- Sabah FK are on a good run with 3 wins and 2 defeats in their last 5 matches, while Hapoel Beer-Sheva are on a very good run with 4 wins and 1 defeat in their last 5 games.
- Sabah beat Kapaz 2-0 in the Premier League 2026/2027 assignment, but then they fell 2-1 to Hapoel Beer-Sheva in the last UEFA Champions League Qualification 2026 meeting, so they arrive to this one with payback in mind.
Sabah FK's style of play
Valdas Dambrauskas took over as manager of Sabah FK on 1st July 2025 and he's set his team up in a compact 4-2-3-1 shape. This formation is set up to be patient, to control when possible, but to be ready to hit quickly and vertically when the opportunity arises. The double pivot is crucial to this structure as they help to screen the back four, they keep the defensive shape compact and they have to be the instigators when the time comes to hit the advanced midfielders running.
Sabah's main spark is Veljko Simic - he has 5 goals in his 6 appearances in UEFA Champions League Qualification 2026.
Hapoel Be'er Sheva's style of play
Ran Kozuch is in charge of Hapoel Beer-Sheva and he's been at the helm since 1 July 2024. His side are much more open in their approach to games than their opponents, usually favouring a wider, more aggressive 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 structure. They press higher up the field, they hunt transitions with their sharp energy and they're more than willing to take on the defensive risks that are associated with playing in this way.
Hapoel's sharpest finisher in UEFA Champions League Qualification 2026 is Zahi Ahmed. The 24-year-old striker has 2 goals in his 4 games in the competition, which is more than the rest of his team combined.
Game plan and betting angles
We see this being a cagey game, especially with the first leg result in the back of both managers' minds. It's a clash of control vs transition, Sabah look to maintain their structure while Hapoel will be hunting transitions at pace. We think Sabah's structure could see them through, making them our slight favourites at 7/10, with Hapoel at 53/10 and the draw at 9/4.
Hapoel have had a more varied run, while Sabah have been more consistent, winning 7 and losing 3 of their last 10 in all competitions. We think that the 18 goals that Sabah have scored in this period equates to 1.80 goals per game on average, and with Hapoel averaging 1.60 from 16 scored in their 10 all-competition matches, Under 2.5 goals at 87/100 is the clear pick, with Both Teams To Score - No at 49/50 also catching our eye.
