Beer Sheva looking to keep alive Champions League dream

Israeli champions go into tonight's second qualifying round second leg with a 3-2 advantage.

Hapoel Beer Sheva on the attack in last week's first leg. Picture: Hapoel Beer Sheva FC

Hapoel Beer Sheva will be looking to reach the third qualifying round of the Champions League tonight when they take on FC Sheriff Tiraspol in the second leg of their second qualifying round tie.

A 90th-minute penalty by substitute Maharan Radi ensured they take a 3-2 lead to Moldova, with coach Barak Bachar confident his side can do what’s necessary to set up a meeting with Greek side Olympiacos in the next round.

He said: “We came back from a goal down against a very strong team and that isn’t easy. We won and we have our fate in our own hands. We could have triumphed by a greater margin, but at least we won and I believe we will advance to the next round.”

Playing in the Champions League qualifiers for the first time, captain Elyaniv Barda said: “There are no easy wins in Europe. We could have won [the first leg] by a greater margin and given ourselves a bigger advantage, but we played against an organised side with a tradition in Europe. They will have to come after us in the second leg and we will try and take advantage of that.”

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