Hapoel Be'er Sheva Faces Dinamo Zagreb in Europa League Opener Amid Crisis
Hapoel Be'er Sheva begins its UEFA Europa League league phase against Dinamo Zagreb in Bucharest amid a severe squad crisis. Depleted by injuries and suspensions, the Israeli champions pin their hopes on young midfielder Niv Yehoshua.
Hapoel Be'er Sheva, the sole representative of Israeli football in European competitions for the 2026/27 season, kicks off its UEFA Europa League league phase campaign tonight in Bucharest, "hosting" Dinamo Zagreb. Thirty-six teams participate in the tournament, with each side playing eight matches. The top eight teams will advance directly to the round of 16, while those finishing from 9th to 24th will enter the playoffs.
The Israeli champions previously faced Dinamo Zagreb in the summer of 2018 during the UEFA Champions League qualifiers, a tie that proved deeply traumatic. That was the match where Greek loanee goalkeeper Giannis Anestis delivered a disastrous performance culminating in a resounding 5:0 defeat for the Croatian side. Since that fateful night, Anestis never played another minute for Be'er Sheva, though the return leg in Turner Stadium ended in a solid 2:2 draw.
Current Crisis and Injury Woes
Once again, Hapoel Be'er Sheva enters a crucial European fixture grappling with early-season crisis signs and an underwhelming start. Beyond their dramatic elimination from the Champions League playoffs by Sabah, Be'er Sheva has managed only two victories in four domestic league matches. Furthermore, the squad arrives severely depleted, particularly across the defensive line and central midfield.
Central defender Itay Rothman is sidelined with an injury, while fellow defender Jibril Diop is suspended. The midfield situation is even more precarious: Lucas Ventura is injured and Eliel Peretz is suspended. It remains uncertain whether Amankwah Forson, who made his first start on Sunday in a 2:0 victory over Hapoel Petah Tikva, is fully fit to start again within a span of three days. Itay Hazut, who also started at the Moshava Stadium, stayed in Israel as he is set to transfer to FC Ashdod and is not registered for European matches. Hamudi Kanaan, who replaced him at halftime and excelled with a goal and an assist, is a strong candidate to start, while Zahi Ahmed could also be deployed in central midfield.
Niv Yehoshua Steps Up
Despite these setbacks, coach Ran Kozuch can count on one reliable pillar in tonight's midfield: Niv Yehoshua. At just 21 and a half years old, the player who featured in the Liga Leumit with Maccabi Petah Tikva just last season is now expected to anchor a European-stage midfield. Despite his relative inexperience, his stellar summer performances have easily made him the most successful acquisition in Alona Barkat's summer transfer window.
"Yehoshua has seized his opportunities with remarkable composure, stepping seamlessly into crucial defensive midfield roles when called upon." - Tactical Analyst
Tonight's test, however, will be vastly more demanding against a Dinamo Zagreb side that looks superior on paper. Only a few hundred Be'er Sheva fans have made the trip to Bucharest, meaning Croatian supporters might actually outnumber the nominal hosts in the stands.
Controversial English Match Officials
The match will be officiated by an English refereeing crew, two members of which were recently embroiled in high-profile refereeing controversies in the Premier League. The main referee is John Brooks, who officiated Arsenal's 2:0 victory over Sunderland, where he controversially awarded Sunderland a penalty that replays showed should not have been given. The linesman is Blake Antrobus, who served as the VAR official during the Manchester derby and failed to disallow Erling Haaland's winning goal for Manchester City despite teammate Enzo Fernandez being in a clear offside position and actively interfering with play.
