Hapoel Be'er Sheva Aims for Historic Champions League Qualification in Baku
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
Hapoel Be'er Sheva prepares for a decisive Champions League qualifier second leg against Sabah FK in Baku after a 2-1 first-leg win. Around 600 fans, including devoted supporters Ron and Michel Bashani, are in Baku to back the team. The club aims to make history by qualifying for the Champions League for the first time.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Hapoel Be'er Sheva leads 2-1 from the first leg against Sabah FK before Tuesday's second leg in Baku.
- About 600 fans traveled to Baku, bringing strong support and club spirit.
- Fans use the phrase 'Ama Ya'amik' to express cautious hope and avoid jinxing the team.
- Ron and Michel Bashani attended both legs, dressing as a black cat and garlic to break a losing streak.
- Michel sees this as possibly his last chance to witness the club reach the Champions League.
- The match could mark a historic first Champions League qualification for Hapoel Be'er Sheva.
Hapoel Be'er Sheva stands on the brink of a historic qualification to the UEFA Champions League. On Tuesday evening at 19:45, the team will play the second leg against Azerbaijan's Sabah FK in Baku, following a 2-1 victory in the first leg held in Bucharest. Around 600 fans have traveled to Baku, bringing vibrant support and the club's unique spirit to the Azerbaijani capital.
The fans often use the phrase "Ama Ya'amik," reflecting cautious optimism without raising expectations to avoid jinxing the outcome. Ron Bashani, a devoted fan currently in Baku, described the moment as "being 90 minutes away from Champions League qualification, something unimaginable 20 years ago." Ron and his father Michel, who came from different parts of the world, Michel from Be'er Sheva and Ron from Orange County, USA, attended the first match in Bucharest and plan to attend the decisive game in Baku.
In a unique show of support, Michel dressed as garlic and Ron as a black cat during the first match, aiming to break the team's recent streak of bad luck. Ron explained that since moving to the US, the team had lost every game he attended, so they adopted these costumes to reverse the "jinx." Michel reflected on the significance of this moment, recalling past near-misses in 2016 and emphasizing that this might be his last chance to witness the club reach such heights. Between the two legs, they toured Europe, even attending a match of Hapoel Tel Aviv in Bergamo to support Israeli players abroad.
Michel expressed hope that their costumes would bring luck again in the second leg, saying, "With God's help, we hope the cat and garlic will do their job. I'm excited and hope I can handle the moment." The match in Baku represents a pivotal moment for Hapoel Be'er Sheva as they seek to make club history by qualifying for Europe's premier club competition for the first time.
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