The big dream was cut short at the last moment: Hapoel Be’er Sheva failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in its history. Israel’s champion arrived for the second leg in Azerbaijan with a 2-1 advantage from the first match, but lost 5-2 to Sabah in extra time and 6-4 on aggregate over the two encounters. Ran Kozuch’s squad was just one game away from a historic achievement, but was stopped at the threshold of entering the biggest stage of European football. Despite the disappointment, Be’er Sheva’s European season is far from over. Following its advancement to the Champions League playoff, it will drop directly into the league phase of the Europa League, without the need for additional qualifying matches.
