Hapoel Beer-Sheva Vs Bayer Leverkusen
Hapoel Beer-Sheva Vs Bayer Leverkusen Thursday 5th November 2020 – 17:55 Kick-Off
UEFA Europa League Group C
Pick: Bayer Leverkusen Win & Both Teams to Score
Odds: 2/1
Bookmaker: Betfair
(All betting odds correct at time of writing: 3rd November 2020)
Preview: Group C could not be any tighter, with all four teams on three points approaching Matchday 3. That means everything to play for in Israel, where Hapoel Beer-Sheva are four from four at home (three coming in the qualifiers) in this season’s competition. Will Bayer Leverkusen be the first to taint such a record?
UEFA Europa League Betting at Bet365
Table of Contents
Hapoel Beer Sheva – Results in Israel key to qualifying aspirations?
A third-ever UEFA Europa League group stage participation begun well enough for a team which came home fourth in the 2019-20 Israeli Premier League, beating reigning Czech champions Slavia Prague 3-1 in Israel on Matchday 1. With the score level as full-time approached, a quick-fire brace from Netherlands forward Elton Acolaste ensured a dream start for the club that finished bottom of its group in 2016-17.
There was certainly an air of fortune about their opening victory, though. The hosts seeing much less of the ball (32% possession despite boasting home advantage) and not doing an awful lot with it but scoring with all three of their attempts on target. For some context, opponents Slavia found the target eight times but mustered a solitary goal, on a night where the hosts reaped the rewards for some clinical finishing.
Hapoel Beer-Sheva did not repeat the same trick in France, however, falling instead to a narrow 1-0 loss to Nice who created the better of the chances on the night. Playing in Israel could be the secret therefore. After all this is a side boasting wins in five of six home matches in league and Europe this season, scoring two or more in all but one, recording wins here over Dinamo Batumi, Motherwell and Plzen during qualifying.
Bayer Leverkusen – Die Werkself the form side of the two?
The Germans were the big winners – quite literally – on Matchday 1, thrashing Ligue 1 outfit Nice 6-2 at the BayArena. Four of their goals coming beyond the hour mark to turn a tight contest very quickly into a formality. However, much like their upcoming opponent, they too were scuppered second time around, succumbing in the Czech Republic to a slender 1-0 defeat against Slavia Prague.
Leverkusen struggled to create anything of note last time out in the group. Hampered, one suspects, by their numerical disparity following the dismissal of Karim Bellarabi – scorer of two in their opener – at the midway point of the first half. And yet, Nadiem Amiri spurned a gilt-edged opportunity to snatch a point late on. Provided therefore they can keep all ten outfield players on the pitch, Die Werkself can be expected to create more of those in Israel.
Losing in Prague also marked a first defeat of 2020-21 for Petr Bosz and his team, who have now won four of the last five in all competitions after Sunday’s 4-2 comeback victory away to Freiburg. A result which lifted them up into fourth in the Bundesliga, three points adrift of leaders Bayern. Moreover, this was a confident side only last season, when winning away at FC Porto and Rangers en route to the last-eight.
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Hapoel Beer-Sheva Vs Bayer Leverkusen Betting Advice
Unsurprisingly, Bayer Leverkusen are strong favourites to continue their fine vein of form – they have won four of their previous five contests in all competitions – at the expense of Hapoel Beer-Sheva, who are without a win in three (D2 L1). There is nothing to separate them in the group though, with both sides victorious at home but incurring 1-0 losses when asked to travel.
Hapoel Beer-Sheva Vs Bayer Leverkusen – Key Facts
- This season Hapoel Beer-Sheva have scored three goals in four of their six home matches (W5 D1) across the Israeli Premier League and Europa League.
- Four wins in five for Bayer Leverkusen, whose only competitive defeat of 2020-21 came last time out in this competition when losing 1-0 away to Slavia Prague.
- Hapoel Beer-Sheva have an overall record that reads W3 D1 L4 at home in the Europa League proper. Bayer Leverkusen, meanwhile, have won six of the last 14 away from home in Europe (W6 D4 L4).
The post-game statistics indicate that Hapoel Beer-Sheva were fortunate to register a 3-1 victory at home to Slavia Prague first time out, giving up a host of chances whilst display incredible efficiency themselves. However The Israelis have consistently found the back of the net at home this season, netting 15 in just six such outings. Therefore, while I suspect the visitors will prevail, there is every chance the visitors’ clean sheet is compromised.
Best Betting Odds – Hapoel Beer-Sheva vs Bayer Leverkusen
Hapoel Beer-Sheva – 6/1 (Bet365)
Draw – 18/5 (Betfair)
Bayer Leverkusen – 1/2 (BetFred)
