Hapoel Be'er Sheva Utilizes Javon East in Dual Role Ahead of Champions League Playoff

Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Israel's reigning champions, are set to face Sabah in the Champions League playoff with a tactical innovation involving their January signing, Jamaican forward Javon East. Traditionally a striker, East has been deployed on the wing alongside Igor Zlatanović, creating a flexible attacking setup that allows the team to switch formations fluidly during matches. This dual role has contributed to Be'er Sheva's recent success, including maintaining three consecutive clean sheets and winning all three games where East and Zlatanović played significant minutes together in the 2025/26 season.

East's ability to drift from the wing into central attacking positions enables Be'er Sheva to start games in a 4-3-3 formation but easily transition to 4-4-2 or 4-2-3-1. This tactical flexibility helps the team control games even when they have fewer shots on goal than their opponents, as demonstrated in their 2-0 victory over Red Star Belgrade, where East scored and assisted Zlatanović. His instinctive finishing inside the box remains his strongest asset, while his new wing role adds depth by effectively giving the team two forwards on the pitch.

The presence of another forward, Zahy Ahmad, who excels defensively and in pressing, complements this system by allowing Be'er Sheva to maintain defensive solidity and numerical balance. The team's defense, anchored by veterans Miguel Vitor and Itay Rotman, along with goalkeeper Ofir Marciano, has performed strongly, benefiting from the tactical setup that minimizes risk. East's transformation into a versatile attacker reflects his previous performances in Costa Rica and represents a significant upgrade for Be'er Sheva as they advance in the Champions League qualifiers.