A pivotal week in European football! Azerbaijani fans will have their eyes on not one, but four different arenas in the coming days. Both Sabah, Qarabag, Neftchi, and Zira are engaged in a life-or-death struggle for a place in the third qualifying round.

Sabah on the brink of making history

The only representative to celebrate victory in the first leg was Sabah. The Owls managed to edge past KuPS with a narrow 1-0 win, although the scoreline could have easily been 4-0 or 5-0. The return match will take place in distant Finland, on an artificial pitch, which could pose additional challenges for Valdas Dambrauskas's team. Nevertheless, our confidence in the team remains unwavering. Should Sabah overcome KuPS, they will qualify for the league stage of European competitions for the first time in their history, joining Neftchi, Qarabag, and Gabala as the fourth club to achieve this milestone in Azerbaijani football.

Qarabag's experience should prevail

As for Qarabag, the task does not appear to be straightforward. The Agdam side struggled to break down CSKA Sofia's resistance in Baku, with the Bulgarian team returning home without conceding a goal. However, there have been numerous instances where Qurban Qurbanov's team has turned around ties away from home. A notable example is last season when they lost to another Bulgarian side, Ludogorets, in Baku but advanced with a stunning 7-2 victory away. Therefore, Qarabag remains the clear favourite.

Neftchi faces a tough test

Neftchi's situation is uncertain. The Baku side has been so inconsistent that making any accurate predictions is challenging. Although Dinamo Minsk scored four goals against them, it cannot be said that the opponent was particularly strong. In the home match, the Minsk side did not win; rather, Neftchi lost due to their own mistakes. If Yuri Vernidub's team can replicate the performance from the first 15 minutes of the first leg throughout the entire match, advancing to the next round is possible. However, it must be acknowledged that the odds are not particularly high.

Zira must account for their advantage

Despite unexpectedly losing the first leg, Zira remains the favourite. Rashad Sadygov's team showed significant superiority in terms of play compared to Payde, with the conceded goal coming from a lapse in concentration in the dying minutes. If Zira can avoid ordinary misfortunes in the return match, there is little doubt they will progress to the next round.