been in fine form across all competitions, winning seven and losing three of their last ten fixtures, scoring an average of 1.80 goals per-game. The Bayquşlar (The Owls) beat Kapaz 2-0 in the Premier League 2026/2027, but they were then nicked 2-1 by Hapoel Beer-Sheva in UEFA Champions League Qualification 2026, so they arrive at the Tofiq Bakhramov Stadium seeking revenge on Tuesday.
Tactics
Under Valdas Dambrauskas, who has been in charge since 1 July 2025, Sabah typically set up in a 4-2-3-1 system, with a double pivot shielding the back four. Dambrauskas' side are a shape-first team and they are not frantic when they lose the ball, preferring to remain compact and wait for their three-man attacking midfield to play vertical passes or direct attacks to their target man.
Hapoel's head-to-head record makes them the value pick
Hapoel have had a mixed start to the 2026/2027 season, following up a stunning 2-0 win over FK Red Star Belgrade in UEFA Champions League Qualification 2026 with a 4-0 loss to Hapoel Haifa in the Toto Cup Ligat Al 2026.
Ran Kozuch took charge of the Camel on 1 July 2024 and his side typically set up in either a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 with wide play and a high tempo. The Camel have an average of 1.60 goals per game, slightly lower than Sabah's 1.80, and they play in a more direct and high-energy way, pressing higher and hunting transitions at pace, especially the wide ones.
Saba's structure should see them ahead
This looks like a match that could be won by small margins, with the clash between Sabah's structured game and Hapoel's direct play making it a fascinating matchup between the two. Sabah are the right side in this matchup because they're a team that has been built on structure and control, although Hapoel did edge the last meeting 2-1.
- Sabah's 1.7 odds are better than Hapoel's 6.3 and the 3.25 draw price is a reflection of this game's tightness.
- Under 2.5 goals at 1.87 seems a very fair way to go with this game, while Both Teams To Score – No at 1.98 also appeals.
- Veljko Simic has been the spark for Sabah with five goals in six games so far in UEFA Champions League Qualification 2026, and four of Sabah's last 10 goals have come from his boots.
- Zahi Ahmed is Hapoel's most dangerous finisher and has two goals in four games so far in UEFA Champions League Qualification 2026, so he is the top choice for an anytime scorer.
