Hapoel Beer Sheva faces Sabah FA in Champions League qualifier

Hapoel Beer Sheva, the Israeli league champion, is one qualifying round away from entering the Champions League league phase. The team will face Azerbaijan's Sabah FA in a decisive matchup.

Due to regional circumstances, Hapoel Beer Sheva has been playing its European matches at neutral venues, such as Szombathely, Hungary. The first leg of the qualifying round is scheduled for August 19 in Bucharest, followed by the second leg in Azerbaijan on August 25.

Sabah FA enters the matchup with momentum, having won four of its last five matches. Hapoel Beer Sheva has shown inconsistent form recently, including a 3-1 loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv, though they previously advanced by defeating Red Star Belgrade with a 3-0 aggregate score.