Hapoel Be'er Sheva eliminates Icelandic rival, moves closer to Champions League

Hapoel Be'er Sheva defeated Vikingur Reykjavik 2-0 in the second qualifying round second leg of the Champions League, overturning a 2-1 first-leg loss to advance to the third round. The win guarantees the Reds at least a spot in the Conference League group stage, even if eliminated later. Goals by Zahi Ahmed and Amir Ganah decided the match, while a late penalty drama was overturned by VAR. The team bid farewell to Kings Kangwa, who is moving to Panathinaikos.

Hapoel Be'er Sheva secured European group-stage football tonight (Wednesday, July 29, 2026) after defeating Icelandic side Vikingur Reykjavik 2-0 in the second qualifying round second leg of the Champions League. The Reds overturned a 2-1 first-leg loss and advanced to the third qualifying round, where they will face Red Star Belgrade. The victory provides a safety net: even if eliminated later, their place in the Conference League group stage is guaranteed. In the match itself, the first half ended in a disappointing 0-0. In the 65th minute, Guy Mizrahi crossed to Zahi Ahmed, who headed into the net. Fifteen minutes later, Kings Kangwa found Amir Ganah, who cut through the Icelandic defense to make it 2-0. Major drama occurred in the 95th minute: goalkeeper Ofir Marciano dropped the ball, Ofir Davidzade committed a foul in the box, and the referee pointed to the spot, but VAR overturned the decision due to an earlier foul on Marciano. The champions bid farewell to their star Kings Kangwa, who is moving to Greek side Panathinaikos.