Sabah FK - Hapoel Beer Sheva Champions League qualifying tickets at Bank Respublika Arena in Masazır

Sabah FK and Hapoel Beer Sheva ahead of the match that opens the door to the league phase

Sabah FK and Hapoel Beer Sheva meet in the second leg of the Champions League qualifying play-off, with direct qualification for the league phase of the competition at stake. The match at Bank Respublika Arena comes after the first leg on 19 August, so the final tactical picture of the return leg will depend on the result of the first encounter. What can already be said is that both teams enter the final stage of qualifying after convincing progress through the previous round.

For Sabah, this is the continuation of an exceptionally successful summer. The club from Masazır got past The New Saints, KuPS Kuopio and Aarhus, with its response against the Danish side being particularly strong: after a 1-2 away defeat, Sabah won the return leg 4-0 and advanced 5-2 on aggregate. Hapoel Beer Sheva eliminated Crvena zvezda in the previous round with two victories, 1-0 and 2-0, without conceding a goal across the entire tie.

Tickets for this match have been in demand among supporters.

What is at stake for both teams

This is not another qualifying stop followed by another round. The winner of the tie advances to the league phase of the Champions League, while the losing team continues its season in the league phase of the Europa League. Both sides have already secured European football in the autumn, but the difference between those two competitions changes the level of opposition and the value of the season.

Sabah reached the play-off by overcoming three consecutive qualifying hurdles. The results show a team capable of winning both at home and away, but also of responding after a defeat.

• Sabah 2-0 The New Saints
• The New Saints 1-2 Sabah
• Sabah 1-0 KuPS Kuopio
• KuPS Kuopio 0-2 Sabah
• Aarhus 2-1 Sabah
• Sabah 4-0 Aarhus

In six European matches along that route, Sabah recorded five wins and only one defeat. The pattern from the third round is particularly important: Valdas Dambrauskas's team did not panic after the 1-2 defeat in Denmark, but increased the pressure in the return leg as the match progressed. In the 4-0 victory, the scorers were Veljko Simić, Stiv Solvet, Joy-Lance Mickels and Xander Severina. Four different scorers show that Sabah does not depend on a single focal point in attack.

Hapoel Beer Sheva reached the same stage by a shorter route, but showed a similar ability to respond to an uncomfortable first-leg result. Against Víkingur Reykjavík, it lost the first match 1-2, then won 2-0 at home and advanced 3-2 on aggregate. The next tie against Crvena zvezda was much more controlled: 1-0 in the first match and 2-0 in the second.

• Víkingur Reykjavík 2-1 Hapoel Beer Sheva
• Hapoel Beer Sheva 2-0 Víkingur Reykjavík
• Hapoel Beer Sheva 1-0 Crvena zvezda
• Crvena zvezda 0-2 Hapoel Beer Sheva
• Hapoel Haifa 4-0 Hapoel Beer Sheva

The final result on the list comes from a domestic cup competition on 15 August and serves as a warning that European form does not guarantee stability in every match. The 0-4 defeat to Hapoel Haifa was heavy, but at the same time came only a few days after the 2-0 victory in Belgrade. It will be important to see how heavily the team was rotated and what its physical reaction will be before the first meeting with Sabah.

Sabah's form and the players coming into focus

Sabah opened its domestic league campaign on 15 August with a 2-0 victory over Kəpəz. Joy-Lance Mickels scored from the penalty spot, while Xander Severina completed the scoring late on. These are the same two attacking players who were among the scorers in the 4-0 victory over Aarhus, so they approach the return leg against Hapoel Beer Sheva with fresh confirmation of their effectiveness.

Mickels is the type of player who can attack space from the wing but also move into finishing areas. Severina provides a different kind of threat because he can appear behind the first attacking line and exploit situations in which the opposition defence becomes stretched. Veljko Simić also scored against Aarhus, while centre-back Stiv Solvet contributed a goal from the defensive line. Such a distribution of goals makes it more difficult to defend by focusing only on one attacker.

During the previous season, Dambrauskas often used a structure with four defenders and three attacking players behind or around the central striker. In the current qualifying campaign, more important has been Sabah's ability to keep enough players behind the ball and then accelerate down the flanks. Against Aarhus, the team also showed that it can make a major difference in the second half: all four goals in the return leg came after the break.

For the return match, a key factor will be how much Sabah needs to chase the result. If it brings an advantage from the first leg, possession does not have to be an objective in itself. If it has to overturn a deficit, the width provided by Mickels and Severina, together with midfield runs into the final third, will become even more important.

Hapoel Beer Sheva arrives with a team that knows how to play for a result

Hapoel Beer Sheva is the champion of its domestic league from the 2025/26 season, and the team is coached by Ran Kozuch. In its European matches this summer, a clear pragmatism has been visible: the defeat in Iceland was followed by a victory without conceding, and then two wins over Crvena zvezda with a combined score of 3-0.

In the first match against Crvena zvezda, the winning goal was scored by Zahi Ahmed. In the return leg in Belgrade, the scorers were Igor Zlatanović and Javon East. These are three different players who decided matches in the same qualifying round. Eliel Peretz and Mohammad Kna'an are also part of the midfield and attacking framework that can change the rhythm of a match, while the experience of goalkeeper Ofir Marciano and defender Miguel Vítor gives the team a recognisable spine.

Kozuch used a 4-3-3 formation in the first match against Crvena zvezda. Such a structure can turn into a deeper block when the opponent has the ball, before opening space for a quicker transition towards East or Zlatanović. For Sabah, this means that greater possession will not necessarily also mean control of the match. Losing the ball in midfield could give Hapoel exactly the situations it wants.

