Hapoel Be'er Sheva Stuns Red Star Belgrade with Early Goal Amid Serbian Shock

On August 4, 2026, Hapoel Be'er Sheva shocked Serbian football fans by taking a 1-0 lead against Red Star Belgrade in a UEFA Champions League match. The goal came after a poor back pass from Red Star's Mateusz to goalkeeper Drak Lukassen, which was intercepted by Zahi Ahmed who scored from close range. This unexpected error surprised the Serbian side, who entered the match as heavy favorites.

Serbian media and fans reacted strongly to the mistake. Mundo Sport described Lukassen's error as "crazy," noting that Red Star had dominated the game until Ahmed's goal. Sportklub called it a "catastrophe" and an unforgivable mistake. Despite Red Star having six shots on goal before scoring, Hapoel Be'er Sheva had only two attempts and none on target. Fans criticized the decision to start Lukassen, who had not played recently, accusing the team of underestimating Be'er Sheva and making careless errors.

The incident highlights the pressure and unpredictability in high-stakes European matches, with Red Star needing to recover from this early setback. The match continues with Red Star seeking to overturn the deficit against the Israeli club.