Sabah vs Hapoel Be’er Sheva: Prediction, Team News & Lineups | 25 August 2026

Sabah vs Hapoel Be’er Sheva prediction: Sabah return to Bank Respublika Arena needing to overturn a 2-1 first-leg deficit in one of the biggest matches in the club’s history. Their perfect home record in this European campaign and previous comeback against AGF offer genuine encouragement, but Hapoel Be’er Sheva have already shown the resilience and away quality required to protect a narrow advantage. Our prediction is Sabah 2-1 Hapoel Be’er Sheva after 90 minutes, which would leave the tie level on aggregate and potentially force extra time.

Match Details

• Fixture: Sabah vs Hapoel Be’er Sheva
• Competition: UEFA Champions League
• Stage: Playoff second leg
• Date: Tuesday, 25 August 2026
• Venue: Bank Respublika Arena, Azerbaijan
• First-leg score: Hapoel Be’er Sheva 2-1 Sabah
• Prediction: Sabah 2-1 Hapoel Be’er Sheva after 90 minutes

Match Preview

Sabah face a defining European night on Tuesday as they attempt to overturn a one-goal deficit and reach the Champions League league phase for the first time in their history.

The Azerbaijani champions started the first leg superbly, taking the lead inside six minutes through Veljko Simic, but they were unable to sustain their early control. Hapoel Be’er Sheva responded before half-time through Javon East, before Igor Zlatanovic completed the comeback and gave the Israeli champions a slender 2-1 advantage.

Despite that setback, Sabah have plenty of reasons to believe. They have already navigated ties against TNS, KuPS and AGF, while their home form in Europe has been a major strength throughout qualifying.

Valdas Dambrauskas’s side can also lean on the memory of their dramatic turnaround against AGF. After losing the first leg 2-1, Sabah produced a dominant 4-0 home victory in the return fixture. That precedent is highly relevant now, because Tuesday’s challenge carries a near-identical starting point.

The Black-pinks have won every European home fixture in this qualifying campaign, and another high-energy performance at Bank Respublika Arena could put Hapoel under immediate pressure.

Hapoel Be’er Sheva, however, arrive with momentum of their own. Ran Kojok’s side have won four consecutive Champions League qualifiers and are also attempting to reach the league phase for the first time.

Their first-leg response underlined their composure under pressure. Conceding early could have destabilised them, but instead they recovered through East and Zlatanovic and managed the game well enough to take a lead into the second leg.

The Camels also showed their away pedigree in the previous round by recording a 2-0 victory over Red Star Belgrade. That result demonstrates that they are capable of playing with discipline and authority in hostile European surroundings.

Sabah Team Analysis

Sabah’s route back into the tie is likely to depend on controlled aggression rather than reckless attacking. The hosts need a goal, but conceding first would make their task considerably harder.

Simic is the obvious creative and scoring reference point. The attacking midfielder has scored six goals in seven appearances and struck early in the first leg, making him the player Hapoel’s midfield must track most closely.

Joy Lance-Mickels will also be important. He had a quieter evening in the first leg, but four goals in all competitions since the start of the season show that he can carry a threat in decisive moments.

With Sabah expected to push higher than they did for long spells in Bucharest, the balance between the double pivot and the full-backs will be critical. If too many players commit forward at once, Hapoel’s front three will have space to counter.

Hapoel Be’er Sheva Team Analysis

Hapoel do not need to chase the game, but sitting too deep would invite sustained pressure from a Sabah side that has already proved dangerous at home in Europe.

Eliel Peretz was one of the key performers in the first leg and should again be central to Hapoel’s midfield control. Alongside Lucas Ventura and Niv Yehoshua, he gives the visitors a compact three-man unit capable of screening the defence and launching transitions.

Javon East and Igor Zlatanovic both scored in the first leg and will remain the main attacking reference points. Their ability to occupy Sabah’s defenders and carry a threat on the break could determine whether Hapoel can relieve pressure during periods of home dominance.

Head-to-Head

The first leg produced the only meeting supplied for this preview, with Hapoel Be’er Sheva coming from behind to win 2-1 after Sabah had taken an early lead through Simic.

