FK Sabah
On 11 August 2026 at 17:00 BST, Sabah and Aarhus will meet in the second leg of the UEFA Champions League third qualifying round. The match will be played at the Bank Respublika Arena in Masazir.
Valdas Dambrauskas's side suffered their first defeat of the season — they could not hold out for 90 minutes in Denmark (1:2). On home soil, the Azerbaijani champions should produce a more convincing defensive display. They created enough chances even away from home, and at home their threat around the opposition goal should not drop off.
Sabah looked rock-solid in the opening rounds of Champions League qualifying. Dambrauskas' side swept aside The New Saints (4:1 on aggregate) and Finnish side KuPS (3:0), showing an excellent balance between defence and attack. Everything went wrong in Randers a week ago: their opponents scored twice by the 63rd minute despite not creating many scoring chances. Sabah almost came back — Veljko Simic reduced the deficit, and Solvey levelled in the 90th minute, but his goal was ruled out after a VAR intervention for offside. The Azerbaijani champions looked far more dangerous in the opposition half. They created almost twice as much xG (1.06-0.58) and had more shots (15-10). Sabah can lack composure at times, but their five competitive matches of the new season have shown that Dambrauskas' staff have adapted to the workload and will continue to rely on a 4-2-3-1 formation.
Aarhus have some structural issues. Leading centre-back Frederik Tingager was injured early in the first match against Sabah — without him, they had to reshuffle, while the back line played more simply and avoided risky passes. Poulsen's staff have quickly integrated the new arrivals — Andersen, Carstensen, Rösler and Jønsson are getting plenty of minutes, but the squad lacks depth. The Zambian talent James Bogere scored a brace for the Danes in the first meeting, but the 18-year-old forward had not scored a single goal in competitive matches for Aarhus before that. Substitute striker Janni Serra inspires little confidence — he was brought on late against Sabah to deal with the aerial threat.
The win over Sabah was only Aarhus' second of the current season. The Scandinavians heroically got past Lech Poznan in the previous round (6:5 on aggregate), having lost 1:4 away. In Azerbaijan, Poulsen's side will not be able to put together a reliable 90 minutes in defence — a three-defender system will make mistakes. Dambrauskas' side look the better option on home soil.
Willy Delajod (France)
Matches – 5 (international matches, 2025-2026);
Average fouls per match – 22;
Average yellow cards per match (including second yellows) – 3.2;
Matches with red cards – 1 out of 5;
Matches with penalties – 1 out of 5.
|
Valdas Dambrauskas
|
coach | ||
| Player | Matches | Goals | |
|
Line-up
|
|||
|
Stas Pokatilov
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Akim Zedadka
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Rəhman Daşdəmirov
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Steve Loic Solvet
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Tymoteusz Puchacz
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Aleksey İsayev
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Ivan Lepinjica
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Joy-Lance Mickels
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Umarali Rakhmonaliev
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Patrick Orphé Mbina
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Veljko Simić
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Substitutes
|
|||
|
Amin Ramazanov
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Rəvan Mirzəmmədov
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Aden McCarthy
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Erivaldo Almeida Santos Junior
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Abdulla Xaybulayev
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Kaheem Anthony Parris
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Rauf Rüstəmli
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Rodrigo Francisco Pinto Vieira Fernandes
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Tellur Mütəllimov
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Xander David Severina
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Christian Nwachukwu
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Younes Lachaab
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Jakob Poulsen
|
coach | ||
| Player | Matches | Goals | |
|
Line-up
|
|||
|
Mads Hedenstad Christiansen
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Colin Rösler
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Eric Andre Kahl
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Jacob Florentin Andersen
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Rasmus Bjerregaard Carstensen
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Jens Jønsson
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Kristian Fredrik Malt Arnstad
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Magnus Nordengen Knudsen
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Neo Gift Links
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
James Bogere
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Tobias Bech Kristensen
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Substitutes
|
|||
|
Jesper Hansen
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Marius van der Raad
|
gk. | 0 | 0 |
|
Christian Storch
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Mouhammade Camara
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Tobias Mølgaard Henriksen
|
df. | 0 | 0 |
|
Markus Solbakken
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Mikael Neville Anderson
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Sebastian Vinther Jørgensen
|
mf. | 0 | 0 |
|
Frederik Emmery Søgaard
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Janni-Luca Serra
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Stefen Erwan Tchamche
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
|
Tómas Óli Kristjánsson
|
fw. | 0 | 0 |
Aarhus
FK Sabah
KuPS
FK Sabah
FK Sabah
KuPS
The New Saints
FK Sabah
FK Sabah
The New Saints
Aarhus
FK Sabah
Lech
Aarhus
Aarhus
Lech
Champions League 2026/27
Aarhus
FK Sabah
| # | Team | Form | Matches played | W | D | L | G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
PSG
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6:1 | 3 |
|
2
|
Bayern Munich
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5:0 | 3 |
|
3
|
Barcelona
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5:1 | 3 |
|
4
|
Manchester United
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:0 | 3 |
|
5
|
Como
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:1 | 3 |
|
6
|
Sporting CP
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:1 | 3 |
|
7
|
Stuttgart
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:1 | 3 |
|
8
|
Manchester City
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:0 | 3 |
|
9
|
Aston Villa
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
10
|
Lens
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
11
|
Real Betis
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
12
|
Borussia Dortmund
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
