Hapoel Beer Sheva Triumphs 2-1 Over Sabah FA in UEFA Champions League Play-offs

Hapoel Beer Sheva 2-1 Sabah FA at Rapid-Giulesti Stadium, a comeback win that puts the Israeli side in control of this UEFA Champions League Play-offs tie. Trailing early, Ran Kozuch’s team turned the game around before the hour mark and then managed the contest with long spells of possession, leaving Sabah FA with work to do in the second leg.

Match Report

6' Sabah FA goal — Veljko Simić (assisted by Tymoteusz Puchacz). Sabah struck first with a well-worked move down the left, Puchacz delivering for Simić to finish and give the visitors an early 0-1 lead.

43' Hapoel Beer Sheva goal — Javon East (unassisted). Beer Sheva responded before the interval, East capitalising on hesitation in the Sabah back line to level from close range, making it 1-1.

56' Substitution — Patrick Orphe M'Bina replaced Xander Severina (Sabah FA), adding fresh legs to the visitors’ attacking line behind the striker.

66' Substitution — Amir Chaim Ganah replaced Zahi Ahmed (Hapoel Beer Sheva), with Kozuch looking for more direct threat in the final third.

71' Substitution — Mohamad Abu Rumi replaced Javon East (Hapoel Beer Sheva), the goalscorer making way as Beer Sheva reshaped their front line.

74' Substitution — Christian Nwachukwu replaced Aleksey Isayev (Sabah FA), a like-for-like change in the advanced midfield role as Sabah chased a second away goal.

76' Miguel Vítor (Hapoel Beer Sheva) — yellow card (Tripping). The centre-back went into the book for a late challenge as Sabah tried to break in transition.

77' Itay Rotman (Hapoel Beer Sheva) — yellow card (Roughing). Another defender was cautioned a minute later after a robust aerial challenge, underlining Beer Sheva’s increasing defensive aggression.

79' Hapoel Beer Sheva goal — Igor Zlatanović (assisted by Eliel Peretz). The hosts completed the turnaround when Peretz slipped a precise pass into Zlatanović, who finished clinically to put Beer Sheva 2-1 ahead.

84' Amir Chaim Ganah (Hapoel Beer Sheva) — yellow card (Foul). The substitute forward was booked for a late challenge while pressing high up the pitch.

85' Substitution — Yonas Malede replaced Igor Zlatanović (Hapoel Beer Sheva), with the match-winner withdrawn to protect the lead.

85' Substitution — Hamode Kanaan replaced Niv Yehoshua (Hapoel Beer Sheva), adding fresh energy in midfield for the closing minutes.

89' Substitution — Júnior Almeida replaced Steve Solvet (Sabah FA), a late defensive change as the visitors pushed bodies forward in search of an equaliser.

Fixture Statistics & Tactical Audit

• xG: Hapoel Beer Sheva — not recorded vs Sabah FA — not recorded
• 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 7 Sabah FA
• Blocked Shots: Hapoel Beer Sheva 5 vs 0 Sabah FA

Beer Sheva’s dominance in possession (67%) and volume of attempts (18 total shots to 8) underpinned the comeback. Their structure in a 4-3-3 allowed sustained pressure in Sabah’s half, reflected in the hosts’ higher number of shots inside the box. Sabah, by contrast, were more selective but still found 5 efforts on target, forcing Ofir Marciano into four saves. At the other end, Stas Pokatilov’s seven saves highlighted how often Beer Sheva were able to work shooting positions. Without xG values, the pattern still suggests the 2-1 scoreline was broadly aligned with territorial and chance creation, with Beer Sheva turning their control into just enough end product, while Sabah’s early lead could not be reinforced by sustained attacking phases.

Standings Update & Seasonal Impact

With no league table data available for either side, the immediate impact is framed in two-legged terms rather than domestic standings. Beer Sheva carry a narrow 2-1 advantage from this Play-offs first leg, crucially avoiding a larger concession of away goals while asserting their authority in open play. Sabah remain very much alive in the tie thanks to Simić’s early strike, but the balance of play suggests they will need a more proactive home performance to overturn Beer Sheva’s advantage and reach the Champions League group stage.

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 dominant performance (67% possession, 18 shots to 8) that justified their 2-1 win, even if the margin remained slim. Their 4-3-3 gave them numerical superiority in midfield and consistent access to the half-spaces, with Peretz’s assist for Zlatanović emblematic of their ability to break Sabah’s lines. Defensively, however, the hosts showed moments of vulnerability, conceding 5 shots on target from only 8 attempts, a ratio that will concern Kozuch ahead of the return leg.

Sabah FA’s display was opportunistic rather than sustained, built around the early goal and sporadic transitions (5 shots on target from just 8 total). Their relatively low foul count (6) and compact shape suggested a conservative game plan, but the inability to relieve pressure — only 33% possession and 305 passes compared to Beer Sheva’s 659 — meant long periods of defending deep. Pokatilov’s workload (7 saves) underlined that this was more about resistance than control. To turn the tie around at home, Sabah will need to push their defensive line higher, increase their passing volume, and create more consistent service to Mickels and Simić, otherwise Beer Sheva’s capacity to dictate tempo and territory is likely to see them through.