The status of several players should be monitored until matchday. Ahead of the domestic match between Hapoel Haifa and Hapoel Beer Sheva, FotMob listed Djibril Diop with a thigh injury, Pedro Amador with an Achilles tendon problem and João Victor with a hamstring injury. This does not mean they will all miss the return leg, but their status could affect the depth of the defensive options.

Tactical battle: Sabah's width against Hapoel's control of space

The most interesting part of the match could be Sabah's reaction to losing the ball after an attack. The home side has players who naturally seek width and acceleration, but every additional player sent towards the penalty area opens space behind them. Hapoel showed against Crvena zvezda that it does not need a large number of chances to gain or increase an advantage.

Sabah will therefore have to balance the pressure of the crowd with patience. Bank Respublika Arena is a compact stadium and the home rhythm can very quickly raise the intensity, especially if Sabah wins several second balls early or produces a sequence of attacks. However, an opponent that went through two matches against Crvena zvezda without conceding has already shown that it can survive longer periods without dominating possession.

One of Hapoel's priorities will be closing the channels towards Mickels and Severina. If it forces them to receive the ball with their backs to goal or far from the penalty area, Sabah loses some of its vertical threat. On the other hand, defending too narrowly can open space for the full-backs and allow the home side to attack the far post.

Both teams have reasons to be cautious at set pieces. Solvet has already scored in the return leg against Aarhus, while Hapoel has experienced and physically strong players in central areas. In a match in which one goal can completely change the overall balance of the tie, corners and free kicks may carry greater significance than in an ordinary league fixture.

Bank Respublika Arena: a compact stage in Masazır

Sabah plays its home matches at Bank Respublika Arena in Masazır. The club states that the stadium was built in 2014, that it was previously called Alinja Arena and that it has carried its current name since 2019. The capacity stated by the club is 8700 seats. The address for arrival is Masazır qəsəbəsi, Qurtuluş 93, Baku 0116.

• Location: Masazır, the Abşeron area next to the wider urban area of Baku
• Capacity according to club information: 8700 seats
• Year built: 2014.
• Address: Masazır qəsəbəsi, Qurtuluş 93, Baku 0116
• Home team: Sabah FK

For a supporter staying in central Baku, it is important to know that the stadium is not in the central city zone. The safest plan is to allow extra time for traffic towards Masazır and not assume that the final part of the journey will resemble arriving at a stadium next to a central metro station. Public transport towards Masazır includes bus connections with city transport hubs, including a route towards Memar Əcəmi station, but timetables and stops should be checked immediately before departure.

For this match, verified sources have not yet published any special parking arrangements or the exact gate-opening time. It is therefore sensible to arrive earlier, especially when travelling by car or taxi. It is worth entering the stadium's address directly into navigation, because the name Masazır covers a wider populated area.

It is worth securing tickets in good time.

What to expect in the stands and around the stadium

The capacity of 8700 seats gives this match a different dimension from European matches at large stadiums. At a smaller stadium, full stands create a denser atmosphere and quickly raise the tempo. Sabah has already shown in this qualifying cycle how much its home ground can help: at home it defeated The New Saints, KuPS and Aarhus, and did not concede a goal in those three matches.

Hapoel Beer Sheva supporters are coming to watch a team that won both at home and in Belgrade in the previous round. The home supporters, on the other hand, have the fresh experience of the comeback against Aarhus, when Sabah responded to an away defeat with a 4-0 victory. Because of that, the emotional tone of the return leg will largely depend on the opening 20 to 30 minutes and, even more, on the result of the first match.

If Sabah has to attack, pressure from the home crowd can be expected with every ball won in the final third. If it is defending an advantage, the atmosphere will probably change over time: every successfully repelled visiting attack will become more important. Hapoel has already shown that it does not have to open up in order to be dangerous, so patience in the stands is almost as important as patience on the pitch.

Seats in the stands are disappearing quickly.

Practical plan for matchday

For a visitor going to Bank Respublika Arena for the first time, the most important thing is to organise the journey before setting off towards the stadium. Masazır is part of the Abşeron area, and the navigation destination should be the stadium's full address, not only the name of the settlement. Public transport towards Masazır exists, but for a major sporting event extra time should be allowed because of traffic and possible route changes.

• Check the result of the first match before planning the expected scenario for the return leg.
• Use the full address of the stadium in Masazır for navigation.
• If you use public transport, check the current outbound and return services before travelling.
• If you arrive by car, allow extra time because special parking arrangements have not yet been confirmed.
• Check the gate-opening time on matchday because it has not yet been confirmed in the available sources.

From a sporting perspective, Sabah enters the match with a run of home wins in qualifying and with Mickels and Severina having scored in the last two matches. Hapoel Beer Sheva arrives with the experience of two consecutive victories over Crvena zvezda and with attackers who have already decided demanding European matches. The result of the first match will determine whether Masazır sees a patient tactical battle or an open chase for goals.

Sources:
- Competition organiser's website - play-off schedule, qualifying format and results from previous rounds.
- Sabah FC - qualifying match results, coach, squad and information about Bank Respublika Arena.
- Hapoel Beer Sheva FC - 2025/26 league championship, coach and current club information.
- Global Sports Archive - confirmation of the Sabah FK - Hapoel Beer Sheva pairing and information on Hapoel's squad and formation in the previous round.
- FotMob - latest results of both teams, scorers and the currently listed injury status of Hapoel Beer Sheva players.
- Waze and local location data - address of Bank Respublika Arena and navigation information for Masazır.