UEFA Champions League Gameweek 3
Sabah FA 1 - 2 FT Borussia Dortmund
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Futmetrix Verdict
52
FT
Thu, Oct 22
Bournemouth
3-0
AC Milan
⚡ Intensity
75
⚖️ Balance
20
🏆 Stakes
3
🎲 Upset
0
Two penalties, one red card, total control
Futmetrix Verdict
26
FT
Thu, Oct 22
Sturm Graz
1-0
Marseille
⚡ Intensity
22
⚖️ Balance
31
🏆 Stakes
11
🎲 Upset
60
Diakité struck; Marseille never answered
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Expected Goals (xG)
Passes
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
Serhou Guirassy 10'
22' Steve Solvet
39' Aden McCarthy (Tymoteusz Puchacz)
HT
49' Ivan Lepinjica
Serhou Guirassy (Joey Veerman) 53'
57' Aden McCarthy
65' ↓ Du Queiroz ↑Aleksey Isaev
65' ↓ Kaheem Parris ↑Patrick Orphe Mbina
↓ Carney Chukwuemeka ↑Marcel Sabitzer 71'
↓ Felix Nmecha ↑Jobe Bellingham 71'
↓ Ramy Bensebaini ↑Kouakou Joane Gadou 72'
↓ Daniel Svensson ↑Maximilian Beier 77'
81' ↓ Umarali Rakhmonaliev ↑Abdulakh khaybulaev
81' ↓ Joy Lance Mickels ↑Christian Nwachukwu
89' Akim Zedadka
↓ Fábio Silva ↑Ethan Nwaneri 90'+1
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Sabah FA
Goalkeepers
Stas Pokatilov 
OCTOPUS
6
Saves
6
Saves
0
Conceded
100%
Save %
Defenders
Akim Zedadka 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
3
Tackles
91%
Duel Win %
Steve Solvet 
STORMTROOPER
1
Shots
1
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Aiden McCarthy 
SNIPER
100%
Conversion
100%
Conversion
1
Goals
1
Shots
Tymoteusz Puchacz 
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
1
Assists
30%
Pass Acc
Midfielders
Umarali Rahmonaliyev 
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
3
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Ivan Lepinjica
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
0
Assists
39%
Pass Acc
Kaheem Parris 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
65
Total Mins
65
Entry
Du Queiroz
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
65
Total Mins
65
Entry
Veljko Simić
STORMTROOPER
4
Shots
4
Shots
0
Goals
1
On Target
Forwards
Joy-Lance Mickels
LATE SHIFT
9
Late Mins
9
Late Mins
81
Total Mins
81
Entry
BENCH
Ravan Mirzammadov 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Amin Ramazanov
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Rahman Dashdemirov
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Erivaldo Almeida
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Tellur Mutallimov
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Rodrigo Fernandes
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Aleksey Isaev
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
25
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Abdulla Khaybulayev
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
9
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Xander Severina
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Patrick Mbina
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
25
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Christian Nwachukwu
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
9
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Borussia Dortmund
Goalkeepers
Gregor Kobel
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Waldemar Anton
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
2
Tackles
60%
Duel Win %
Nico Schlotterbeck
STORMTROOPER
2
Shots
2
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Ramy Bensebaïni
STORMTROOPER
3
Shots
3
Shots
0
Goals
0
On Target
Midfielders
Julian Ryerson
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
90
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Felix Nmecha
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
0
Assists
40%
Pass Acc
Joey Veerman
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
1
Assists
69%
Pass Acc
Daniel Svensson
LATE SHIFT
13
Late Mins
13
Late Mins
77
Total Mins
77
Entry
Carney Chukwuemeka
ARCHITECT
5
Key Passes
5
Key Passes
0
Assists
29%
Pass Acc
Fábio Silva 
NPC
91
Minutes
91
Minutes
14%
Pass Acc
6.4
Rating
Forwards
Serhou Guirassy 
HITMAN
2
Goals
2
Goals
4
On Target
9.5
Rating
BENCH
Patrick Drewes
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Alexander Meyer
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Kouakou Joane Gadou
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
18
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Filippo Mané
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
L. Reggiani
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Jobe Bellingham
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
19
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ethan Nwaneri
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Marcel Sabitzer
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
19
Total Mins
Started
Entry
E. de Pina Duarte dos Santos
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Maximilian Beier
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
13
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Samuele Inácio
