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KuPS welcome Sabah to VARE Areena, needing to overturn a one-goal deficit as both sides meet on Tuesday for the second leg of their UEFA Champions League second qualifying round tie.
The Finnish champions face a daunting challenge as they attempt to reach the third qualifying round of the competition for the first time in their history.
Meanwhile, Sabah take a narrow advantage into the return leg after extending their perfect record in this season's Champions League qualifiers with last week's first-leg victory.
Read our prediction, preview and betting tips for the game below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
KuPS vs Sabah key stats
- Sabah are unbeaten across their last 20 competitive away matches (W16, D4).
- The first leg between these sides produced just four corners.
- KuPS have won only two of their last five home matches across all competitions.
KuPS vs Sabah preview: Visitors can finish the job
KuPS vs Sabah — Tale of the Tape
| KuPS | vs | Sabah |
|---|---|---|
| 1st (2026-27 Veikkausliiga) | Position | 1st (2025-26 Azerbaijan Premier League) |
| 36 | Points | 78 |
| 32 | Goals For | 75 |
| 16 | Goals Against | 25 |
| 5 | Clean Sheets | 14 |
| 1st | Home / Away Rank | 1st |
KuPS struggled to make an impact in last week's 1-0 defeat in Azerbaijan, with Veljko Simic's first-half stoppage-time strike proving the difference.
The Finnish champions responded positively at the weekend by beating VPS 3-1 in the Veikkausliiga, with first-half goals from Jaime Moreno, Gustav Engvall and Joslyn Luyeye-Lutumba extending their lead at the top of the table to five points.
However, Miika Nuutinen's side have found life at VARE Areena surprisingly difficult, with their only two victories from the last five matches across all competitions coming in league action.
KuPS surrendered a two-goal advantage from their first-leg win in North Macedonia during the previous qualifying round of their Champions League tie against Vardar, but eventually progressed 4-3 on aggregate after producing a much-improved extra-time display.
Sabah have enjoyed an excellent start to their maiden UEFA Champions League campaign after following their first qualifying round success over TNS with a deserved first-leg victory in which they controlled large spells of the contest.
Valdas Dambrauskas' men have now won three consecutive competitive matches while conceding only once during that run, highlighting the defensive discipline that has become a hallmark of their recent performances.
Having seen their European journey end in the Conference League third qualifying round against Levski Sofia last season, Sabah now have an excellent opportunity to go one step further by protecting their aggregate advantage.
The Azerbaijan champions have also been outstanding away from home, remaining unbeaten on the road since their 1-0 defeat at Levski Sofia in the Conference League qualifiers last August.
KuPS vs Sabah preview form guide & betting tips
| KuPS | vs | Sabah |
|---|---|---|
W
L
W
L
W
|
Form |
D
L
W
W
W
|
| 9 | Goals For | 7 |
| 5 | Goals Against | 6 |
W
L
L
|
UEFA Champions League qualifiers |
W
W
W
|
Whispers predicts: KuPS 1-1 Sabah
KuPS should take confidence from their weekend victory and home support, but their inconsistent record at VARE Areena makes overturning the deficit a difficult task against opponents who have avoided defeat in each of their last 20 competitive away fixtures.
Both teams to score looks an appealing option at 4/5 (1.80) given KuPS' recent home trend, while under 9.5 corners at 4/6 (1.66) also stands out after the first leg produced only four corners and Sabah are unlikely to open the game up while protecting their advantage.
Those selections also point towards the draw market, available at 5/2 (3.50), while combining Sabah win or draw with under 3.5 goals at 5/6 (1.83) looks an attractive alternative for punters expecting another disciplined display from the visitors.
A 1-1 correct score appeals at 11/2 (6.50), with Sabah's organised defensive approach and KuPS' need to chase the game pointing towards another closely contested encounter.
> Under 9.5 corners at 4/6 (1.66) | Likelihood: Probable
> BTTS – Yes at 4/5 (1.80) | Likelihood: Probable
> Sabah win or draw & under 3.5 goals at 5/6 (1.83) | Likelihood: Possible
> Match result – Draw at 5/2 (3.50) | Likelihood: Strong value]
> Correct score – KuPS 1-1 Sabah at 11/2 (6.50) | Likelihood: Outsider