Match Information
Match Overview
Hapoel Beer Sheva host Vikingur Reykjavik at Toto Turner Stadium on July 29, 2026, in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League 2nd Qualifying Round tie. This fixture carries the weight of a two-leg European tie, with the first meeting on July 21 having gone in favor of the Icelandic visitors, who won 2-1 on their own ground. Hapoel Beer Sheva now need to overturn that deficit in front of their home crowd, making the aggregate picture the central storyline of this encounter. While the exact permutations of away goals or scoring requirements are not specified here, the general context is clear: Ran Kozuch's side must produce an attacking performance at home to stay in the tie, while Solvi Ottesen's Vikingur Reykjavik will look to manage the game and protect their first-leg advantage.
Beyond the aggregate scoreline, form heading into this leg offers contrasting narratives. Hapoel Beer Sheva arrive off the back of a difficult stretch, having lost the Super Cup Final 1-3 to Maccabi Tel Aviv on July 16 and suffered a 3-1 defeat to Legia Warszawa in a July 7 friendly, alongside a 2-2 draw with Omonia Nicosia. That run, combined with the first-leg European loss, points to a team searching for consistency at a pivotal moment. Vikingur Reykjavik, by contrast, enter with more varied form — a win over the same Hapoel Beer Sheva side, but also a 2-1 domestic loss to Thor Akureyri on July 18, sandwiched between two earlier European qualifying results against Gyori ETO FC (a 1-0 win and a 2-2 draw).
Neither club has reported any injury concerns, meaning both managers should have full squads to select from, adding another layer of tactical intrigue to team selection for this must-respond fixture for the home side.
Predicted Lineups
Hapoel Beer Sheva
O. Marciano; G. Mizrahi, Miguel Vitor, O. Davidzada, Hélder Lopes; N. Yehoshua, Lucas Ventura, K. Kangwa; I. Zlatanovic, A. C. Ganah, M. Kna'an
Vikingur Reykjavik
A. Fridriksson; K. Gunnarsson, O. Ekroth, G. Vatnhamar, H. Gudjonsson; A. Thrandarson, D. Hafsteinsson, G. Sigurdsson; O. Borgthorsson, N. Hansen, V. Ingimundarson
Team Form Analysis
Hapoel Beer Sheva
Hapoel Beer Sheva Form Analysis
Hapoel Beer Sheva's recent results paint a picture of a side yet to find its rhythm ahead of this crucial second leg. The July 21 defeat to Vikingur Reykjavik in the first leg was followed by a 1-3 loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Super Cup Final on July 16, denying them a piece of domestic silverware. Their pre-competitive form was similarly mixed, with a 3-1 friendly defeat to Legia Warszawa on July 7 and a 2-2 draw against Omonia Nicosia on July 5. Across these matches, the team has shown attacking output in patches — scoring in three of their last four fixtures — but defensive frailties have been costly, conceding multiple goals in several outings. The quality of opposition, ranging from a domestic rival in Maccabi Tel Aviv to European friendly opponents, suggests a squad still finding its competitive sharpness. With no injuries reported, the tools are available for Ran Kozuch to reshape the approach, but the underlying form trend heading into this decisive home fixture is one of inconsistency rather than momentum.
Vikingur Reykjavik
Vikingur Reykjavik Form Analysis
Vikingur Reykjavik head into the second leg with a mixed but productive run of results. Their most significant result was the 2-1 first-leg win over Hapoel Beer Sheva on July 21, giving them a lead to defend on the road. That was preceded by a 2-1 domestic loss to Thor Akureyri on July 18 in the Úrvalsdeild, suggesting some vulnerability when European commitments overlap with league fixtures. Earlier in July, they navigated their first qualifying round against Gyori ETO FC, drawing 2-2 away on July 14 after winning 1-0 at home on July 7 — both matches showing an ability to score against continental opposition while also being susceptible defensively on the road. Domestically, a 3-2 win over KA Akureyri on July 2 further reflects an attacking side capable of entertaining, high-scoring matches. Overall, Solvi Ottesen's side shows solid attacking output across competitions, though their defensive record away from home, including the Thor Akureyri loss and the Gyori draw, will be a point of scrutiny as they try to protect their aggregate lead in Beer Sheva.
Head-to-Head
Hapoel Beer Sheva
Vikingur Reykjavik
Recent Meetings
| Date | Home | Score | Away |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-21 | Vikingur Reykjavik | 2 - 1 | Hapoel Beer Sheva |
Memorable Matches
The head-to-head history between these two clubs is limited to their recent Champions League qualifying encounter. On July 21, 2026, Vikingur Reykjavik defeated Hapoel Beer Sheva 2-1 in the first leg of this very tie, played at the Icelandic side's home ground. That result has set the stage for the current second leg, giving Vikingur Reykjavik a lead to protect and Hapoel Beer Sheva a deficit to overcome on home soil. With no prior meetings on record beyond this tie, the July 29 fixture represents a continuation of a fresh but immediately significant rivalry, born entirely out of this qualifying round context rather than any extended history between the clubs.
Venue Factor
Toto Turner Stadium becomes a critical factor for Hapoel Beer Sheva as they look to overturn
