Hapoel Be'er Sheva Nears Historic Champions League Qualification Ahead of Baku Clash

Hapoel Be'er Sheva is close to achieving a historic milestone by qualifying for the UEFA Champions League group stage after securing a 2-1 away victory in the first leg against Azerbaijani champions Sabah FK in Romania. The decisive second leg is scheduled for Tuesday at the Topaz Stadium in Baku, which holds just over 31,000 spectators. As of Friday, nearly half of the stadium's capacity has already been sold, with 15,000 tickets purchased, reflecting strong local interest.

Sabah FK, aiming for their first-ever qualification to the prestigious tournament, remain confident in their chances. Their striker and first-leg goal scorer, Veleko Simic, urged fans to fill the stands, saying, "I call on all our supporters to come and fill the stands. With their support, we can experience another magical night."

The Azerbaijani team's belief in a comeback is bolstered by their previous round performance, where they overturned a 2-1 away loss to Aarhus by winning 4-0 at home to advance to the playoff stage. Hapoel Be'er Sheva will enter the match with a 2-1 aggregate lead after coming from behind in the first leg. The winner over the two legs will advance to the Champions League group stage, while the loser will enter the Europa League group stage.