Preview: KuPS vs Sabah - prediction, team news, lineups

KuPS must overturn a one-goal deficit on Tuesday to keep their UEFA Champions League dreams alive as they welcome Sabah to VARE Areena for the second leg of their second qualifying round tie.

The Finnish champions suffered a 1-0 defeat when both sides met in last week's first leg in Azerbaijan, which was the maiden meeting between the two teams.

Match preview

KuPS were second best in last week's first leg, managing just five shots in total and one on target compared to Sabah's 18 attempts, with goalkeeper Johannes Kreidl forced into three saves.

After seeing Umarali Rakhmonaliyev's strike ruled out in the 33rd minute, the Yellow-Blacks eventually conceded in first-half stoppage time when Veljko Simic found the net, leaving them with consecutive defeats in the Champions League.

Having seen a two-goal advantage from the opening fixture of their first qualifying round tie against Vardar wiped out inside 90 minutes at Vare Areena, KuPS eventually secured progression with a much-improved display in extra time, earning a 4-3 aggregate victory.

However, Miika Nuutinen's side responded at the weekend by securing a 3-1 victory over VPS at their Kuopio ground, with first-half goals from Jaime Moreno, Gustav Engvall and Joslyn Luyeye-Lutumba helping them move five points clear at the top of the Veikkausliiga table.

That victory also marked only KuPS' second success in their last five home matches across all competitions, with their inconsistent form on their own turf raising doubts over the Yellow-Black’s ability to overturn the deficit on Tuesday as they look to reach the third qualifying round of the Champions League for the first time in their history.

Sabah, meanwhile, are competing in the Champions League for the first time after lifting their maiden Azerbaijan top-flight title, and last week's first-leg victory not only puts them in a strong position but also extended an impressive run of form.

Valdas Dambrauskas' side have now won three games in a row, having also secured a 2-0 victory in the first leg of their first qualifying round tie against TNS before beating the Welsh side 2-1 in the return fixture in Oswestry.

Unbeaten in their last 20 competitive away matches (W16, D4), the Owls will be confident of avoiding defeat on Tuesday, while it would come as no surprise if they press home their advantage given that each of the last five of those encounters have ended in victories.

Last season, Sabah were eliminated from the UEFA Conference League third qualifying round after suffering a 3-0 aggregate defeat to Levski Sofia, and they will be determined to progress further in European competition this time around.

KuPS Champions League form:

KuPS form (all competitions):

Sabah Champions League form:

Team News

KuPS finished both their last continental outing and weekend league match without any fresh injury concerns, although Samuel Pasanen and Jerry Voutilainen, who have both been sidelined since last year, remain in the treatment room.

Nuutinen named a heavily rotated side against VPS, meaning the majority of his regular starters are expected to return to the starting lineup.

Moreno is expected to retain his place upfront after opening the scoring last weekend, while Luyeye-Lutumba has also strengthened his case after finding the net in his last two starts, although he has featured more as a squad player in this season's Champions League campaign.

Sabah also finished last week's first-leg clash without any fresh injury concerns, with Abdulakh Khaybulaev an unused substitute last time out.

Dambrauskas could keep faith with the lineup that secured victory last week, with match-winner Simic expected to retain his place in the attack.

KuPS possible starting lineup:

Lineup here

Sabah possible starting lineup:

Lineup here