Hapoel Be'er Sheva Fans Rally Ahead of Crucial Champions League Qualifier in Baku

Hapoel Be'er Sheva, Israel's reigning football champions, are set to play a pivotal Champions League qualifying match tonight at 19:45 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Hundreds of their supporters gathered near Baku's Tofiq Bahramov Stadium, waving flags and cheering under heavy security, as the team prepares to face Sabah FK. The first leg, held in Bucharest, ended with Be'er Sheva winning 2-1, putting them in a strong position to advance to the lucrative Champions League group stage with either a win or a draw tonight.

Coach Ran Kozuch acknowledged the historic significance of the match, stating, "What we have achieved so far is great, and now we aim for an even greater accomplishment. We have a chance to make history, and I believe we will." The match is hosted at Tofiq Bahramov Stadium in Baku rather than Sabah's home ground in Masazir, which does not meet UEFA standards for this stage.

The game will be officiated by a top Romanian refereeing team led by István Kovács, known for refereeing finals in the Champions League, Europa League, and Conference League. Kozuch is expected to field a similar lineup to recent matches, with Ofir Marciano in goal and a defense including Guy Mizrahi, Miguel Vitor, Itay Rotman, and Pedro Amdur. Midfielders Lucas Ventura, Niv Yehoshua, and Eliel Peretz are likely starters, alongside forwards Igor Zlatanovic and Javon East. Possible substitutions include Zahy Ahmad, Mohammed Abu Romi, Amir Ganah, or Jonas Malde.

Sabah FK remains cautiously optimistic, drawing confidence from their previous qualifying round against Danish club Aarhus, where they overturned a 2-1 away loss with a 4-0 home victory. Tonight's match will determine if Be'er Sheva secures a historic Champions League group stage spot or drops to the Europa League group stage if they lose by two or more goals. A one-goal win for Sabah would lead to extra time and potentially penalties.