How Sabah coach Valdas Dambrauskas went from Lithuanian game show to Champions League history originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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.
Valdas Dambrauskas has led the young club to not only its first-ever top flight ***** le, but now their first-ever trip to the league phase of any European competition, let alone the Champions League.
Sabah became one of the final league phase qualifiers in the 2026/27 competition as they reversed a 2-1 aggregate deficit to Hapoel Be'er Sheva in the final qualifying round, winning the second leg 5-2 in a stunning comeback. Trailing 4-3 on aggregate heading into stoppage time of the second leg, Tellur Mutallimov scored in the 94th minute to send the match to extra-time, where they would win the game with a pair of goals in the added period.
That sent Sabah to the lucrative league phase, which has changed the trajectory of the club forever.

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