Hapoel Be'er Sheva Faces Challenging European Campaign After Iceland Loss

Hapoel Be'er Sheva suffered a 2-1 defeat against Icelandic club Vikingur Reykjavik on Tuesday, complicating their chances of qualifying for next season's UEFA Champions League. Prior to the match, data from Football Meets Data gave Be'er Sheva a 71% probability of advancing and a 44% chance of winning away. Following the loss, their chances of progressing dropped to 50%, though they still hold an 88% likelihood of reaching some European group stage.

If Be'er Sheva is eliminated by Vikingur, they will face the loser of the tie between Thun and Dinamo Zagreb, who drew 1-1 in the first leg in Switzerland. That second leg will also be played on Tuesday, allowing Be'er Sheva to know their potential next opponent before their own return match.

Meanwhile, Red Star Belgrade dominated with a 4-0 away victory over Larne. Football Meets Data's algorithm predicts Be'er Sheva will lose to Red Star but win in the Europa League playoff round, securing a spot in Europe's secondary club competition. Advancing past Vikingur guarantees Be'er Sheva a European campaign and at least 3.17 million euros in revenue from this achievement alone.