Will the Owls finally prove themselves to be giant-killers?
It was certainly the story of the second qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League: After Aarhus GF lost the first leg against Lech Poznan 1–4 in front of their home crowd, the Danes struck back on the road in Poland. Leading 3–0, the Whites weren’t even fazed by the Polish team’s 1–3 goal early in extra time.
Aarhus extended their lead to 4–1 shortly afterward and prevailed in the penalty shootout. If the Danish champions can now also secure a victory against Sabah Baku, the club can dream of its very first advancement to the Champions League group stage.
However, the Owls (Azerbaijani: Bayquşlar) are a team that has quietly and stealthily emerged as a giant-killer. The club from Masazir eliminated The New Saints and KuPS Kuopio, winning all four matches with a combined score of 7–1 and demonstrating remarkable international maturity. We believe this supposed underdog can “survive” its away match in Denmark thanks to its defensive solidity. Admittedly, an away win is rather unlikely. Nevertheless, in our Aarhus vs. Sabah Baku prediction, we expect a very close match and therefore recommend the Double Chance 1X with under 3.5 goals, which at least covers a 0–0 or 1–1 draw.
Alternatively, you could also bet on the Azerbaijani champions with a positive handicap. In the bet365 app, odds of 1.55 are available for a +1.25 (Asian) handicap on the in-form visitors in the Aarhus vs. Sabah Baku match. Those looking for slightly higher odds and who aren’t averse to taking a slightly higher risk could alternatively bet that Aarhus will score no more than one goal in this home game in Randers (their own stadium does not meet UEFA requirements).
Aarhus – Sabah Baku Head-to-Head Record
Head-to-Head: 0 – 0 – 0
There has never been an international competitive match between these two teams. Consequently, there is no “head-to-head” data available that could influence our prediction for Aarhus vs. Sabah Baku.
Aarhus – Sabah Baku Prediction
Aarhus GF got off to a somewhat bumpy start in the national league with two draws, but pulled off the aforementioned miracle in Poznan during the second round of Champions League qualifying. On paper, the Whites are the clear favorites against the Azerbaijani champions.
The Owls, however, have been flawless so far, winning all four qualifying matches against The New Saints and KuPS, putting up a very compact defensive performance while conceding just a single goal, and showing remarkable composure in attack, scoring seven goals in the process.
We expect an Azerbaijani defensive wall in the first leg in Randers, which raises the question of how much risk the Danes are willing to take. It’s well known from their four wins in four qualifying matches that the Owls need only a few counterattacks to strike. Consequently, we shouldn’t expect too much action in the first leg.
