Hapoel Be'er Sheva's Early Goal Disallowed by Narrow Offside in Champions League Playoff

On August 25, 2026, Hapoel Be'er Sheva nearly took an early lead in their UEFA Champions League playoff second-leg match against Sabah, but their opening goal was disallowed due to a marginal offside call. Igor Zlatanovic initially scored in the third minute after a swift counterattack, controlling a long ball and passing to Zahy Ahmed, who returned the ball to Zlatanovic for the finish. However, the offside was called on Ahmed during the first pass, nullifying the goal by just centimeters.

Despite the setback, Zlatanovic redeemed himself seven minutes later by scoring a legitimate goal, giving Hapoel Be'er Sheva a 1-0 lead in the match and a 3-1 advantage on aggregate. The disallowed goal was a harsh blow for the team, but the subsequent score helped maintain their strong position in the playoff round of the Champions League.