Hapoel Beer Sheva Triumphs 2-1 Over Sabah FA in UEFA Play-offs
Hapoel Beer Sheva’s 2-1 win over Sabah FA at Rapid-Giulesti Stadium was built on territorial dominance and a clear structural contrast between the sides. Ran Kozuch’s team imposed a 4-3-3 that controlled the ball (67% possession) and the tempo, while Valdas Dambrauskas’ 4-2-3-1 for Sabah FA was geared towards early transitions and then deep defensive resilience.
Sabah FA struck first, and the pattern of the match followed from that moment. The 4-2-3-1’s attacking band exploited the initial spaces around Hapoel Beer Sheva’s single pivot. At 6', V. Simic finished a move created from the left by overlapping full-back T. Puchacz, whose advanced positioning and delivery were central to Sabah FA’s early threat. That goal allowed the visitors to retreat into a compact mid-to-low block, with I. Lepinjica and U. Rakhmonaliyev screening the back four and narrowing the central lane.
Hapoel Beer Sheva responded by squeezing the pitch and using their 4-3-3 to create sustained pressure rather than immediate penetration. The back four of G. Mizrahi, Miguel Vitor, I. Rotman and P. Amador held a high line, enabling the midfield trio of N. Yehoshua, Lucas Ventura and E. Peretz to camp in Sabah FA’s half. The hosts’ shot profile underlines this territorial control: 18 total shots, 16 from inside the box, and 5 blocked. Sabah FA, by contrast, managed only 8 shots in total and none were blocked, indicating they rarely reached shooting zones under heavy pressure.
The equaliser at 43' from J. East was the product of that accumulated pressure. With Hapoel Beer Sheva circulating the ball through Lucas Ventura and E. Peretz, the front three of Z. Ahmed, I. Zlatanovic and East constantly attacked the half-spaces. East’s goal reflected the 4-3-3’s ability to overload the final third and pin Sabah FA’s full-backs deep, preventing them from supporting transitions as freely as they had for the opener.
After half-time, Dambrauskas sought more vertical threat. At 56', X. Severina (OUT) was replaced by O. Mbina (IN), a move aimed at adding direct running and physical presence in the attacking band. Yet Sabah FA’s attacking volume remained limited: just 5 shots on target and 3 off target across the match, with only 2 corner kicks and 1 offside. Their 305 total passes, 237 accurate (78%), show a team more focused on quick clearances and direct balls to relieve pressure than on sustained build-up.
Kozuch’s adjustments were more aggressive and clearly tilted towards winning the tie rather than settling for control. At 66', Z. Ahmed (OUT) made way for A. C. Ganah (IN), refreshing the left side of the front line. Five minutes later, at 71', J. East (OUT) was replaced by M. Abu Rumi (IN), reshaping the forward line while maintaining the 4-3-3 structure. The intention was to keep intensity high in the final third and attack a tiring Sabah FA back four that had been under siege for most of the game.
The winning goal at 79' encapsulated Hapoel Beer Sheva’s tactical superiority. I. Zlatanovic finished after service from E. Peretz, whose advanced role as a right-sided midfielder allowed him to break lines and arrive between Sabah FA’s double pivot and centre-backs. The sequence illustrated how the 4-3-3’s interior midfielder could exploit the space between Sabah FA’s narrow lines, drawing out a defender and creating the channel for Zlatanovic.
Discipline also tells a story about game state. Hapoel Beer Sheva collected three yellow cards, all in the second half and all while protecting or pushing for a lead: at 76' Miguel Vitor for “Tripping”, at 77' I. Rotman for “Roughing”, and at 84' A. C. Ganah for “Foul”. These incidents align with a side defending higher up, taking tactical risks to stop counters and preserve territorial dominance. Sabah FA, with zero yellow cards and only 6 fouls overall, defended mostly in a compact block without frequent emergency challenges, but at the cost of ceding ground and initiative.
Late substitutions from Hapoel Beer Sheva further underlined their intent to manage energy and game phases. At 85', N. Yehoshua (OUT) was replaced by H. Kanaan (IN), and I. Zlatanovic (OUT) by Y. Malede (IN), freshening midfield legs and the pressing unit up front for the closing minutes. Sabah FA’s final change at 89', with S. Solvet (OUT) replaced by E. A. Santos Junior (IN), came too late to materially alter their attacking pattern; it was more about shoring up the back line and adding height for late balls.
Statistically, the match was one-sided in structure even if the score remained tight. Hapoel Beer Sheva’s 659 total passes with 595 accurate (90%) reflect a possession side comfortable circulating under minimal pressing. Sabah FA’s lower pass count and accuracy confirm their reactive approach. Corner counts (3-2) and offsides (3-1) also lean towards Hapoel Beer Sheva, pointing to more sustained attacks and repeated attempts to break the defensive line.
Both goalkeepers, O. Marciano (Hapoel Beer Sheva) and S. Pokatilov (Sabah FA), registered 4 saves each, underscoring that while Hapoel Beer Sheva dominated territory and volume of chances, Sabah FA still engineered enough clear looks to test the home defence. However, with 7 shots on goal to Sabah FA’s 5, and a far higher number of box entries, Hapoel Beer Sheva translated their 4-3-3 control into a steady accumulation of chances that, over 90 minutes, justified the 2-1 scoreline and gave them a tactical edge in this UEFA Champions League Play-offs fixture.
