Sabah vs The New Saints preview

Europe flag 2026/2027 Champions League, Europe
Bank Respublika Arena Tue, 7 Jul - 4:00 PM
Champions League
Sabah Sabah
2 0
The New Saints The New Saints
Full Time Tue, 7 Jul 4:00 PM
1st Qualifying Round Leg 1 of 2
Veljko Simic - 66'
Kaheem Parris - 84'
Goal
|
Steve Solvet 90+2' Second yellow card
|

CONTEXT

In the opening leg of their two-legged knockout tie Sabah welcomed The New Saints to their home ground. The sides were level at the interval with no goals scored. Sabah controlled the game through 75 percent possession while the visitors held 25 percent. A red card was shown to the home side yet they still found the net twice after the break to finish 2-0 winners. The New Saints created little and failed to score. Sabah as the stronger side claimed the victory on the night. The result leaves them with a useful lead to defend in the return fixture. Moderate deviation from expectations was recorded yet the outcome stayed aligned with overall trends.

TL;DR

  • Structural deviation: Final score: Sabah 2-0 The New Saints. Sabah showed a moderate deviation from the pre-match structural baseline.
  • Efficiency shift: Efficiency metrics remained in line with the observed performance levels.
  • xG alignment: No xG values were recorded so alignment could not be measured.
  • Market alignment: The final result proved aligned with pre-match market indications.
  • xG expectations: No xG data existed to evaluate expectations against the scoreline.
  • Event impact: The second-half red card formed the main adjustment to match flow.
  • Red card distortion: Home red card introduced measurable distortion to second-half dynamics.
No standings statistics available.
No head-to-head records found.
0.5+ goals: 85%
1.5+ goals: 70%
2.5+ goals: 50%
3.5+ goals: 25%
Confidence: High (≥8 matches)

Quality vs Volume

Home: xG 1.8, Shots 12, xG/Shot 0.15
Away: xG 1.5, Shots 14, xG/Shot 0.11

Open Play vs Set Play

Open Play: 65%
Set Play: 35%

Expected Points

TeamxPts
Home1.8
Away1.2
ℹ️ Methodology: Expected Goals (xG) measures shot quality
P. Gryckiewicz
P. Gryckiewicz
Referee • 25 matches
Fouls / Match
Referee 30.4
League Avg 0
Yellow Cards / Match
Referee 4
League Avg 0
Red Cards / Match
Referee 0.36
League Avg 0
Penalties / Match
Referee 0.36
League Avg 0
M. Boniek
M. Boniek
1st Assistant • 0 matches
Fouls / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
Yellow Cards / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
Red Cards / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
Penalties / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
B. Kaszyński
B. Kaszyński
2nd Assistant • 0 matches
Fouls / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
Yellow Cards / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
Red Cards / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
Penalties / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
W. Myć
W. Myć
4th Official • 0 matches
Fouls / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
Yellow Cards / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
Red Cards / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
Penalties / Match
Referee 0
League Avg 0
Sabah V. Dambrauskas
V. Dambrauskas
VS
The New Saints C. Harrison
C. Harrison
0
Avg Points / Game (Last 100 Matches)
0
0 i
Avg Points / Game (Last 6 Matches)
0 i
0
Head to Head (Wins - Draws - Losses)
0 - 0 - 0
0

Win Probabilities

Live Win Probability (90 Min)
Home Sabah
92.25%
Draw
6.33%
Away The New Saints
1.42%

Team Power Ranking

i
What is Power Ranking?
Power score: composite of opponent-weighted form (last 6 & 20 games) and league position over last 3 seasons.
50
50
0 (Weakest) 100 (Strongest)
Metric
Sabah
The New Saints
Power Score
50
50
League Position
-
-
Global Rank
-
-

Form Analysis Opponent-Weighted

Line chart of recent results (points/trend). Friendlies excluded by default. Hover for opponent, result, xG/xGA and power ranking — based on last 6 matches.

–
vs
Sabah — Opponent-weighted form score
The New Saints — Opponent-weighted form score
Win (3 pts) Draw (1 pt) Loss (0 pts) Sabah The New Saints

Heatmaps Ball coordinates

Attack and defence zones from ball position data. Filters: last 6 matches (overall/home/away), time period, competition.

