Hapoel Beersheba Edges Red Star Belgrade in Champions League Qualifier

Hapoel Beersheba holds a narrow 1-0 lead over Red Star Belgrade after the first leg of their third-round UEFA Champions League qualifying match. Zahi Ahmed's solitary goal in the 38th minute proved to be the difference, giving the Israeli club an advantage heading into the return leg in Serbia.

The Southern Reds managed the game effectively, keeping Red Star Belgrade's offense in check. The crucial turnover near Red Star's goal led to Ahmed pouncing on the loose ball and scoring. However, Beersheba's task became significantly harder in the 58th minute when Matan Baltaxa was sent off after receiving two quick yellow cards, leaving the team to defend their lead with 10 men for the remainder of the match.

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This is only the first half. We will need to play a super talented team at their home stadium next week. The guys really focused hard and kept to the game plan, which became even more difficult after we had a player sent off. Zahi has been terrific for the past couple of seasons, and he gives so much heart and leaves it all on the pitch. He deserves a huge amount of credit. Now we are heading to one of the toughest stadiums in Europe, but we will do our utmost to advance to the next round. I’m certain that it won’t be a simple task and that we will have to give it our all; however, this is the biggest dream, and I hope that we will be able to achieve it.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Beersheba's goalkeeper Ofir Marciano and a strong defensive effort were instrumental in preserving the clean sheet. Coach Ron Kozuk acknowledged the difficulty of the upcoming second leg at Red Star's home stadium, emphasizing the need for a "super talented" performance. He praised his players' focus and Zahi Ahmed's contribution, stating, "He gives so much heart and leaves it all on the pitch."

Red Star Belgrade coach Dejan Stankovic admitted his team did not perform at their best. "We'll have to break them down in Belgrade. It wasn’t our best day, and it certainly wasn’t our best performance," he said, expressing his expectation for a tougher challenge in the home leg.

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We’ll have to break them down in Belgrade. It wasn’t our best day, and it certainly wasn’t our best performance.