Players of Sabah played carelessly in defense during the first match of the first qualifying round of the Europa League against Slovenia's Celje team, which they lost.
Former Azerbaijani national team player Jeyhun Sultanov commented on this to Report news agency, Idman.biz reports.
The 46-year-old former midfielder spoke about the strengths and weaknesses of the Baku representative: "Since it was the first game, the teams are gradually regaining their form after training camps. Sabah's strength is fast attacks. But they played carelessly in defense. I think the mistakes of the two central defenders were more noticeable. The players' failure to maintain the defensive line properly contributed to two of the goals. I believe that if they play well in defense, there will be no problems in attack."
Sultanov noted that the opponent's chances of advancing to the next round have increased: "Sabah would have had better chances if they hadn't lost. The goal conceded in the last minutes increased the opponent's likelihood of qualifying for the next stage. It's football; such things happen. Maybe they will show a different game in the return match. It's too early to say anything now. But overall, Sabah is not a bad team. They need to strengthen their defense and midfield a bit. If they do, they can perform better in European competitions."
Sabah lost to their opponent 2:3. The return match will take place on July 17 in Slovenia.
Idman.biz
