Sabah’s first Champions League campaign has already produced a landmark night in Baku, where the Azerbaijani newcomers beat Slavia Prague 2-0 to register the club’s maiden win in the competition. Founded in 2017, Sabah have now defeated opponents whose history reaches back to 1892, responding to their heavy opening loss at Old Trafford with a result that changes the scale of their European week.
| Champions League match | Score |
|---|---|
| Sabah v Slavia Prague | 2-0 |
Vladimir Dambrauskas’ side approached the occasion with greater purpose from the opening stages, aware that Slavia offered a realistic chance to claim the first Champions League points and goals in Sabah’s short existence. The Baku club is owned by an Azerbaijani business conglomerate, while Dambrauskas brings his own unusual backstory to the touchline after previously winning the television quiz show Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
A first European goal for Parris
Jamaican winger Parris thought he had written his name into Sabah history before the interval, only for a tight offside call to rule out his left-footed finish. Slavia had their moments too, with the 1.99m forward Tomáš Chorý denied twice by Solvet, but the home side continued to find spaces after the restart.
Four minutes into the second half, Sabah had the goal that had previously eluded them in the Champions League. Lepinjica surged forward and pulled the ball back for Parris, whose left-footed strike put the Azerbaijani side ahead.
It was a defining moment for a player whose route to Baku has been far from straightforward. Once regarded as a promising young talent in Jamaica, Parris later played in Slovenia and Ukraine, where the outbreak of war interrupted his time in the country. He subsequently settled at Sabah and has now become the club’s first scorer in Europe’s leading competition.
Slavia punished as Sabah finish the job
The goal brought a sharper response from Slavia. Pokatilov produced an outstanding close-range save, one that rivalled Parris’ finish for importance, as the visitors pressed for an equaliser.
Instead, Sabah were handed the chance to seal an extraordinary result. Slavia goalkeeper Markovic came out poorly and the defensive clearance that followed was badly mishit, allowing Mickels to capitalise and make it 2-0.
The finish carried special weight for the German forward, who is also a Rwanda international. Mickels is in his sixth season with Sabah and has witnessed the club’s rapid rise from close quarters; his goal ensured that their first Champions League victory would be remembered not merely for the opponent beaten, but for the way a young club made itself heard across the continent.
