In a postponed Matchday 1 fixture of the Misli Premier League, Sabah FC defeated reigning champions Qarabag to move to the top of the league table.
According to Report, the match at Bank Respublika Arena ended in a 2–1 victory for the hosts.
Qarabag opened the scoring early, with Leandro Andrade finding the net in the 9th minute. Sabah turned the game around in the second half: Joey Lance Mickels equalized in the 52nd minute, before Aron Maluda scored the winning goal late on in the 88th minute.
Following the win, Sabah lead the standings with 34 points, while Qarabag, on 33 points, drop to second place.
Coaches’ reactions
Qarabag head coach Gurban Gurbanov admitted he had anticipated a difficult match:
“I congratulate our opponents on the victory. I expected this kind of game. The team has been expending a lot of energy lately, and we have several injured and ill players. Of course, this is not an excuse, but the defeat should serve as additional motivation.”
Sabah coach Valdas Dambrauskas, meanwhile, urged his players not to focus on the league table:
“First of all, I want to congratulate my players. They delivered an incredible performance today, especially against a team that has made a strong impression in Europe. I rarely look at the standings and asked the players not to do so either. There is still one match left before the winter break, and we are preparing for it with full focus.”
