- Sabah FK have won three and lost two of their last five games in all competitions.
- Hapoel Beer-Sheva have won four and lost one of their last five matches in all competitions.
- Sabah FK have scored an average of 1.80 goals per game across their last ten matches, while Hapoel Beer-Sheva have averaged 1.60 from 16 goals across the same number of games.
Intriguing styles set for a clash in Azerbaijan
Sabah FK, nicknamed Bayquşlar (The Owls), had a mixed bag in their most recent competitive games, opening the season with a 2-0 win over Kapaz in the Azerbaijani Premier League 2026/2027 before falling 2-1 to Hapoel Beer-Sheva in the UEFA Champions League Qualification 2026 tie.
Valdas Dambrauskas' men have been flying in all competitions since he took charge on 1st July 2025, winning seven and losing three of their ten games, while scoring 18 goals, an average of 1.80 per match.
Dambrauskas has set up his team in a 4-2-3-1 formation, which is compact, patient, and built upon structure first, with a double pivot to screen the back four and maintain defensive compactness, quick vertical transitions when the chance arises and direct attacks from the attacking midfield trio.
Hapoel are a direct, high-energy team
Hapoel have seen their fair share of mixed results since the start of their 2026/2027 campaign, claiming a huge 2-0 win over FK Red Star Belgrade in UEFA Champions League Qualification 2026 before falling 4-0 to Hapoel Haifa in the Toto Cup Ligat Al 2026.
Ran Kozuch's men are a wider, more aggressive team than Sabah, who tend to play a compact 4-2-3-1 formation, focusing on structure and quick vertical transitions.
The game between structure-first and attack-first will be interesting and could decide who controls the game's rhythm.
Sabah can lock their opponents down
A 2-1 win for Hapoel in the second leg of this fixture means that Sabah are coming into this fixture with a point to prove.
We think this looks like a draw, perhaps with a cagey feel about it, where the Sabah structure could stifle Hapoel.
The odds for this tie are interesting, with Sabah coming in at 1.7, while Hapoel are 6.3 and the draw is 3.25.
We think under 2.5 goals at 1.87 suits the shape of this matchup, while Both Teams To Score - No at 1.98 appeals to us.
