The first leg match between Be’er Sheva and Levski lacked any major footballing qualities and was more of a gritty midfield battle. Neither side showed any issues with going in hard for tackles, and as a result, both sides incurred a red card. The second game is highly likely to go down that road again and provide another hard-fought battle.
Hapoel Be’er Sheva Team News
The Israeli Be’er Sheva will host Levski in Hungary, which is a neutral stadium for both sides. However, they will have to make the trip from Israel, and considering that the team had a fixture for the Supercup during the weekend, there might be concerns of jet lag at this early stage of the season. On a positive note for Be’er Sheva, they did manage to win the Supercup fixture against Maccabi Tel Aviv, a win that is sure to give them confidence and optimism ahead of the Levski game, especially given the fact that Hapoel were the somewhat more passive side in the first leg and failed to capitalise on around 20 minutes of playing with more players than their opponents.
Levski Sofia Team News
Levski could consider the 0-0 draw in the first leg a generally good result, especially considering that they were down a player from the 70th minute onwards. While they did have their chances, the game was up for grabs until Maicon’s dismissal. The overall sentiment in the Levski camp is that while there are good chances of progression, the team has some issues in attack, coupled with some defensive lapses. And while results in the pre-season preparations were generally positive, it should be noted that the opponents were either teams from Bulgaria and Serbia’s second division or mid-table teams from the Bulgarian Efbet League.
Head-to-Head-Games
Hapoel and Levski have faced each other before, but in the qualification round of the 2023/24 Conference League. Levski secured a 0-0 draw in Israel and proceeded to win 2-1 in Bulgaria. The most recent clash between the two was also held in Bulgaria and ended in a drab 0-0 draw.
Hapoel Be’er Sheva vs Levski Sofia Betting Prediction
My expectation here is for a close and gritty battle and few goals. That is why my pick is for under 2.5 goals. Neither team shines with attacking prowess. Both will try to rely on physicality and the occasional individual flashes. A single goal might likely be what separates these two sides. Extra time and penalties are also a scenario that isn’t too far-fetched. But in all of those scenarios, I do not expect this game to produce much in terms of goals.
👉Betting Tip: Under 2.5 Goals
🌐Bookmaker: Sportsbet.io
📊Odds: 1.64
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