Sabah's Corner Kick Play Eliminates Hapoel Be'er Sheva From Champions League

Hapoel Be'er Sheva came within 20 seconds of qualifying for the UEFA Champions League before a decisive corner kick by Sabah sent the match into extra time, ultimately leading to a 5-2 defeat for the Israeli club. Football blogger JonyBall analyzed the crucial play, explaining that Be'er Sheva employed a zonal defense, but Sabah positioned four players inside the penalty area. Just before the corner was taken, these players moved into the box, disrupting the zonal defense and drawing defenders away from the penalty spot, leaving defender Talor Motalimov completely unmarked. Motalimov, who had entered the game only three minutes earlier, scored the third goal for Sabah that forced extra time. Sabah's substitutes collectively contributed two goals and three assists during the match, underscoring their impact. This moment remains a significant and painful memory for Hapoel Be'er Sheva and Israeli football fans.