Sabah advanced in the UEFA Champions League qualifying rounds after a breathtaking 3-2 victory over Hapoel Be'er Sheva, with the decisive goal arriving in the 115th minute of extra time. The five-goal contest pushed both sides to their limits across 120 grueling minutes, but it was the Azerbaijani club that ultimately earned the right to progress, sending Hapoel Be'er Sheva home in heartbreaking fashion.

The match was defined by Sabah's relentless attacking intent. The hosts fired an astonishing 31 shots over the course of the contest, pinning Be'er Sheva back for long stretches and creating chance after chance. That they needed extra time to settle the affair was in large part due to Ofir Marciano, who produced seven saves in the Hapoel goal to keep his side alive far longer than the balance of play suggested they deserved. Time and again, Marciano threw himself in the way of Sabah's attacks, and for long periods it seemed his heroics might be enough to deny the hosts.

Aleksey Isayev was central to Sabah's creative engine, registering two assists on the night and serving as the link between midfield and attack. His ability to find teammates in dangerous positions kept Be'er Sheva's defense under constant pressure and ensured that even when one avenue was closed, another opened. Alongside him, Tymoteusz Puchacz was exceptional in a playmaking role, delivering six key passes — the most by any player on the pitch. Puchacz's range of passing stretched the Israeli side's backline repeatedly and laid the groundwork for several of Sabah's best opportunities.

On the Hapoel side, Joy-Lance Mickels was the standout creative presence, contributing five key passes as Be'er Sheva fought to stay in the tie. Mickels helped engineer both of his team's goals, ensuring that the visitors twice drew level and forced the game into extra time. His efforts ensured the contest remained in doubt right until the final stages of the additional period.

The climax arrived in the 115th minute, when Sabah finally broke the deadlock for good to make it 3-2. After so many near-misses and so many saves from Marciano, the goal that decided the tie felt both inevitable and agonizing — inevitable given Sabah's sheer volume of chances, and agonizing for a Be'er Sheva side that had defended with extraordinary resilience. For Sabah, the reward is progression in Europe's premier club competition, while Hapoel Be'er Sheva are left to reflect on what might have been had Marciano's brilliance been enough to hold out for penalties.