Hp be'er sheva vs Levski: Resumen

In a tense UEFA Europa League qualifying encounter, Hapoel Be'er Sheva and Levski Sofia battled to a goalless draw at the Városi stadion on July 17, 2025. The stalemate leaves everything to play for in the second leg, with both teams showing cautious respect in this first meeting.

The atmosphere at the Hungarian neutral venue was surprisingly electric despite being away from both teams' home grounds, with traveling supporters from both Israel and Bulgaria creating pockets of passionate noise throughout the match. Under the summer evening sun, both sides prioritized defensive solidity over attacking flair, resulting in a chess-like tactical battle.

Hapoel Be'er Sheva, coached by Ran Kozuch, adopted a disciplined 4-3-3 formation, relying on the creativity of Dan Biton in midfield and the physical presence of Igor Zlatanović up front. However, they struggled to break down a well-organized Levski defense marshaled effectively by Kristian Dimitrov.

Levski Sofia, under Julio Velázquez's guidance, controlled possession for significant periods without creating clear-cut opportunities. The Bulgarian side showed patience in their build-up play, with Georgi Kostadinov pulling the strings in midfield, but lacked the final cutting edge in the attacking third.

This result sets up an intriguing second leg in Sofia, where Levski will have home advantage but Be'er Sheva will know that any scoring draw would see them progress on away goals. For both teams, the stakes remain high as they seek to advance further in Europa League qualification and secure the financial and sporting benefits of European competition.

The cautious nature of the match was perhaps understandable given the importance of European qualification to both clubs' seasons, with neither wanting to compromise their chances with an overly aggressive approach in the first leg.

We came here with a clear plan to stay compact and disciplined. A clean sheet away from home in European competition is always valuable. The tie is now balanced, and we'll be ready to show more attacking intent in the second leg," stated Ran Kozuch, Hapoel Be'er Sheva's coach after the match.

We controlled large portions of the game but couldn't find that decisive moment in the final third. I'm satisfied with our defensive organization, but we need to be more clinical in the return leg. It's only half-time in this tie," commented Julio Velázquez, Levski Sofia's manager.

These European qualifiers are always tight affairs. We defended well as a unit today, and we know exactly what we need to do when we return to Sofia. The supporters who traveled to Hungary were fantastic, and we'll need that atmosphere at home to push us through," said Kristian Dimitrov, Levski's captain.

A draw away from home isn't a bad result in European competition. We showed good defensive discipline but know we need to be more creative in the final third. The team is confident we can get the result we need in the second leg," remarked Dan Biton, Hapoel Be'er Sheva midfielder.

Both teams showed too much respect for each other today. The real contest will come in the second leg when someone has to take risks. I expect Levski to have a slight edge at home, but Be'er Sheva's experience in these competitions cannot be underestimated," analyzed Hristo Stoichkov, former Bulgarian international and football pundit, when asked about the match.

Possession: Levski Sofia dominated the ball with 58% possession compared to Hapoel Be'er Sheva's 42%

Shots: Despite their possession advantage, Levski managed just 9 shots with 3 on target. Hapoel Be'er Sheva had 7 shots with 2 testing the goalkeeper

Corners: Levski Sofia 6-4 Hapoel Be'er Sheva

Cards: A disciplined affair with Hapoel Be'er Sheva receiving 2 yellow cards (Zahi Ahmed 34', Kings Kangwa 71') and Levski Sofia receiving 1 (Gašper Trdin 52')

Passes: Levski completed 423 passes with an 87% completion rate, while Hapoel Be'er Sheva made 312 passes at 79% accuracy

Individual Performances:

• Dan Biton (Hapoel Be'er Sheva): 2 key passes, 3 tackles, 87% pass completion
• Igor Zlatanović (Hapoel Be'er Sheva): 3 shots, 1 on target, 5 aerial duels won
• Georgi Kostadinov (Levski Sofia): 1 shot, 2 key passes, 91% pass completion, 7.2 km covered
• Kristian Dimitrov (Levski Sofia): 6 clearances, 3 interceptions, 8 aerial duels won

Tactical Analysis:

Hapoel Be'er Sheva focused on counter-attacking opportunities, registering 4 fast breaks but failing to capitalize. Their defensive block was well-organized, forcing Levski to play predominantly in front of them rather than behind.

