Hapoel Be'er Sheva Falls to Sabah, Misses Historic Champions League Qualification

Hapoel Be'er Sheva's dream of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League for the first time in its history ended in dramatic fashion. The Israeli champions entered the second leg in Azerbaijan with a 2-1 advantage from the first match but suffered a 5-2 defeat in extra time to Sabah, resulting in a 6-4 aggregate loss. Coached by Ran Kojuch, the team was just one win away from reaching Europe's premier football competition but fell short at the final hurdle. Despite the disappointment, Be'er Sheva's European campaign will continue this season as they drop directly into the UEFA Europa League group stage, bypassing further qualifying rounds due to their progress to the Champions League playoff round.