Hapoel Tel Aviv Holds Atalanta in UEFA Conference League Stalemate

The UEFA Conference League delivered two very different nights for Israel’s giants – one built on stubborn resistance, the other on costly mistakes.

Hapoel Tel Aviv stand tall against Atalanta

No goals. Plenty of noise. And a result Hapoel Tel Aviv would have gladly signed for before kick-off.

Backed by around 1,500 travelling supporters, Hapoel frustrated Atalanta in a 0-0 first-leg draw in the Conference League Playoff Round, keeping their dream of a place in the league stage very much alive ahead of next Thursday’s return in Miskolc, Hungary.

The Reds started on the front foot. They pressed high, hunted in packs and tried to force errors deep in Atalanta territory. Roie Alkukin swung in an early cross that flashed through the box without a finishing touch, while Omri Altman’s corner was headed clear as Hapoel searched for a crack in the Italian side’s back line.

Chances, though, were rare. Both teams spent long stretches probing, recycling possession, feeling for weaknesses that never really appeared. The game drifted to halftime goalless, with the keepers largely untroubled but fully alert when called upon.

The pattern barely changed after the break. Neither side wanted to be the one to blink first. Hapoel coach Elyaniv Barda tried to inject life into the contest with a double substitution, sending on Xander Silva and Mor Buskila to add fresh legs and a different look in attack.

Still the tension outweighed the quality. Caution ruled. One mistake could tilt the entire tie.

That mistake never came from Hapoel, even when Atalanta finally raised the tempo in stoppage time. Twice Ederson found space and pulled the trigger. Twice Assaf Tzur stood firm, producing crucial saves as the clock bled out and the Israelis secured a hard-earned clean sheet to carry into their “home-away-from-home” in Miskolc.

Barda had every reason to be satisfied.

“We can congratulate the guys on a very good performance. We stuck to our principles and played our football against a great team, so the players deserve congratulations,” he said. “Having said that, it ended 0–0, and we have a second leg in which we’ll want to reproduce this performance. In the end, we stood firm and insisted on doing what we had worked on. There is still room for improvement, but the better chances were ours.”

On the opposite bench, Maurizio Sarri acknowledged the battle his side had been dragged into.

“I expected a difficult game. They were superior to us physically. We lack fluency in our play; every time we receive the ball, we think, and that slows us down,” he admitted. “Nevertheless, there are also positive aspects: in our last three games, we haven’t conceded a goal.”

So the tie sits on a knife edge. Hapoel have no away goal to lean on, but they do have belief, organisation and 90 minutes in Hungary to finish what they started.

Maccabi Tel Aviv punished in Lugano

For Maccabi Tel Aviv, the margins were far less kind.

A poor clearance, a rash foul and a handful of missed chances left Kenny Miller’s side on the wrong end of a 2-1 defeat to Lugano in Switzerland, handing the hosts a slender but significant advantage before the second leg in Batumi, Georgia.

The opening goal summed up Maccabi’s first-half problems. Under pressure, goalkeeper Ofek Meilika failed to clear convincingly, inviting Lugano forward. The Swiss side needed no second invitation. A quick attack, a sharp delivery, and Kevin Behrens rose to nod the ball home in the 30th minute for 1-0.

Maccabi struggled to settle. Lugano’s aggression and pressing disrupted their rhythm, forced errors and kept the yellow-and-blue penned back for long spells.

Then the restart changed everything.

Barely two minutes into the second half, Roy Revivo produced a moment of real quality, whipping in a superb cross that picked out Ido Shahar. The midfielder, celebrating his 25th birthday, timed his run perfectly and slotted in the equalizer for 1-1 in the 47th minute. Suddenly, Maccabi looked alive. The passing sharpened, the confidence grew.

But the momentum didn’t last.

Tyrese Asante clipped Yanis Cimignani in the area, and the referee pointed to the spot. Anto Grgic stepped up and calmly sent Meilika the wrong way, restoring Lugano’s lead at 2-1 and punishing Maccabi’s lapse.

From there, the visitors chased the game. Shahar pushed for a second. Dor Peretz and Revivo both found themselves in promising positions. Each time, the final touch or decision fell short. The chances were there; the equalizer was not.

Lugano head to Batumi with a one-goal cushion. Maccabi head there knowing they have work to do.

“It was a good game. I’m coming away with very positive feelings about our performance in the second half. I have no doubt that we can get the win next week,” Miller said afterward. “The Lugano players were very aggressive in the first half. They pressed us and made it difficult for us to settle and find our rhythm. The second half was completely different. We created several promising attacks, found a much better rhythm and had a lot of possession.”

Shahar, scorer and birthday boy, cut a more conflicted figure.

“Honestly, I would have been much happier if we had won and received the perfect birthday present. I’m happy about the goal, but unfortunately we lost in the end,” he said. “Nevertheless, we fully believe that with the support of the fans next week in Batumi, we will get the job done.”

Two Israeli clubs, two finely poised ties. Hapoel arrive in Miskolc with Atalanta on the ropes. Maccabi head to Batumi needing to hit back. The Conference League door is still open – the question now is who walks through it.