Aras and Sabah met in the Azerbaijan Premier League on Sunday, with the visitors claiming a 1-0 win thanks to a goal from O. Mbina. The match took place at the regular-season third round fixture on August 31st, and Sabah's narrow victory moved them clear of the lower half of the table.
Mbina broke the deadlock just after the interval, finding the net in the 49th minute to settle a match that had been evenly poised. The goal came as a relief for the away side, who had endured a difficult opening day and were looking to build momentum.
Sabah made several changes during the second half, bringing on C. Nwachukwu in the 67th minute before a double substitution in the 68th saw T. Mutallimov and K. Parris enter the fray. Further adjustments followed, with A. Isayev coming on at the hour mark and both A. Sudi and R. Muradov appearing in the 85th minute.
The statistics tell a story of away dominance, though the margin was slim. Sabah controlled 67 per cent of possession and registered 106 attacks compared to Aras's 82, while also creating more chances with eight shots on target against two.
By then, Aras were drawing comparisons to their recent struggles, having lost 5-0 to Neftchi Baku in their opening fixture and only managed a goalless draw with Mil-Mugan before that. They sit 11th with a single point from two matches, a position that reflects a season yet to truly begin.
Sabah meanwhile occupy sixth place with three points from one game, and this win gives them a platform to push higher. The result ends their European disappointment against Hapoel Be'er Sheva and caps a week where they showed resilience after losing 1-2 to the same opposition.
