Hapoel Be'er Sheva Faces Historic Chance to Qualify for Champions League in Baku

Hapoel Be'er Sheva, the reigning Israeli champions, are set to play a crucial match tonight at 19:45 in Baku, Azerbaijan, against Sabah FK for a spot in the UEFA Champions League group stage. This fixture marks one of the most significant moments in the club's history. The first leg, held in Bucharest, ended with a 2-1 victory for Be'er Sheva under coach Ran Kozuch. A win or draw tonight will secure the club's first-ever Champions League appearance, while a loss by two or more goals would eliminate them from the competition, relegating them to the Europa League group stage. If Sabah wins by a single goal, the match will proceed to extra time and potentially penalties.

The game will take place at the Tofiq Bahramov Stadium in Baku, as Sabah's home ground in Masazir does not meet UEFA standards. The stadium is named after a famous Azerbaijani referee known for the controversial "Wembley Goal" in the 1966 World Cup final. Romanian referee István Kovács, renowned for officiating all three major European finals, will lead the match.

Ahead of the game, Be'er Sheva players participated in a morning prayer led by coach Kozuch, who is a devout man. The team brought along a Torah scroll from Israel, belonging to Rabbi Yitzhak Abuhatzeira of Ramla, which has accompanied them in all their European matches except one, which they lost. Kozuch, who began his head coaching career in November 2022, has rapidly risen by winning all major Israeli titles and now aims to add Champions League qualification to his achievements.

Kozuch expects a challenging match against a dangerous Sabah side, emphasizing the need for tactical discipline and intelligence. Goalkeeper Ofir Marciano echoed the sentiment, calling this potentially one of the happiest moments of his career but acknowledging the team is only halfway through the challenge.

Outside the stadium, about 600 Be'er Sheva fans gathered, though local police dispersed them citing disorder. Approximately 30,000 Azerbaijani fans are expected inside, mostly supporting Sabah. Despite the pressure, Be'er Sheva hopes to replicate their previous success in away legs, aiming to win rather than settle for a draw. The outcome will determine if the Israeli club makes history by reaching the Champions League group stage for the first time.