Lithuanian coach Valdas Dambrauskas and Azerbaijani champions Sabah, along with Slovenian champions NK Celje and Lithuanian internationals Armandas Kučys, Pijus Širvys and Artemijus Tutyškinas, all secured places in the UEFA Champions League play-off round on Tuesday evening.
After suffering a 1-2 defeat away in Denmark in the first leg, Sabah produced a remarkable comeback in front of their home supporters. The first half ended goalless, but the Azerbaijani champions dominated after the break, scoring four unanswered goals to claim a 4-0 victory on the night and a 5-2 aggregate triumph.
The breakthrough came in the 59th minute when Veljko Simic found the back of the net for his fifth goal of this season’s UEFA Champions League qualifying campaign. Sabah moved ahead on aggregate eight minutes later through Guadeloupe player Steve Solvet, before adding two further goals late on to complete an emphatic turnaround.
The victory guarantees Dambrauskas’ side at least a place in the UEFA Europa League league phase, while leaving them just one tie away from a historic first-ever appearance in the UEFA Champions League proper.
Standing between Sabah and that achievement are Israeli champions Hapoel Be’er Sheva, who produced one of the biggest surprises of the round by defeating Serbian champions Crvena Zvezda 2-0 away from home to complete a 3-0 aggregate victory.
Meanwhile, NK Celje also guaranteed themselves at least a place in the Europa League league phase after overturning a one-goal first-leg deficit against Armenian champions Ararat-Armenia. The Slovenian champions claimed a 2-0 home victory to progress 3-2 on aggregate.
All three Lithuanian internationals started the match. Armandas Kučys and Pijus Širvys were substituted in the 69th minute with the game still goalless, while Artemijus Tutyškinas played the full 90 minutes at the heart of Celje’s defence.
The breakthrough finally arrived in the closing stages. Substitute Yaya Dukuly levelled the tie on aggregate in the 83rd minute before Slovenian international Benjamin Verbič completed the comeback just two minutes later to send Celje through.
The Slovenian champions have now reached the UEFA Champions League play-off round for the first time in club history and are aiming to become the first Slovenian club since NK Maribor in the 2014/15 season to qualify for the Champions League proper.
Their final hurdle will be Slovak champions Slovan Bratislava, who comfortably defeated Swedish champions Mjällby 4-1 on aggregate to book their own place in the play-offs.