–
vs

Sabah

Left / Center / Right —
Opposition half density —
vs season average —

The New Saints

Left / Center / Right —
Opposition half density —
vs season average —

Possession Efficiency Possession-Adjusted

How effectively each team uses and defends their share of possession. Efficiency adjusted based on team possession percentage

Sabah ⚠ Proxy
vs
⚠ Proxy The New Saints
Attacking Efficiency
Higher is better
Attacking Efficiency
27.60
13.20
Defensive Efficiency
Lower is better
Defensive Efficiency
13.20
27.60
Combined Efficiency Index Z-score combining attacking and defensive possession-adjusted efficiency.
Positive = above league average.
Negative = below league average.
Formula: EfficiencyIndex = z(AttackEff) − z(DefenceEff)
-3 0 3
Sabah +1.05 Efficiency Index
vs
The New Saints -1.05 Efficiency Index
xG data unavailable for both teams. Values estimated using shots and dangerous attacks (proxy). Confidence: Medium.
Sabah
The New Saints
AttackEff = xG ÷ pos
DefenceEff = xGA ÷ (1−pos)

Set Pieces Efficiency Attack & Defence

Set-piece reliance and strength using expected metrics and actual outcomes for each team.

Sabah ⚠ Proxy
vs
⚠ Proxy The New Saints
Created Set-piece attacking threat
Sabah The New Saints
Set-piece xG Share Share of total expected goals generated from set pieces. Higher = more set-piece reliant in attack.
—
—
Goals per Match Average set-piece goals scored per match.
0.00 0.00
vs Expected (xG) Goals scored minus set-piece xG. Positive = overperforming; Negative = underperforming expectations.
— vs —
Conceded Set-piece defensive exposure
Sabah The New Saints
Set-piece xGA Share Share of total expected goals conceded from set pieces. Higher = more exposed to set pieces defensively.
—
—
Conceded per Match Average set-piece goals conceded per match.
0.00 0.00
vs Expected (xGA) Goals conceded minus set-piece xGA. Positive = conceding more than expected (bad); Negative = conceding less than expected (good).
— vs —
xG set-piece data unavailable for both teams. Values estimated using proxy metrics (shots, dangerous attacks). Confidence: Medium.
Sabah
The New Saints
xG Share = set-piece xG ÷ total xG
vs Expected = goals − set-piece xG

Counter / Transition Attack & Defence

What happens in the 15 seconds immediately after possession changes hands — based on Last 6 matches.

–
Sabah
vs
The New Saints
Attack After Winning Possession transition → offence
Sabah The New Saints
Goals per Match Average goals scored within 15s of winning the ball per match. ↑ better
—
—
Shots per Match Average shots taken within 15s of winning the ball per match. ↑ better
—
—
Dangerous Attacks Average dangerous attacks launched within 15s of winning possession per match. ↑ better
—
—
Transition Efficiency Index Composite score (0–1) of how efficiently this team attacks within 15s of winning the ball. Higher = more dangerous on transition. Higher = stronger on the counter
Sabah 0.08
The New Saints 0.02
Defence After Losing Possession loss → defensive exposure
Sabah The New Saints
Goals Conceded Average goals conceded within 15s of losing the ball per match. ↓ better
—
—
Shots Conceded Average shots conceded within 15s of losing the ball per match. ↓ better
—
—
Dangerous Attacks Conceded Average dangerous attacks allowed within 15s of losing possession per match. ↓ better
—
—
Vulnerability Index Composite score (0–1) of how exposed this team is within 15s of losing the ball. Lower = better at preventing transition attacks. Lower = better transition defence
Sabah 0.00
The New Saints 0.01
Sabah
The New Saints
Window = 15s post-possession change
Index = 0–1 composite score

PRESSURE INDEX

Momentum phases from smoothed minute-by-minute pressure.

  • Sabah had peak pressure around 28'.
  • Sabah started the game with stronger pressure.
Sabah Pressure The New Saints Pressure
⚡
Pressure Index: Sabah reached the top pressure at 28' (81.51).

Team Head to Head Last 6 Seasons

Summary of 0 matches between these sides — filtered by competition and venue context.

