Sabah staged a dramatic recovery on 25 August 2026 in Baku, beating Hapoel Be'er Sheva 5:2 after extra time in the Champions League Q4 return and overturning a 1:2 first-leg deficit to reach the competition's group stage for the first time in club history.
Hapoel opened in the 10th minute through Igor Zlatanovic; Christian Nwachukwu equalised before half-time. Guy Mizrahi put Hapoel ahead again in the 61st minute, but Umarali Rakhmonaliev and Tellur Mutallimov (90+4) forced extra time. Sabah then scored twice in the added period — Mbina (101') and Joy-Lance Mickels (115') — while Hapoel saw Djibril Diop and Eliel Peretz sent off late in extra time.
The win marks Azerbaijan's third-ever representation in the Champions League group stage and the second consecutive season with a club in the main draw. Hapoel will continue in the Europa League. Kahim Parris, formerly of Dynamo Kyiv, played 63 minutes and received a yellow card in the match.