That result leaves the tie finely balanced. Sabah need at least one goal to force their way back into the contest, while Hapoel know that avoiding defeat would be enough to progress.

Recent European Context

Sabah have built their run by eliminating TNS, KuPS and AGF, and their home form has been particularly impressive. The 4-0 comeback victory over AGF after losing the first leg 2-1 is the clearest evidence that they can transform a tie in front of their own supporters.

Hapoel, meanwhile, have won four successive Champions League qualifiers and arrive with the confidence created by their 2-0 away win over Red Star Belgrade in the previous round.

Tactical Battle

The game should revolve around Sabah’s need to increase attacking pressure without losing protection against the counter-attack.

Dambrauskas is likely to ask Simic and Isayev to find space between Hapoel’s midfield and defensive lines, while Severina and Mickels provide direct running around the box. The home side’s full-backs may also be encouraged to push higher to stretch the visitors horizontally.

Hapoel’s midfield three of Peretz, Lucas Ventura and Yehoshua will attempt to close those central spaces and slow Sabah’s combinations. If they can force the hosts wide and protect the penalty area, the Israeli champions can make the second leg increasingly frustrating.

At the other end, East and Zlatanovic will look to exploit any space left behind Sabah’s advancing full-backs. One away goal would dramatically alter the emotional and tactical complexion of the tie.

Team News

Sabah

Sabah are expected to continue relying heavily on Simic, whose six goals in seven appearances make him the hosts’ most in-form attacking player.

Mickels should again lead the line despite his subdued first-leg display, with the forward having already scored four goals in all competitions this season.

Hapoel Be’er Sheva

Peretz is expected to retain his midfield role after an excellent first-leg performance, with Lucas Ventura and Yehoshua likely to continue alongside him.

Miguel Vitor and Itay Rotman were both booked in the previous meeting, but neither is expected to lose his starting place for such an important fixture.

Predicted Lineups

Sabah possible starting lineup

Sabah: Pokatilov; Zedadka, Solvet, Dashdamirov, Puchacz; Rakhmonaliyev, Lepinjica; Simic, Isayev, Severina; Mickels.

Hapoel Be’er Sheva possible starting lineup

Hapoel Be’er Sheva: Marciano; Mizrahi, Miguel Vitor, Rotman, Amador; Peretz, Lucas Ventura, Yehoshua; East, Zlatanovic, Ahmed.

Betting Tips

Full-time result: Sabah to win after 90 minutes.

Double chance: Sabah or draw.

Both teams to score: Yes. Sabah must attack, while Hapoel have already demonstrated that they can create dangerous moments away from home.

Over/Under: Over 2.5 goals is a reasonable angle given the hosts’ need to overturn the deficit and Hapoel’s counter-attacking threat.

Correct score: Sabah 2-1 Hapoel Be’er Sheva after 90 minutes.

No bookmaker odds are attached to these selections because none were supplied.

Score Prediction

Sabah 2-1 Hapoel Be’er Sheva after 90 minutes.

Sabah’s home European record and previous comeback against AGF suggest that they can force this tie into another dramatic phase. Their attacking urgency should create chances, especially if Simic maintains his current form.

Hapoel, however, possess enough quality and composure to score on the break. A 2-1 Sabah win would level the aggregate score at 3-3 and potentially send the contest into extra time.

Hot Stat

Sabah have won every European home match they have played in this qualifying campaign, including a 4-0 second-leg victory over AGF after losing the first encounter 2-1.

Final Analysis

The psychological balance of this tie is unusual. Hapoel hold the aggregate advantage, but Sabah have already produced exactly the kind of home comeback required to survive a 2-1 first-leg defeat.

The hosts’ best route is to play with urgency while maintaining enough defensive control to prevent East and Zlatanovic from turning turnovers into decisive counter-attacks.

Hapoel’s midfield structure and experience from their win away to Red Star Belgrade make them dangerous opponents, but Sabah’s home momentum gives them a realistic chance of extending the tie beyond 90 minutes.