Azerbaijan’s Sabah reached the UEFA Champions League league phase for the first time in the club’s history after a dramatic 5-2 extra-time victory over Israeli side Hapoel Beer-Sheva, securing a 6-4 aggregate win, APA reports.
Igor Zlatanović put Hapoel Beer-Sheva ahead in the 10th minute, but Christian Nwachukwu restored parity for Sabah in the 38th minute.
Hapoel Beer-Sheva regained their two-goal aggregate advantage in the 61st minute, taking a 4-2 lead in the tie following a spell of pressure. Guy Mizrahi produced a cool first-time finish from a central position outside the box, meeting a misplaced pass and finding the back of the net with a clipped right-footed effort.
Sabah responded in the 74th minute when Umarali Rakhmonaliev found the net with an accurate long-range strike.
Tellur Mutallimov then kept Sabah’s hopes alive with an exquisite volley in the fourth minute of added time, making it 4-4 on aggregate and forcing the match into extra time.
Sabah completed their remarkable comeback in the 101st minute. Aleksey Isaev curled a cross from the left toward the near post, where Orphe Mbina finished to put Sabah 5-4 ahead on aggregate.
Joy-Lance Mickels then sealed Sabah’s historic victory in the 115th minute, as his shot struck the crossbar before bouncing into the net to give the Azerbaijani side a 6-4 aggregate lead.