Sabah’s start was sharp. Tymoteusz Puchacz bent in a quality cross on six minutes and Simić found the angle with a crisp header for 0-1. Hapoel Be’er Sheva refused to rush, kept the ball, and moved Sabah around. Their patience paid off on 43 minutes when Javon East finished a sustained move to square it up. The winner came from a corner in the 79th minute: Eliel Peretz delivered with precision and Igor Zlatanović attacked it, guiding a header beyond Stas Pokatilov.

Hapoel lined up in a 4-3-3 and leaned on width and circulation to create territory. Sabah’s 4-2-3-1 had teeth in transition, especially down the left with Puchacz’s service. The neutral setting at Rapid-Giulesti Stadium in Bucharest did not lower the intensity. By halftime the Israeli side had full control of the tempo and pressure zones. Sabah defended deep for long spells, but one late set piece decided the tie on the night.

Numbers that tilted it Hapoel’s way

Possession was 67%-33% to Hapoel and it showed in the passing volume: 660 to 304, with 596 and 236 accurate respectively. Final-third control was clear too, with Hapoel posting 62 entries and a 139/180 (77%) success in the final-third phase, compared to Sabah’s 39 entries at 38/69 (55%). Hapoel logged 41 touches in the penalty area to Sabah’s 15. Shots finished 18-8 to Hapoel, and shots on target 7-5.

Sixteen of Hapoel’s 18 shots arrived inside the box, reinforcing how often they occupied prime spaces. Sabah’s back line threw bodies in the way, registering five blocks, while Hapoel had none in that column. Aerially, Hapoel held the edge at 9/15 (60%), even as ground duels were near even, slightly favoring Sabah at 35/67 (52%). Crossing output was similar in accuracy, with Hapoel at 5/13 (38%) and Sabah at 7/18 (39%). Long balls leaned Hapoel’s way on efficiency at 25/41 (61%) to Sabah’s 28/52 (54%). All of it pointed to steady territorial dominance, with Sabah living off moments and direct service.

MVP watch: Eliel Peretz with Sofascore Rating 8.9

Eliel Peretz was the conductor. He posted a Sofascore Rating 8.9, delivered the match-winning assist from a corner, and threaded play throughout. Peretz completed 73 of 82 passes (89%) and went 11/13 on long balls, switching pressure points with ease. He supplied five key passes and hit 3/5 accurate crosses. With 98 touches and seven ball recoveries, he mixed control with bite. He carried the ball 37 times and kept Hapoel circulating in good areas.

Everything good on the ball seemed to run through his right boot, especially in the second half. The winning delivery summed up his night: clean technique under pressure. Strong displays from Javon East (goal, two key passes) and Igor Zlatanović (winner, seven shots) pushed him close, but Peretz topped the leaderboard for a reason. On a night when 10 is a perfect score, 8.9 told the story just fine.

Notable performers and tactical notes

Javon East’s equalizer arrived at the right time, capping a spell of pressure and calming Hapoel nerves. Beyond his goal, he chipped in two key passes and two tackles from the front. Igor Zlatanović worked the line relentlessly, taking seven shots (three on target, three blocked) before deciding it with a header. For Sabah, Veljko Simić’s opener led the way in a full-throttle outing that also included four tackles won and eight recoveries. Tymoteusz Puchacz supplied the assist, sent in nine crosses with four accurate, created a big chance, and tallied three key passes.

In goal, Ofir Marciano matched Pokatilov with four saves and added one classified as a big save in the numbers. On the ball, Hapoel’s back line was a passing platform: Itay Rotman completed an eye-catching 107 of 111 passes, while captain Miguel Vítor hit 98 of 103. Guy Mizrahi added 57 accurate passes and 99 touches down the right. Sabah’s defensive workload was heavy, reflected in 24 clearances, with Rahman Dashdamirov and Steve Solvet each making six; Solvet also produced a last-man tackle. Discipline under Davide Massa was clean enough: three home yellows (Vítor 76′, Rotman 77′, Ganah 84′) and none for Sabah. Duels ended 50-50 overall, but Hapoel’s 60% success in the air helped control second phases.

If you want every touch, duel, heatmap and all Sofascore Ratings, the full breakdown is on the match page on Sofascore. Keep following the UEFA Champions League on Sofascore for live data and instant alerts throughout the Playoff Round.