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Valdas Dambrauskas guides Sabah FK to 2026-27 Champions League league phase

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 10, 2026, 7:40 AM

Last updated Sep 10, 2026

Valdas Dambrauskas guides Sabah FK to 2026-27 Champions League league phase

Summary

Sabah FK earned a spot in the 2026-27 UEFA Champions League league phase after a comeback victory against Hapoel Be'er Sheva in the final qualifying round. Trailing by one goal on aggregate, Sabah forced extra time with a 94th-minute goal from Tellur Mutallimov before securing a 5-2 second-leg win. This achievement marks the first time the Azerbaijani club has qualified for the league phase of a European competition. Manager Valdas Dambrauskas, who joined the club in June 2025, previously guided the team to its first domestic league title. Dambrauskas began his career after using winnings from a Lithuanian game show to fund his coaching education in England, eventually working with youth setups and several European clubs before arriving at Sabah.

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By the Numbers

•Sabah FK qualified for the Champions League league phase by overcoming Hapoel Be'er Sheva.
•Tellur Mutallimov scored a 94th-minute goal to force extra time in the second leg.
•The club won the second leg 5-2 to overturn a 2-1 aggregate deficit.
•Valdas Dambrauskas joined the club in June 2025 and led them to their first league title.
•Dambrauskas funded his early coaching badges after appearing on a Lithuanian game show in 2002.

Latest Updates

7:40 AMYahoo Sports — How Sabah coach Valdas Dambrauskas went from Lithuanian game show to Champions League history

What they're saying

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One of the most fascinating stories to come out of the early phases of this year's UEFA Champions League competition involves newly-formed Azerbaijani club Sabah FK and their mercurial coach.
— Yahoo Sports

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