Hapoel Be'er Sheva Overcomes Vikingur to Reach Champions League Third Qualifying Round

Hapoel Be'er Sheva secured a crucial 2-0 victory over Icelandic side Vikingur on Wednesday in Hungary, overturning a 2-1 first-leg deficit to advance to the third qualifying round of the UEFA Champions League with a 3-2 aggregate score. This win guarantees Be'er Sheva at least a spot in the UEFA Conference League group stage, even if they are eliminated in the next Champions League qualifying round.

The Israeli champions struggled early in the match, with Kings Kangwa missing a key chance in the 14th minute after losing balance in front of the goal. The breakthrough came in the 65th minute when Guy Mizrahi delivered a cross that Zahi Ahmed headed precisely into the net. Be'er Sheva doubled their lead in the 80th minute through Amir Ganah, who scored with a skillful shot after a personal run inside the box.

The match ended with a tense moment when a penalty was initially awarded to Vikingur in stoppage time after an incident involving Ofir Dudzada, but the decision was overturned by VAR due to a foul on Be'er Sheva goalkeeper Ofir Marciano. Be'er Sheva's next opponent will be Serbian champions Red Star Belgrade, who advanced after a 5-0 win over Larne from Northern Ireland.

The victory marks an important milestone for Be'er Sheva, ensuring continued European competition this season and keeping alive their ambition to reach the Champions League group stage. The team lineup included key players such as Ofir Marciano, Guy Mizrahi, Kings Kangwa, and Zahi Ahmed, while Vikingur fielded Aron Friðriksson and others.