Sabah came under emotional pressure after conceding in the 30th minute, but head coach Valdas Dambrauskas reacted well by replacing Kaheem Parris with Mbina, and the substitution immediately changed the game.
As reported by İdman.Biz, this was the assessment of Vagif Sadigov, chairman of the AFFA Coaches Committee, while analysing Sabah's 2-1 defeat to Danish side Aarhus in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League third qualifying round.
The former Azerbaijan national team head coach said Sabah deserved credit for refusing to give up after conceding twice away from home and managing to pull one goal back, which he believes could prove crucial ahead of the return leg.
Sadigov also pointed to the Azerbaijani club's weaknesses, noting that defensive positioning errors allowed Aarhus to make the most of their limited attacking opportunities.
Assessing the Danish side's performance, the 67-year-old expert said Aarhus relied on a compact defensive setup and looked to strike on the counterattack.
"Aarhus built a solid defensive structure and looked for goals through quick counterattacks. I think we will see an even more defensive Aarhus side in Baku."
Sadigov remains optimistic about Sabah's chances in the second leg.
"Although the advantage is only slight, Sabah still have the edge. I believe our club will defeat Aarhus with the support of the home fans and secure a place in the play-offs."
Aarhus won the first leg 2-1 in Denmark. The return match will be played on August 11 at 8:00 p.m. at Bank Respublika Arena in Masazir.
