Hapoel Beer Sheva Secures 2-1 Victory Over Sabah FA in Champions League Play-offs

Hapoel Beer Sheva 2-1 Sabah FA at Rapid-Giulesti Stadium in Bucharest leaves the Israeli side with a narrow but deserved first-leg advantage in this UEFA Champions League Play-offs tie. Dominating territory and the ball but made to work hard after an early setback, Hapoel turned the game around before the interval and then found a late winner to carry a slender lead into the return match.

Match Report

The game opened with a shock for Hapoel Beer Sheva. On 6', Sabah FA struck first when Veljko Simić finished a flowing move for the visitors, timing his run well to meet a delivery from overlapping left-back Tymoteusz Puchacz. It was recorded as a normal goal and gave Sabah an early 0-1 lead.

Hapoel responded by pinning Sabah back and eventually levelled just before half-time. On 43', Hapoel Beer Sheva goal — Javon East drove into the box and converted with a composed finish, an unassisted solo effort after capitalising on space between the lines, making it 1-1 at the break.

The first change arrived on 56' as Sabah FA looked for more vertical threat in transition: O. Mbina replaced X. Severina (Sabah FA), a like-for-like switch in the attacking midfield line aimed at freshening the press and counter-attacking outlet.

Hapoel’s first substitution came on 66', targeting more direct running on the flank: A. C. Ganah replaced Z. Ahmed (Hapoel Beer Sheva), adding fresh legs to stretch Sabah’s back line.

On 71', Hapoel adjusted their central attacking reference point: M. Abu Rumi replaced J. East (Hapoel Beer Sheva), with the new forward tasked with occupying the centre-backs and attacking crosses as the hosts increased their territorial pressure.

Sabah responded on 74' with another attacking tweak: C. Nwachukwu replaced A. Isayev (Sabah FA), injecting pace and dribbling from midfield to exploit any space left by Hapoel’s advancing full-backs.

The game’s disciplinary phase began on 76' when Miguel Vítor (Hapoel Beer Sheva) received a yellow card (Tripping) after halting a Sabah break with a late challenge on the edge of midfield.

Just a minute later, on 77', Hapoel picked up another caution as I. Rotman (Hapoel Beer Sheva) was shown a yellow card (Roughing) for a robust challenge, reflecting the home side’s increasing aggression to prevent counter-attacks.

The decisive moment arrived on 79'. Hapoel Beer Sheva goal — Igor Zlatanović (assisted by E. Peretz). Peretz found a pocket between Sabah’s lines and slipped a precise through ball into Zlatanović’s path, and the forward finished low across the goalkeeper to give Hapoel a 2-1 lead, completing the turnaround.

On 84', substitute A. C. Ganah (Hapoel Beer Sheva) was booked, receiving a yellow card (Foul) for a late challenge while pressing high, underlining the hosts’ commitment to protecting their narrow advantage.

Hapoel then moved to lock down the result with a double substitution on 85'. First, Y. Malede replaced I. Zlatanović (Hapoel Beer Sheva), adding fresh energy up front to press and chase long balls. Simultaneously, H. Kanaan replaced N. Yehoshua (Hapoel Beer Sheva), reinforcing midfield legs and defensive coverage in front of the back four.

Sabah FA made one final adjustment on 89' to stabilise their defensive line and support late set-piece pushes: E. A. Santos Junior replaced S. Solvet (Sabah FA), but despite the reshuffle the visitors could not fashion a clear late chance, and Hapoel closed out the 2-1 victory.

Fixture Statistics & Tactical Audit

• xG: Hapoel Beer Sheva — not specified vs Sabah FA — not specified
• Possession: Hapoel Beer Sheva 67% vs 33% Sabah FA
• Shots on Target: Hapoel Beer Sheva 7 vs 5 Sabah FA
• Goalkeeper Saves: Hapoel Beer Sheva 4 vs 4 Sabah FA
• Blocked Shots: Hapoel Beer Sheva 5 vs 0 Sabah FA

The statistical profile underlines that Hapoel Beer Sheva were dominant (67% possession, 18 total shots to 8) in terms of territory and volume of attacks. Their seven shots on target to Sabah’s five, combined with five blocked efforts, show sustained pressure and a clear territorial advantage. Sabah, by contrast, played a compact, counter-attacking game, making more of limited ball share but relying heavily on efficiency rather than volume. With both goalkeepers making four saves each, the 2-1 scoreline aligns with the balance of chances: Hapoel created more and spent long spells in control, but Sabah’s early goal and five efforts on target ensured the contest remained competitive rather than one-sided.

Standings Update & Seasonal Impact

With no league table data available for either side, the immediate impact is framed within the context of the UEFA Champions League Play-offs tie rather than domestic standings. Hapoel Beer Sheva carry a one-goal lead into the second leg, a margin that reflects their superiority on the night but still leaves the contest finely poised. Sabah FA, having scored an away goal and kept the deficit to a single strike despite prolonged defending, remain very much alive in the battle for a place in the group stage, but will need to be more proactive and expansive at home to overturn the aggregate score.

Lineups & Personnel

Hapoel Beer Sheva Starting XI

• GK: Ofir Marciano
• DF: Guy Mizrahi, Miguel Vítor, Itay Rotman, Pedro Amador
• MF: Niv Yehoshua, Lucas Ventura, Eliel Peretz
• FW: Javon East, Igor Zlatanović, Zahi Ahmed

Sabah FA Starting XI

• GK: Stas Pokatilov
• DF: Akim Zedadka, Steve Solvet, Rahman Dashdamirov, Tymoteusz Puchacz
• MF: Umarali Rakhmonaliev, Ivan Lepinjica, Xander Severina, Aleksey Isayev, Veljko Simić
• FW: Joy Lance Mickels

Post-Match Verdict

Hapoel Beer Sheva delivered a controlled, largely clinical performance (7 shots on target from 18 attempts, 67% possession) built on patient circulation and sustained pressure in the final third. Their 4-3-3 structure allowed full-backs Mizrahi and Amador to push high, while Peretz operated between the lines to unlock Sabah’s low block, as seen decisively in the assist for Zlatanović’s winner. The hosts’ main shortcoming was an occasional vulnerability in defensive transition, exposed by Sabah’s early goal and five shots on target from just eight attempts.

Sabah FA’s game plan was clear: compact defending, low-risk buildup and sharp counter-attacks. They were efficient rather than expansive (5 shots on target from 8 total, despite only 33% possession), and their early strike from Simić showcased their ability to punish space quickly. However, the lack of blocked shots and the volume of efforts conceded (18 shots against) highlight a defensive unit that was reactive rather than proactive, spending long stretches under pressure. For the second leg, Sabah must find a balance between maintaining their defensive structure and generating more sustained attacking phases if they are to overturn Hapoel’s narrow but deserved 2-1 advantage.