Hapoel Be'er Sheva Shocks Red Star Belgrade With 1-0 Win in Champions League Opener

Hapoel Be'er Sheva stunned Red Star Belgrade with a 1-0 victory in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League qualifier on Tuesday in Belgrade. The Israeli champions scored through Zahi Ahmed, who exploited defensive lapses to secure the crucial away goal. Despite Red Star's hopes for a strong Champions League run, the Serbian side struggled to create meaningful chances and was criticized heavily by local media for a lackluster performance.

Serbian outlets noted that Be'er Sheva did just enough to win and could have scored by a larger margin. They highlighted Red Star's failure to capitalize even after gaining a numerical advantage following the sending off of Matan Baltaksa. Coach Diyan Stankovic admitted his team was surprised by Be'er Sheva's aggressive approach and acknowledged numerous unforced errors and poor ball control that contributed to the defeat.

Stankovic also expressed frustration with his tactical adjustments and substitutions, which failed to stem the Israeli side's momentum. Despite the setback, Red Star remains hopeful for the return leg next Wednesday at the Marakana Stadium, where they will need to overturn the deficit to advance. The match underscored Be'er Sheva's growing stature in European competition and posed serious questions for Red Star's readiness this season.