Kazakh goalkeeper becomes hero of Azerbaijan Cup clash
Azerbaijani football club Sabah has advanced to the semifinals of the national cup, with Kazakhstan’s goalkeeper Stas Pokatilov emerging as the hero of the quarterfinal, Qazinform News Agency reports.
In the Azerbaijan Cup quarterfinal, Sabah faced Gabala. The first leg in Masazyr ended in a goalless draw, while the return match in Gabala turned out to be far more eventful.
Neither regular nor extra time produced a winner, and the match ended in a 3–3 draw.
The semifinal spot was decided in a penalty shootout, where Sabah’s Kazakhstani goalkeeper Pokatilov demonstrated his skill by saving two shots. As a result, his team won the shootout 4–2 and advanced to the semifinals of the tournament.
In the next round, Sabah will face reigning national champions and one of the biggest surprises of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League season — Qarabag from Aghdam.
Notably, in the current Azerbaijan Premier League season, Sabah leads the standings, holding a seven-point advantage over Qarabag.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that UEFA has published an updated ranking of national futsal teams.
