UEFA Champions League Play-offs
Hapoel Beer Sheva 2 - 1 FT Sabah FA
Popular today
Most read in the last 24 hours
Futmetrix Verdict
43
FT
Mon, Oct 12
Coventry
4-1
Newcastle
⚡ Form
47
⚖️ Balance
95
🏆 Stakes
0
⭐ Stars
72
Futmetrix Verdict
66
FT
Mon, Oct 12
Atalanta
3-1
Venezia
⚡ Intensity
86
⚖️ Balance
31
🏆 Stakes
0
🎲 Upset
0
Atalanta strike early, Venezia stay sunk.
Futmetrix Verdict
59
FT
Mon, Oct 12
Al-Wasl FC
1-3
Al-Ahli Jeddah
⚡ Intensity
63
⚖️ Balance
54
🏆 Stakes
12
🎲 Upset
0
Clinical Al-Ahli secure vital away victory.
Match Statistics
Possession
Shots
Shots on Target
Passes
Pass Accuracy
Corners
Fouls
Yellow Cards
Red Cards
Match Events
V. Simic (T. Puchacz) 6'
43' J. East
HT
↓ X. Severina ↑O. Mbina 56'
66' ↓ Z. Ahmed ↑A. C. Ganah
71' ↓ J. East ↑M. Abu Rumi
↓ A. Isayev ↑C. Nwachukwu 74'
76' Miguel Vitor
77' I. Rotman
79' I. Zlatanovic (E. Peretz)
84' A. C. Ganah
85' ↓ I. Zlatanovic ↑Y. Malede
85' ↓ N. Yehoshua ↑H. Kanaan
↓ S. Solvet ↑E. A. Santos Junior 89'
FT
Player Cards
Our take on every player in this match
Hapoel Beer Sheva
Goalkeepers
Ofir Marciano 
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
89
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Guy Mizrahi 
MAGNET
70
Activity
70
Activity
66
Passes
4
Duels
Miguel Vitor
MAGNET
110
Activity
110
Activity
102
Passes
8
Duels
Itay Rotman
MAGNET
116
Activity
116
Activity
110
Passes
6
Duels
Pedro Amador 
ARCHITECT
2
Key Passes
2
Key Passes
0
Assists
43%
Pass Acc
Midfielders
Niv Yehoshua
MAGNET
56
Activity
56
Activity
49
Passes
7
Duels
Lucas Ventura
MAGNET
72
Activity
72
Activity
66
Passes
6
Duels
Eliel Peretz
ARCHITECT
4
Key Passes
4
Key Passes
1
Assists
70%
Pass Acc
Forwards
Javon East 
SNIPER
100%
Conversion
100%
Conversion
1
Goals
1
Shots
Igor Zlatanovic 
CLOSER
1
Late Goals
1
Late Goals
0
Late Assists
75
Minute
Zahi Ahmed
MAGNET
40
Activity
40
Activity
29
Passes
11
Duels
BENCH
Marco Wolff 
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Matan Baltaxa
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Djibril Diop
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ofir Davidzada
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yoan Stoyanov
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Itay Azut
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Roy Levy
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Amir Ganah
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
23
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Mohamad Abu Rumi
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
18
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Mohammad Kna'an
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
4
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Amit Ohana
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Yonas Malede
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
4
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Sabah FA
Goalkeepers
Stas Pokatilov
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
89
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Defenders
Akim Zedadka 
PROVOCATEUR
3
Fouls Won
3
Fouls Won
6
Duels Won
0
Pens Won
Steve Solvet 
WALL
0
Dribbled Past
0
Dribbled Past
2
Tackles
80%
Duel Win %
Rahman Dashdemirov 
SWEEPER
4
Cleanups
4
Cleanups
2
Interceptions
2
Blocks
Tymoteusz Puchacz
ARCHITECT
3
Key Passes
3
Key Passes
1
Assists
20%
Pass Acc
Midfielders
Umarali Rahmonaliyev
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
89
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Ivan Lepinjica
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
89
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Xander Severina
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
56
Total Mins
56
Entry
Aleksey Isaev
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
74
Total Mins
74
Entry
Veljko Simić
SNIPER
100%
Conversion
100%
Conversion
1
Goals
1
Shots
Forwards
Joy-Lance Mickels
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
89
Total Mins
Started
Entry
BENCH
Amin Ramazanov
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Ravan Mirzammadov
SPECTATOR
0
Saves
0
Saves
0
Conceded
0
Minutes
Aden McCarthy
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Tellur Mutallimov
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Erivaldo Almeida
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Abdulla Khaybulayev
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Kaheem Parris
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Rauf Rustamli
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Rodrigo Fernandes
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Patrick Mbina
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
33
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Christian Nwachukwu
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
15
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Younes Lachaab
LATE SHIFT
15
Late Mins
15
Late Mins
0
Total Mins
Started
Entry
Head to Head
| Date | Home | Score | Away | Competition | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 08/19/2026 | Hapoel Beer Sheva | 2 - 1 | Sabah FA | UEFA Champions League | Superbet Arena - Giulesti |
08/19/2026
Hapoel Beer Sheva Win
Sabah FA Win
Draw
Match previews and recaps to help you decide which games are worth watching
Hapoel Beer Sheva
Sabah FA
Hapoel Beer Sheva
Sabah FA
Win Probability
Futmetrix AI estimate
Hapoel Orchestrate Bucharest Comeback to Edge First Leg
Average Entertainment Futmetrix Score: 52/100. A dramatic turnaround at the Rapid-Giulesti Stadium hands Hapoel Beer Sheva a crucial, albeit slender, advantage heading into the decisive return fixture.