Sabah Sabah Home
0 matches
The New Saints The New Saints Away
Match Record
0
Wins
0
0
Draws
0
0
Losses
0
Goals
0
Goals Scored
0
0
Goals Conceded
0
0
Goal Difference
0
Expected Goals
0
xG
0
0
xGA
0

Data last updated: 2026-07-13T09:51:29+00:00

STARTING XI

Match Formation 4-3-3
Match Formation 4-3-3
Pitch
S. Pokatilov
Kazakhstan
92 (C) S. Pokatilov
A. Zedadka
Algeria
80 A. Zedadka
S. Solvet
Guadeloupe
3 S. Solvet
R. Daşdəmirov
Azerbaijan
5 R. Daşdəmirov
T. Puchacz
Poland
27 T. Puchacz
U. Rahmonaliyev
Substitution
Uzbekistan
7 U. Rahmonaliyev
A. Isaev
Substitution
Azerbaijan
10 A. Isaev
I. Lepinjica
Croatia
13 I. Lepinjica
V. Simić
Serbia
21 V. Simić
J. Mickels
Substitution
Germany
20 J. Mickels
A. Malouda
Substitution
France
19 A. Malouda
N. Shepperd
Wales
1 N. Shepperd
D. Redmond
England
10 (C) D. Redmond
J. Bodenham
Wales
6 J. Bodenham
D. Simeu
England
16 D. Simeu
D. Williams
Wales
14 D. Williams
E. Farrell
Republic of Ireland
15 E. Farrell
D. Corness
England
4 D. Corness
L. Smith
Wales
21 L. Smith
B. Clark
Substitution
England
19 B. Clark
J. Williams
Substitution
England
17 J. Williams
R. Hughes
Wales
20 R. Hughes

General Information

Date & Time
Jul 07, 2026, 04:00 PM
Competition
2026/2027 Champions League, Europe · 1st Qualifying Round · Leg 1 of 2
Stadium
Bank Respublika Arena
Capacity
13000
Pitch Surface
Grass
Weather
☀️ 12°C, Fair
Referees
Patryk Gryckiewicz
Marcin Boniek
Bartosz Kaszyński
Wojciech Myć

Statistics

Possession
Sabah
73%
The New Saints
27%

Top Statistics

2 Goals 0
9 Shots 1
154 Dangerous attacks 46
75 Possession 25
11 Corners 2
6 Free kicks 11
3 Yellow Cards 2
1 Red Cards 0

Match Overview

4 Substitutions 2
30 Throwins 12

Attacking

139 Attacks 67

Discipline

2 Offsides 0
8 Fouls 5

Lineup

Referee : Patryk Gryckiewicz

Starting XI ▼

92
Stas Pokatilov
Stas Pokatilov (C) Goalkeeper
6.5
3
Steve Solvet
Steve Solvet Defender
6.28
5
Rahman Dashdamirov
Rahman Dashdamirov Defender
6.5
27
Tymoteusz Puchacz
Tymoteusz Puchacz Defender
6.61
80
Akim Zedadka
Akim Zedadka Defender
6.49
7
Umarali Rakhmonaliev
Umarali Rakhmonaliev Midfielder
6.5
99
Orphé Mbina
Orphé Mbina
Attacker60'
6.5
10
Aleksey Isayev
Aleksey Isayev Midfielder
6.5
34
Xander Severina
Xander Severina
Midfielder77'
6.5
13
Ivan Lepinjica
Ivan Lepinjica Midfielder
6.5
19
Aaron Malouda
Aaron Malouda Midfielder
6.5
11
Kaheem Parris
Kaheem Parris
Midfielder77'
6.69
21
Veljko Simic
Veljko Simic Midfielder
7.06
20
Joy-Lance Mickels
Joy-Lance Mickels Attacker
6.46
4
Aden McCarthy
Aden McCarthy
Defender90+4'
Referee : Patryk Gryckiewicz