13
|
Liverpool
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
14
|
Real Madrid
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
15
|
Arsenal
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1:0 | 3 |
|
16
|
AEK Athens
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1:0 | 3 |
|
17
|
AS Roma
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
18
|
Shakhtar Donetsk
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
19
|
Fenerbahce
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
20
|
PSV
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
21
|
Villarreal
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2:3 | 0 |
|
22
|
Brugge
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2:3 | 0 |
|
23
|
Lille
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2:3 | 0 |
|
24
|
Slavia Prague
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2:3 | 0 |
|
25
|
Atlético Madrid
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
26
|
Inter Milan
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
27
|
LASK Linz
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:1 | 0 |
|
28
|
Napoli
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:1 | 0 |
|
29
|
Galatasaray
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:3 | 0 |
|
30
|
Viking
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:3 | 0 |
|
31
|
Porto
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:2 | 0 |
|
32
|
RB Leipzig
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:4 | 0 |
|
33
|
Feyenoord
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:5 | 0 |
|
34
|
FK Sabah
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:4 | 0 |
|
35
|
Slovan Bratislava
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:6 | 0 |
|
36
|
Bodo Glimt
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:5 | 0 |
| # | Team | Form | Matches played | W | D | L | G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
PSG
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6:1 | 3 |
|
2
|
Bayern Munich
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5:0 | 3 |
|
3
|
Barcelona
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5:1 | 3 |
|
4
|
Manchester United
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:0 | 3 |
|
5
|
Como
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4:1 | 3 |
|
6
|
Sporting CP
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:1 | 3 |
|
7
|
Stuttgart
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:1 | 3 |
|
8
|
Borussia Dortmund
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
9
|
Liverpool
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
10
|
Real Madrid
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:1 | 3 |
|
11
|
AEK Athens
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1:0 | 3 |
|
12
|
Fenerbahce
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
13
|
PSV
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
14
|
Manchester City
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
15
|
Aston Villa
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
16
|
Lens
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
17
|
Real Betis
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
18
|
Arsenal
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
19
|
AS Roma
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
20
|
Shakhtar Donetsk
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
21
|
Villarreal
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
22
|
Brugge
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2:3 | 0 |
|
23
|
Lille
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2:3 | 0 |
|
24
|
Slavia Prague
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2:3 | 0 |
|
25
|
Atlético Madrid
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
26
|
Inter Milan
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
27
|
LASK Linz
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
28
|
Napoli
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:1 | 0 |
|
29
|
Galatasaray
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
30
|
Viking
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
31
|
Porto
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:2 | 0 |
|
32
|
RB Leipzig
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
33
|
Feyenoord
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
34
|
FK Sabah
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
35
|
Slovan Bratislava
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
36
|
Bodo Glimt
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
| # | Team | Form | Matches played | W | D | L | G | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1
|
Manchester City
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2:0 | 3 |
|
2
|
Aston Villa
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
3
|
Lens
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
4
|
Real Betis
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3:2 | 3 |
|
5
|
Arsenal
|
|
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1:0 | 3 |
|
6
|
AS Roma
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
7
|
Shakhtar Donetsk
|
|
1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1:1 | 1 |
|
8
|
PSG
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
9
|
Bayern Munich
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
10
|
Barcelona
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
11
|
Manchester United
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
12
|
Como
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
13
|
Sporting CP
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
14
|
Stuttgart
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
15
|
Borussia Dortmund
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
16
|
Liverpool
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
17
|
Real Madrid
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
18
|
AEK Athens
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
19
|
Fenerbahce
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
20
|
PSV
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
21
|
Villarreal
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2:3 | 0 |
|
22
|
Brugge
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
23
|
Lille
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
24
|
Slavia Prague
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
25
|
Atlético Madrid
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
26
|
Inter Milan
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:2 | 0 |
|
27
|
LASK Linz
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:1 | 0 |
|
28
|
Napoli
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
29
|
Galatasaray
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:3 | 0 |
|
30
|
Viking
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:3 | 0 |
|
31
|
Porto
|
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0:0 | 0 |
|
32
|
RB Leipzig
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:4 | 0 |
|
33
|
Feyenoord
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:5 | 0 |
|
34
|
FK Sabah
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:4 | 0 |
|
35
|
Slovan Bratislava
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1:6 | 0 |
|
36
|
Bodo Glimt
|
|
1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0:5 | 0 |
