Hapoel Beer Sheva keep alive Champions League dream

Hapoel Beer Sheva will have to beat Greek side Olympiakos over two legs if they’re to keep alive their hopes of reaching next season’s Champions League.

The Israeli champions grounded out a goalless draw in Moldova on Tuesday night, as they overcame Sherriff Tiraspol 3-2 on aggregate in their second round qualifying tie.

Restricting the home side to just four shots on target throughout the 90 minutes, goalkeeper David Goresh thwarted Josip Brezovec, Zoran Kvržić, Vujadin Savić and Mateo Sušić, while the Israelis were forced to see the game out with ten men Ovidiu Hoban picked up his second yellow card of the match in the final minutes of the match.

Beer Sheva, champions of Israel for the first time in 40 years, are now four games away from securing a place in next season’s Champions League.

They will first need to overcome Olympiakos – the first leg of which takes place in Athens on Wednesday night, before then facing a further two-legged play-off to earn their place in the main round of the draw, for what would be the first time in their history.