Starting XI ▼

1
Nathan Shepperd
Nathan Shepperd Goalkeeper
5.88
6
Jack Bodenham
Jack Bodenham Defender
6.05
14
Daniel Williams
Daniel Williams Defender
6.04
16
Dynel Simeu
Dynel Simeu Defender
6.05
4
Dominic Corness
Dominic Corness Midfielder
6.27
10
Daniel Redmond
Daniel Redmond (C) Midfielder
6.27
15
Eoin Farrell
Eoin Farrell Midfielder
6.27
19
Ben Clark
Ben Clark Midfielder
6.37
8
Ryan Brobbel
Ryan Brobbel
Midfielder68'
6.37
20
Rhys Hughes
Rhys Hughes Midfielder
6.27
21
Leo Smith
Leo Smith Midfielder
6.27
17
Jordan Williams
Jordan Williams Attacker
6.39
22
Danny Davies
Danny Davies
Defender89'

Events

2ND-HALF
Event
Aden McCarthy → Joy-Lance Mickels
6th Substitution
90+4'
Event
Steve Solvet
Foul / 1st Yellow/red Card
90+2'
89'
Event
Danny Davies → Jordan Williams
5th Substitution
Event
Kaheem Parris
Field Goal / 2nd Goal
84'
83'
Event
Daniel Williams
Foul / 5th Yellowcard
Event
Kaheem Parris → Aaron Malouda
3rd Substitution
77'
Event
Xander Severina → Aleksey Isayev
4th Substitution
77'
68'
Event
Ryan Brobbel → Ben Clark
2nd Substitution
Event
Veljko Simic
Field Goal / 1st Goal
66'
Event
Steve Solvet
Foul / 4th Yellowcard
62'
Event
Orphé Mbina → Umarali Rakhmonaliev
1st Substitution
60'
1ST-HALF
Event
Akim Zedadka
Foul / 3rd Yellowcard
45+2'
45+2'
Event
Jordan Williams
Foul / 2nd Yellowcard
Event
Joy-Lance Mickels
Foul / 1st Yellowcard
28'

Match Commentary

90
Update Update
Aden McCarthy is on, and Joy-Lance Mickels is off.
90
Yellow Card Yellow Card Important
Second yellow card shown to Steve Solvet.
89
Substitution Substitution
Substitution: Archie Daniel Davies comes on for Jordan Williams.
88
Corner Corner
Corner awarded.
84
GOAL! GOAL! Important
Goal! Kaheem Parris scores, making it 2-0.
83
Yellow Card Yellow Card Important
Yellow card issued to Daniel Patrick Williams.
77
Update Update
Kaheem Parris is on, and Aaron Malouda is off.
77
Update Update
On comes Xander Severina, off goes Aleksey Isaev.
71
Corner Corner
Corner awarded.
68
Corner Corner
Corner awarded.
68
Update Update
Ryan Brobbel replaces Ben Clark.
66
GOAL! GOAL! Important
Goal! The score is now 1-0.
66
Corner Corner
Corner awarded.
66
Corner Corner
Corner awarded.
62
Yellow Card Yellow Card Important
Yellow card shown to Steve Solvet.
60
Update Update
On Orphe Mbina, off Umarali Rakhmonaliev.
55
Corner Corner
Corner awarded.
45
Yellow Card Yellow Card Important
Daniel Patrick Williams receives a yellow card.
45
Yellow Card Yellow Card Important
Akim Zedadka receives a yellow card.
44
Corner Corner
Corner awarded.
37
Corner Corner
Corner awarded.
36
Corner Corner
Corner awarded.
31
Corner Corner
Corner awarded.
28
Yellow Card Yellow Card Important
Yellow card shown to Joy-Lance Mickels.
23
Corner Corner
Corner awarded.
16
Corner Corner
Corner awarded.
2
Corner Corner
Corner awarded.
1
Update Update
Kick-off! The referee is Patryk Gryckiewicz.

CONCLUSION

Sabah completed the first leg with a clean 2-0 victory despite finishing the match with ten players. Their high share of possession allowed them to dictate tempo and create enough chances to score twice after the interval. The New Saints offered limited threat and could not capitalise on the numerical advantage. The win provides Sabah with a two-goal cushion ahead of the return fixture. Both teams will now prepare for the second leg where the visitors must find a way to overturn the deficit. The red card did not prevent the home side from securing the points on the night.