Hapoel Beersheba Seeks First Europa League Win Against OFI Crete

Hapoel Beersheba faces OFI Crete in Bucharest tonight at 22:00 in the fourth round of the Europa League, aiming for their first European win despite freezing weather conditions.

Confidence remains high within the Israeli squad. While respecting the Greek side—who recently defeated PAOK Thessaloniki and hold more points in the competition—Hapoel Beersheba believes they can secure victory despite missing Aliel Peretz and Lucas Ventura.

A key tactical challenge for the team has been the inconsistency between halves. In domestic league matches against Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Petah Tikva, Ran Kozuch's side struggled in the first half before turning things around after the break. Conversely, in European fixtures against Union Saint-Gilloise and AZ Alkmaar, strong first halves gave way to second-half drops and defeats.

"It really depends on which half we put on display for the entire match," team sources noted. "If we bring our strong halves, our chances of claiming a first Europa League win increase significantly."

Coach Ran Kozuch will finalize his starting lineup and tactical formation later today, weighing whether to deploy two or three central defenders. Meanwhile, the squad insists their full focus rests solely on tonight's European clash rather than Sunday's upcoming league fixture against Hapoel Tel Aviv at Turner Stadium.