It was an unforgettable night for Azerbaijani football. In the second leg of the UEFA Champions League play-off round, Sabah FK defeated Israeli side Hapoel Beer Sheva 5-2 after extra time in Baku, achieving the biggest success in the club's history.

After losing the first leg 2-1, Sabah refused to give up despite falling behind again on home soil and eventually reached the Champions League league phase with a 6-4 aggregate victory. Founded in 2017, the young Azerbaijani club has now earned the right to compete in the league phase of Europe's most prestigious club competition for the first time in its history.

🇦🇿 A special night for football in Baku

I had the opportunity to watch the match from the stands at the Tofiq Bahramov Republican Stadium on the evening of August 25. Even before kick-off, the atmosphere inside the stadium made it clear that this was going to be far more than an ordinary qualifying match.

With approximately 27,890 supporters watching the game, the energy in the stands reached incredible levels, particularly during the final stages. The noise grew with every Sabah attack and reached an extraordinary level after the equalizing goal in the 90+4th minute.

Being there in person for such an important Champions League night in Baku was also a special experience for me. There is genuinely a huge difference between feeling the excitement of the final minutes on television and experiencing it inside the stadium.

Hapoel made a fast start

Sabah FK were not in an advantageous position heading into the second leg. After losing 2-1 to Hapoel Beer Sheva in the first match, the Azerbaijani side needed at least a two-goal victory to reach the league phase.

The opening stages of the match were far from easy for Sabah.

Hapoel took the lead in the 10th minute when Igor Zlatanović found the net. The visitors moved 3-1 ahead on aggregate, making Sabah's task even more difficult.

But Sabah FK refused to give up.

Christian Nwachukwu's goal in the 38th minute made it 1-1 and gave the home supporters renewed hope. The first half ended with the score level.

The tension increased in the second half

Sabah increased the pressure after the break, but Hapoel Beer Sheva managed to take the lead once again.

Guy Mizrahi's goal in the 61st minute put the visitors 2-1 ahead. Sabah's task had once again become extremely difficult.

But the night in Baku was far from over.

Umarali Rakhmonaliyev brought Sabah level again in the 74th minute. The score was 2-2, but that result would still have been enough for Hapoel to progress.

The 90+4th-minute goal changed everything

As normal time approached its conclusion, Sabah's hopes appeared to be fading away.

Then Tellur Mütallimov stepped up.

The goal in the 90+4th minute made it 3-2 and opened the door to extra time, with Sabah moving ahead on aggregate for the first time.

It is genuinely difficult to describe what happened inside the stadium after that goal. All the tension that had built up throughout the match suddenly turned into enormous celebration when the goal arrived in the final seconds.

Normal time ended 3-2, bringing the aggregate score to 4-4. The tie was heading to extra time.

Sabah stormed through extra time

During extra time, the psychological advantage was completely on Sabah's side.

The match ended with Sabah FK winning 5-2, while the aggregate score over the two legs was 6-4.

Sabah FK make history

This result is more than just a match victory. It represents an important milestone for Azerbaijani football.

Founded in 2017, Sabah FK have reached the Champions League league phase for the first time in their nine-year history. Although the club had previously competed in UEFA competitions, this achievement represents the biggest step forward in Sabah's European football journey.

And this achievement did not come easily. Sabah overcame The New Saints, KuPS and AGF in the Champions League qualifying rounds before coming from behind against Hapoel Beer Sheva in the play-off round to secure their historic place in the league phase.

An unforgettable football night in Baku

Being at the stadium last night once again showed why this match was so special.

The excitement created by Sabah FK's 90+4th-minute goal turned into a true football spectacle with the two goals in extra time. The support from the stands throughout the match was particularly impressive during the final stages.

Football is sometimes more than just 90 minutes. Sometimes it is a goal in the 90+4th minute, followed by 30 minutes of extra time and, finally, a historic achievement.

That is exactly the story that unfolded in Baku last night.