90 minutes from history: Hapoel Be'er Sheva completes a 2-1 comeback against Sabah

Hapoel Be'er Sheva is just 90 minutes away from history. The Israeli champion won 2-1 this Wednesday against Sabah in their "home" match in Bucharest, gaining an advantage ahead of the return leg in Azerbaijan and moving closer to their first-ever qualification for the Champions League league phase.

The start was far from what Ran Kozuch and his players had dreamed of. As early as the sixth minute, a Sabah counterattack was stopped by Lucas Ventura, who cleared the ball poorly straight to the feet of Puchacz. The latter found Simic free in the box, and the striker headed home from close range past Ofir Marciano to make it a quick 0-1 for the Azerbaijanis.

Be'er Sheva was not rattled by the deficit, took control of the game, and looked for a way back. Two minutes before halftime, they found it, with quite a bit of luck: Pedro Amador shot from inside the box, the ball deflected and reached Jeovan East, who did not get confused from close range and made it 1-1.

Sabah was more dangerous at the start of the second half, and Marciano was required to make a great save against a powerful header from Orphe Mbina. However, the last word belonged to the national champion. In the 79th minute, Eliel Peretz sent in a corner, Igor Zlatanovic rose above the Azerbaijani defense and headed powerfully into the net to complete the comeback and set an important 1:2 score. The Israeli champion was even close to a third goal in the 89th minute, but substitute Kanaan missed from a particularly promising position.

After impressively eliminating Red Star Belgrade, Be'er Sheva has taken another significant step in its European journey. Now they will arrive at the return leg in Azerbaijan with a one-goal lead, where a win or a draw will be enough for them to complete the mission and secure the coveted ticket to the Champions League league phase.

Lineups

Hapoel Be'er Sheva: Ofir Marciano, Guy Mizrahi, Miguel Vitor, Itay Rotman, Pedro Amador, Lucas Ventura, Niv Yehoshua (Hamoudi Kanaan, 85), Eliel Peretz, Jeovan East (Muhammad Abu Rumi, 71), Zahai Ahmed (Amir Ganah, 66), Igor Zlatanovic (Yones Malede, 85).

Sabah: Stas Pokatilov, Akeem Zedadka, Steven Solvet, Rahman Dashdamirov, Tymoteusz Puchacz, Ivan Lepinjica, Omarali Rahmonaliyev, Aleksey Isayev (Christian Nwachukwu, 74), Cendrino Severina (Orphe Mbina, 56), Veljko Simic, Joy-Lance Mickels.

Match events

Minute 6: 0-1 for Sabah!

Minute 22: Mickels raced down the wing, penetrated the box and sent a dangerous cross.

Minute 25: Amador sent an excellent cross into the box and found Zlatanovic, who headed and was blocked.

Minute 26: Severina received the ball on the wing, cut to the center and tried to find the corner, but Marciano was alert.

Minute 35: A precise cross finds Mickels, who was left alone and headed too weakly into the hands of Marciano.

Minute 43: 1-1! Amador shot from inside the box, the ball deflected and reached East, who completed the move with a shot from close range into the net.

Minute 48: A mistake by the Azerbaijani defense gave East a huge opportunity, but the striker hesitated and was blocked.

Minute 59: Substitute Mbina turned on the afterburners and flew into a counterattack, saw Marciano out of the goal and tried to curl it but missed the frame.

Minute 62: What a save by Marciano against a powerful header by Mbina.

Minute 74: A huge chance for Ganah after Eliel Peretz artfully chipped over his opponent.

Minute 79: 1-2 for Hapoel Be'er Sheva! Eliel Peretz sent in the corner, Zlatanovic rose above the defense and headed powerfully into the net.

Minute 89: What a miss by Be'er Sheva as substitutes were blocked from inside the box.