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Mathis Albert
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
League Standings
P: 2 GD: +7
P: 2 GD: +7
P: 2 GD: +7
P: 2 GD: +5
P: 2 GD: +4
P: 2 GD: +4
P: 2 GD: +2
P: 2 GD: +2
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 2 GD: +5
P: 3 GD: +3
P: 2 GD: +2
P: 2 GD: +2
P: 2 GD: +1
P: 2 GD: +1
P: 2 GD: 0
P: 2 GD: 0
P: 2 GD: -1
P: 2 GD: -2
P: 2 GD: -3
P: 3 GD: -3
P: 2 GD: -4
P: 3 GD: -6
P: 2 GD: -1
P: 2 GD: -2
P: 3 GD: -3
P: 2 GD: -2
P: 2 GD: -3
P: 2 GD: -4
P: 2 GD: -5
League Standings
P: 3 GD: +9
P: 3 GD: +5
P: 3 GD: +5
P: 2 GD: +7
P: 3 GD: +5
P: 3 GD: +4
P: 2 GD: +4
P: 2 GD: +2
P: 2 GD: +2
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 2 GD: +5
P: 3 GD: +3
P: 2 GD: +2
P: 3 GD: +1
P: 3 GD: 0
P: 2 GD: +2
P: 3 GD: 0
P: 2 GD: 0
P: 3 GD: -2
P: 2 GD: -2
P: 2 GD: -3
P: 3 GD: -3
P: 3 GD: -5
P: 3 GD: -5
P: 3 GD: -6
P: 2 GD: -2
P: 3 GD: -3
P: 2 GD: -2
P: 2 GD: -4
P: 3 GD: -4
P: 2 GD: -5
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Sabah FA
Borussia Dortmund
Sabah FA
Borussia Dortmund
Win Probability
Futmetrix AI estimate
Guirassy's Double Breaks Sabah Hearts in Baku
Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 47/100. An end-to-end spectacle at Baku Olympic Stadium saw the visitors outlast a resilient home side thanks to a striking masterclass.
Opening Act
The Intensity of this Champions League clash was evident immediately as Borussia Dortmund asserted their authority on the road. Just ten minutes in, Serhou Guirassy found the breakthrough, setting a relentless tempo. Rather than wilt under the pressure, Sabah FA fought their way back into the contest. Their persistence paid off in the 39th minute when Aden McCarthy levelled the scoreline, capitalising on a pinpoint delivery from Tymoteusz Puchacz. Goalkeepers at both ends were frequently called into action during a breathless first half that featured a barrage of attempts from all angles.
The Pivot
The Balance of the tie shifted definitively after the interval. Dortmund came out of the dressing room determined to dictate terms, and they controlled possession to starve Sabah of sustained momentum. In the 53rd minute, Joey Veerman carved open the defensive line, serving up the perfect ball for Guirassy to smash home his second of the evening. That killer instinct proved vital in a match where 35 combined shots turned the penalty areas into absolute shooting galleries. Dortmund's superior attacking expected goals total of 3.73 highlighted exactly why they regained the advantage.
Resolution
The final half-hour became a gritty test of endurance. Sabah launched waves of set-piece pressure, winning multiple corners and forcing desperate clearances, but Dortmund's backline held firm. Nine combined saves across the match told the story of two goalkeepers stretched to their limits. The high Stakes in this playoff-zone battle meant every tackle mattered in the dying minutes. Dortmund escape Baku with three vital points in their European campaign, leaving Sabah to ponder what might have been had they found a more clinical touch in front of goal.
Key Questions
What made S. Guirassy the Man of the Match?
Guirassy netted a crucial brace, showing clinical finishing to seal all three points for Dortmund in a high-intensity European clash.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Dortmund Seek Separation on the Playoff Bubble
Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 47/100. Both sides are clinging to the top-24 playoff spots, making this an essential three points for avoiding an early European exit.
The Setup
The margins are razor-thin in the new UEFA Champions League format. Heading into matchday three at the Bank Respublika Arena, Sabah FA and Borussia Dortmund sit in 22nd and 18th place respectively, both locked on three points. A modest Stakes rating reflects this early stage of the league phase, but make no mistake: slipping below that top-24 cutoff is a dangerous game. While the odds suggest a one-sided affair in favour of the German giants, a middling Form rating for both squads reveals there are still tactical wrinkles to iron out. Dortmund have undeniable elite quality, reflected in a solid Stars score, but they must prove their heavy-favourite status on the pitch against a home side desperate to retain their playoff footing.
Key Battle
With Sabah FA needing a collective effort to bridge the talent gap, this clash comes down to the home side's defensive shape against Dortmund's imposing spine. F. Nmecha pulls the strings in the middle of the park, and how the home midfield disrupts his passing lanes will dictate the tempo. If Sabah sit too deep, the visitors will relentlessly test their resolve until the dam breaks.
Our Prediction
We expect a professional, if unspectacular, away victory. Sabah will likely frustrate the visitors early by packing the defensive third, but Dortmund's sheer squad depth will ultimately wear down the home resistance in the second half to secure a comfortable 2-0 win.