Hapoel Beer Sheva vs Dinamo Zagreb: A Fresh Clash in Europa League
The last time Hapoel Beer Sheva and Dinamo Zagreb shared a pitch in Europe, the tie was effectively over before the second leg had even begun. Dinamo’s 5-0 demolition at home in July 2018 left Beer Sheva chasing shadows, and even a spirited 2-2 draw a week later at Giulesti could only soften, not rewrite, the story. Over two games, Zagreb walked away with a 7-2 aggregate and a clear sense of superiority.
Eight years on, they meet again with a different prize on the line and a very similar edge.
Kick-off is set for 20:00 on 16 September 2026, with both clubs sitting top of their Europa League groups. It’s early, the table is thin, but first place is still first place – and neither side will want to surrender that status lightly.
Form lines tell a tense story
Beer Sheva arrive with a curious mix of momentum and bruises. Ran Kozuch’s side rattled through Champions League qualification with four wins from five, only to see the run end abruptly in a 5-2 collapse against Sabah FK. That defeat did more than halt progress; it exposed a defence that had already shown signs of strain.
Across those five qualifying matches, Beer Sheva scored eight and conceded nine. The highlights were impressive enough: home and away victories over FK Crvena Zvezda, a controlled 2-0 win against Vikingur Reykjavik, and a sense that they could trade punches with established European names. Then came Sabah, and with it the reminder that a high-wire act at the back can snap without warning.
Dinamo Zagreb know that feeling well.
Mario Kovacevic’s team have been erratic in recent weeks, capable of cutting opponents open yet just as likely to unravel. Two wins, one draw and two defeats from their last five games across the HNL and Champions League qualifiers tell the tale of a side still searching for a settled rhythm.
Their most recent outing, a 4-2 loss to Osijek in Croatia’s top flight, underlined the problem: goals are not an issue, control is. Zagreb have hit nine in their last five but shipped ten. A 3-1 defeat to Viking in Europe added to that sense of vulnerability, even as victories over HNK Gorica and NK Varazdin showed the attacking quality remains intact.
Both teams score. Both teams concede. Something has to give.
Old wounds, new managers
The weight of that 2018 tie still hangs in the background. Dinamo’s 5-0 home win and the subsequent 2-2 draw left Beer Sheva with a harsh lesson in the margins of European football. Across those two matches, Zagreb didn’t just progress; they imposed themselves.
This time, the cast is different. Kozuch leads Beer Sheva, Kovacevic commands Zagreb, and neither camp has confirmed injuries, suspensions or likely lineups yet. That lack of clarity only adds to the intrigue. With no obvious absentees on either side, the contest points towards a straight fight between two attacking units that know how to hurt you – and two defences that have been far too generous.
For Beer Sheva, the mission is obvious: prove that the 2018 version of this fixture belongs to another era. For Dinamo, the challenge is to show that their historical edge is not just a footnote but a live factor whenever these clubs collide.
A table that flatters and tests
Both clubs currently sit top of their Europa League standings. The sample size is small, but the psychological boost is real. Leading a group changes the mood around a club, even if everyone inside knows the real work has barely started.
That makes this meeting more than just a nostalgic rerun. It’s a chance to seize early control of the group, to turn a promising start into a statement. For Beer Sheva, it’s also an opportunity to flip the script on a heavyweight that once ran away from them. For Dinamo, it’s a test of whether their attacking flair can finally be matched by discipline at the back.
The last time they met, Zagreb walked away with authority and a scoreboard to match. This time, with both sides leaking goals and chasing validation on the European stage, the question is sharper:
Who blinks first?
