Match preview — Sabah’s momentum meets Qabala’s fight at Qəbələ
The Premier League returns to Qəbələ on 16 February with a compelling clash: Qabala hosting table-toppers Sabah at the compact Qəbələ şəhər stadionu ehtiyat meydança. The surface might be familiar, but the storylines are starkly different. Qabala arrive tenacious but brittle — 10th in the table with 14 points from 18 matches, a defense that has leaked 24 goals and an attack that has managed 18. Their last run has been patchy: two wins in recent league outings, a draw against Sabah in the Azerbaijan Cup and a narrow loss to Neftçi most recently. Those results show a side that can spark, but one that also struggles to maintain consistency over 90 minutes.
Sabah, by contrast, stride into this fixture brimming with confidence. Sitting top with 46 points from 19 matches, they boast 14 wins, 4 draws and a solitary loss. Their recent form reads like a statement — eight wins and two draws in the last ten, including a convincing 4-1 league victory over Araz. Offensively they pose a constant threat: 40 goals so far this season and a potent away record with 21 goals scored on the road and seven conceded. Defensively they also impress with eight clean sheets and superior attacking numbers such as almost 259 total shots and an average of 13.58 shots per match.
What the numbers tell us — tempo, threats and likely narrative
Sabah’s overall superiority in volume stats and attacking danger is clear. They create more attacks, register more shots inside the box, and have higher averages for corners and dangerous moves. Qabala can be competitive at home, where they’ve scored ten of their 18 goals, but their defensive record at home (12 conceded) suggests vulnerabilities Sabah will look to exploit. Their recent cup meeting ended goalless, so Qabala has shown they can frustrate Sabah on occasion, but the league picture is different and favors the away side’s consistency.
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Betting suggestion: Back Sabah to win (1X2). Given Sabah’s unbeaten recent run, superior attack and defensive solidity on the road, the cleanest value lies in backing the away victory.
