Hapoel Be'er Sheva Advances to Champions League Playoff Despite Player's High Fever

Hapoel Be'er Sheva celebrated a historic achievement by advancing to the UEFA Champions League playoff round after a commanding 2-0 away victory against Red Star Belgrade on August 11, 2026, securing a 3-0 aggregate win. The team, coached by Ran Kozuch, delivered an impressive performance in Serbia and now faces Azerbaijani club Sabah in the playoff stage, just 180 minutes away from reaching the Champions League group phase for the first time.

Javon East stood out with his best performance since joining the club, scoring the second goal and assisting the first, while also showing great defensive effort. Right-back Guy Mizrahi earned high praise for playing despite suffering from a 39-degree Celsius fever, refusing to miss the crucial match. Itay Rotman, preferred over Jibril Diop, also contributed effectively, and Pedro Amador made a strong debut in the starting lineup.

Coach Kozuch received widespread acclaim for his professional and mental preparation of the team. Club members noted, "His confidence inspired the players. He stayed true to his approach and delivered a knockout to Stankovic." The players celebrated extensively on the pitch wrapped in Israeli flags and continued festivities in the locker room, despite facing object-throwing from the local stands.

Approximately 300 fans traveled from Budapest to Belgrade over five hours to support the team, and the club expects even larger attendance for the upcoming playoff matches. With this milestone behind them, Be'er Sheva now focuses on overcoming Sabah to secure a historic spot in the Champions League group stage.