The first leg between NK Celje and Sabah FK ended in a thrilling 3:2 contest, offering plenty of attacking moments. As the tie moves to Slovenia, the home side will benefit from the familiar surroundings, giving them a stronger chance of advancing to the next round. However, Sabah FK remains determined to stay in the hunt for a place in the UEFA Europa League proper.
It would be misleading to describe NK Celje as clinical in Masazyr. During the first half, the momentum clearly favoured Sabah FK. The decisive goal from Darko Hrka—who had only been on the pitch for three minutes—was just NK Celje’s third shot on target in the entire game. The Slovenian team demonstrated they can find the net even without their key forward, Armandas Kucys, who is still sidelined with a serious injury.
Sabah FK made a near-ideal start to the first leg. Despite falling behind early to a strike from Vladimir Kovacevic, they were ahead by the 18th minute thanks to a brace from Pavol Safranko. The Azerbaijanis were more proactive in the final third, finishing with a 12:9 advantage in total attempts and a 6:3 edge in shots on target. However, their substitutions failed to replicate the impact seen from NK Celje’s bench. As they head into the second leg, Sabah FK are unlikely to adopt a defensive approach—goals will be essential if they are to progress.
A week on, both NK Celje and Sabah FK are expected to produce another open contest with plenty of chances. Backing both teams to score seems a strong option with decent value.