Opening Act
The quest for UEFA Champions League group stage football brought immense Stakes to the Rapid-Giulesti Stadium, and the visitors wasted no time making their mark. Sabah FA silenced the crowd just six minutes into this vital playoff first leg. A sharp move culminated in T. Puchacz finding V. Simic, who coolly slotted home the early opener. The early setback forced Hapoel Beer Sheva into immediate action, requiring them to dictate the tempo. The hosts seized control of the ball, eventually dominating possession with a staggering 68% over the ninety minutes. Despite Hapoel's methodical build-up play and a barrage of early passing combinations, Sabah's defensive shape remained initially stubborn. The Intensity of the opening phase set the tone for an exhausting European contest where neither side was willing to concede ground easily.
The Pivot
As the first half dragged towards the whistle, the pressure finally cracked the away side's resolve. The Balance of the match shifted dramatically in the 43rd minute. Javon East found the breakthrough that Hapoel desperately craved, driving a crucial equaliser past the Sabah goalkeeper to erase the deficit just before the break. This timing was devastating for the visitors, transforming the halftime team talks and shifting all momentum to the home side. Upon restarting, Hapoel Beer Sheva suffocated their opponents, stringing together over 600 passes at a pristine 91% accuracy rate. Eliel Peretz was the maestro in the middle, continuously unlocking the defensive lines with piercing key passes. Sabah retreated into a deeper block, managing only brief counter-attacks as they struggled to cope with the relentless waves of pressure crashing against their penalty area.
Resolution
The defining moment arrived deep into the second half, completing a brilliant comeback that sent the home fans into raptures. In the 79th minute, the creative brilliance of Eliel Peretz paid dividends, providing a perfect assist for I. Zlatanovic to smash home the winning goal. The 2-1 victory hands Hapoel Beer Sheva a slender but vital advantage in this two-leg tie. Sabah FA will rue their inability to build on that dream start, but the tie is far from over. With the second leg scheduled for August 25th, the visitors must regroup and prepare to overturn the deficit on their own turf. The knockout drama remains firmly alive, ensuring a spectacular showdown awaits next week as both clubs continue their desperate fight for a lucrative spot in the main competition.
Key Questions
How did Hapoel Beer Sheva complete the comeback from behind?
Javon East equalised before half-time. Then, in the 79th minute, Eliel Peretz provided a crucial assist for I. Zlatanovic, converting heavy possession into a vital 2-1 first-leg victory.
What is the Futmetrix Score?
The Futmetrix Score is our 0-100 verdict on how entertaining a match is. We look at intensity, balance, stakes, and star quality to tell you if it's worth your time.
Hapoel Beer Sheva and Sabah FA Clash for Champions League Ticket
Worth Watching Futmetrix Score: 67/100. This first leg is a classic clash of defensive resilience against travelling firepower with a spot in the main tournament on the line.
The Setup
Hapoel Beer Sheva welcome Sabah FA to the Superbet Arena - Giulesti for the crucial opening leg of their UEFA Champions League play-off. The Stakes are crystal clear: survive and advance to the lucrative league phase of European football's premier club competition. Hapoel bring a formidable defensive record to this tie, having kept a clean sheet in every match so far this campaign. However, Sabah carry a solid Form rating, heavily influenced by their impressive away record, winning two of their three matches on the road. With the return leg scheduled for August 25, neither side will want to take excessive risks, a reality reflected in a relatively modest Balance rating. The overall Stars rating might be low, but the tactical intrigue of this knockout tie is undeniable.
Key Battle
The defining contest will be Sabah FA's attacking unit against Hapoel Beer Sheva's impenetrable backline. The visitors have shown they can score away from home, but Hapoel’s defensive structure has been absolutely flawless. Sabah's forwards must find pockets of space between the lines to disrupt the home side's stubborn defensive block.
Our Prediction
Expect a tense, cagey affair typical of first-leg knockout football. Hapoel Beer Sheva are marginal favourites, but Sabah’s ability to grind out away results points towards a tight draw, leaving everything to play for in the second leg. A 1-1 stalemate looks the most probable outcome as both teams play the long game.