Levski Sofia's possession didn't translate into dangerous opportunities, with most of their shots coming from outside the penalty area. Their pressing was effective in regaining possession quickly, but they lacked penetration in the final third.

3': Early chance for Hapoel Be'er Sheva as Igor Zlatanović's header from Biton's cross sailed narrowly over the crossbar, setting an encouraging tone for the Israeli side

19': Levski Sofia's first significant opportunity came through Marin Petkov, whose low drive from 20 yards forced a good save from Guy Mizrahi in the Be'er Sheva goal

34': Yellow card for Hapoel's Zahi Ahmed after a tactical foul on Fábio Lima, who was breaking dangerously down the left flank

41': Tactical adjustment from Levski coach Velázquez, pushing Kostadinov into a more advanced role to try to break down Be'er Sheva's compact defensive shape

52': Gašper Trdin enters the referee's book after a late challenge on Dan Biton in midfield, as tensions began to rise slightly

61': Best chance of the match fell to Levski's Radoslav Kirilov, whose close-range effort was brilliantly blocked by Matan Baltaksa when a goal seemed certain

71': Kings Kangwa received Hapoel's second yellow card for time-wasting, reflecting the Israeli side's growing comfort with the goalless scoreline

78': Tactical shift from Hapoel coach Kozuch, moving to a 5-4-1 formation to secure the draw for the final stages

88': Final opportunity of the match as Levski's substitute striker hit the post with a glancing header from a corner, the closest either team came to breaking the deadlock

This encounter marks only the second competitive meeting between Hapoel Be'er Sheva and Levski Sofia, with their previous matchup coming in a friendly tournament three years ago that ended in a 1-1 draw. The lack of historical context between these sides contributed to the cautious tactical approach in this first official meeting.

Previous Encounter Analysis:

• Friendly match (2022): Hapoel Be'er Sheva 1-1 Levski Sofia
• Both teams have significantly changed their squads since that meeting
• The friendly nature of the previous game offers little insight into today's competitive fixture

European Experience Comparison:

• Hapoel Be'er Sheva has more recent European pedigree, having reached the Europa League group stages in 2020/21 and 2022/23
• Levski Sofia has a deeper historical European record but has struggled to qualify for group stages in the last decade
• Be'er Sheva's experience in managing two-legged European ties was evident in their disciplined approach

Key Individual Battles:

• Dan Biton vs. Georgi Kostadinov: The midfield battle was evenly contested, with both playmakers showing flashes of creativity without dominating
• Igor Zlatanović vs. Kristian Dimitrov: The Levski defender largely contained Be'er Sheva's main attacking threat, winning most of their aerial duels
• Hélder Lopes vs. Radoslav Kirilov: An intriguing battle on the flank with the experienced Lopes generally restricting Kirilov's influence

Tactical Patterns:

• Both teams favored caution over risk-taking, resulting in a match of few clear-cut chances
• The technical approach of Levski contrasted with the more direct style of Be'er Sheva
• Set pieces emerged as potentially decisive in the second leg, with both teams showing strength in defensive organization

This evenly-matched first leg suggests the return fixture in Bulgaria could be equally tight, with the first goal likely to be crucial in determining which side advances to the next qualifying round.

As this was a UEFA Europa League qualifying match, there is no league table as such, but the result has significant implications for both teams' European campaigns:

Hapoel Be'er Sheva:

• Currently in the second qualifying round of the Europa League
• Need a win or scoring draw in the second leg to advance to the third qualifying round
• Finished 3rd in the Israeli Premier League last season to earn this European opportunity
• Have reached the Europa League group stages twice in the last five years
• A clean sheet in this away leg puts them in a favorable position for the return match

Levski Sofia:

• Also competing in the second qualifying round after finishing 2nd in the First Professional Football League in Bulgaria
• Will have home advantage in the crucial second leg
• Need a win to progress to the third qualifying round
• Last reached the group stages of European competition in 2010
• Will be disappointed not to capitalize on their home advantage in the second leg

European Qualification Path:

• The winner of this tie will face the victor of the Partizan Belgrade vs Vikingur Reykjavik matchup in the third qualifying round
• Teams would still need to navigate a playoff round after that to reach the Europa League group stage
• The loser drops into the UEFA Conference League qualifying path, providing a safety net for European competition

Both clubs recognize the significant financial and prestige benefits of advancing in European competition, which explains the cautious approach in this first leg encounter.