Sabah FA host Hapoel Beer Sheva at the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium on August 25, 2026, in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League Play-offs tie, with a place in the group stage at stake. This is the defining fixture of both clubs' European campaigns to date, and the context is unambiguous: Sabah FA must overturn a deficit on home soil after losing the first leg 2-1 to Hapoel Beer Sheva on August 19, 2026.

The aggregate picture places clear pressure on Valdas Dambrauskas's side. Having conceded twice away from home in the opening leg, Sabah FA need to win by a two-goal margin (or by any scoreline that overturns the deficit) in front of their own supporters to progress, while Hapoel Beer Sheva, under Ran Kozuch, can afford to set up with the tie somewhat in hand, knowing a draw or even a narrow defeat may be sufficient depending on the scoreline. This dynamic should push Sabah FA into a more front-footed approach than their recent European away form suggested, while Hapoel Beer Sheva may look to manage the game and exploit space in behind.

Both sides arrive with contrasting momentum heading into the tie. Sabah FA's route through the qualifying rounds included a demanding tie against Aarhus, in which they won the home leg 4-0 on August 11, 2026, but lost the away leg 2-1 on August 5, 2026, showing they are capable of both dominant and vulnerable performances within the same tie. Hapoel Beer Sheva, meanwhile, defeated FK Crvena Zvezda across two legs in the previous round, a result that speaks to their pedigree in this year's competition, though their August 15, 2026 defeat to Hapoel Haifa in the Toto Cup shows their form outside Europe has been less consistent.

With no injury concerns reported for either squad, both managers should be able to select from full-strength options, adding further weight to tactical selection and in-game management as the deciding factors in this leg.