Rwanda international striker Joy-Lance Mickels played a key role in Sabah FK’s progress to the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League after helping the Azerbaijani side eliminate Finland’s Kuopion Palloseura (KuPS) with a 3-0 aggregate victory.
Sabah FK sealed qualification on Tuesday night, July 28, after defeating KuPS 2-0 in the second leg at Kuopio Football Stadium. Mickels scored the opening goal in the 70th minute to strengthen his team’s advantage.
The result followed Sabah FK’s 1-0 victory in the first leg, giving them a 3-0 aggregate win and a place in the next stage of Europe’s premier club competition.
Mickels has continued to prove his importance to Sabah FK since joining the club. The 32-year-old forward played a major role in helping the team win the Misli Premier League title last season and finished as the league’s top scorer with 19 goals in 25 matches.
The Amavubi striker recently extended his contract with Sabah FK for two more years and holds the club record as its all-time leading goalscorer, having scored 73 goals in 140 appearances.
In the third qualifying round, Sabah FK will face either Denmark’s AGF or Poland’s Lech Poznań, depending on the outcome of their second-round tie.
The first leg of the third qualifying round will be played on August 4 or 5, 2026, while the return fixture is scheduled for August 11, 2026.
