Maccabi Tel Aviv Draws Sheriff Tiraspol in Second Qualifying Round of Europa League

Maccabi Tel Aviv will face Sheriff Tiraspol from Moldova in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League, marking the first hurdle in their European campaign. This matchup was confirmed after Sheriff Tiraspol secured their place by defeating Alumni 1-0 in the second leg of the first qualifying round, following a 0-0 draw in the first leg. Maccabi Tel Aviv earned their spot in this round by winning the Israeli State Cup last season.

Maccabi Tel Aviv must advance through three rounds, two qualifying rounds and a playoff, to reach the Europa League group stage. If eliminated, they will have a second chance to compete in the UEFA Conference League, needing only two qualifying rounds to reach a group stage there. The first leg against Sheriff Tiraspol will take place away on July 23, with the return leg scheduled for July 30 in Batumi. The qualifying rounds conclude with the playoff second leg on August 27.

Sheriff Tiraspol, founded in 1997, finished second in the Moldovan league and has a strong European presence, including four Europa League group stage appearances and a historic run to the Conference League round of 16 in 2023. Their peak achievement came in the 2021/22 season when they became the first Moldovan club to reach the Champions League group stage and famously defeated Real Madrid 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu. Last season, two Israeli players, Liam Harush and Kais Ganem, played for Sheriff, with Ganem scoring three goals and providing two assists in 18 appearances.

Meanwhile, Hungarian club Ferencváros, featuring Israeli midfielder Gabi Kanichovsky, also advanced to the second qualifying round after a 3-0 win over Vojvodina, completing a 5-1 aggregate victory. Kanichovsky started and played 61 minutes in the match contributing to his team's progression.