Hapoel Beer Sheva vs Dinamo Zagreb Prediction 16 September 2026
π Hapoel Be'er Sheva and Dinamo Zagreb meet in the opening round of the Europa League league phase. The two clubs have history in European competition: they crossed paths in the second qualifying round of the Champions League in 2018, when Zagreb came through comfortably, winning 5-0 at home and drawing 2-2 in Israel.
Eight years on, the sides meet again in Europe. The match will not be played in Be'er Sheva, however, but in Bucharest at the Rapid GiuleΘti stadium, so the Israeli club will not have a proper home advantage.
π Don't miss important pre-match updates: we will be adding information on line-ups, injuries and other developments that could affect the balance of the match.
Head-to-Head
π In the first leg, Dinamo thrashed Hapoel 5-0 in Zagreb. The return fixture ended in a 2-2 draw. The Croatians won the tie 7-2 on aggregate.
Head-to-head statistics Hapoel Beer Sheva - Dinamo Zagreb
Hapoel Beer Sheva Team Overview
Hapoel Be'er Sheva began the season in Champions League qualifying. The Israelis came through against VΓkingur on aggregate 3-2, losing the first leg 1-2 before winning the return 2-0. In the next round they beat Crvena Zvezda twice, 1-0 at home and 2-0 away. However, in the qualifying play-offs Hapoel came unstuck against Sabah: after winning the first leg 2-1, they lost the second 2-5 after extra time. The Azerbaijani club went through on a 6-4 aggregate, and the Israelis continued their season in the Europa League.
Their domestic campaign has been mixed. Hapoel beat Hapoel Ramat Gan, then drew with Hapoel Haifa, before losing heavily to Maccabi Tel Aviv. The defeat to Maccabi was particularly telling: the opponents went ahead early, and after a red card Hapoel were unable to get back into the game. The hosts did manage to score once and created a few dangerous moments in attack. The team are capable of creating chances and posing a threat going forward, but defensively there have been clear problems: they have conceded seven goals in their first three league matches.
Match Results: Hapoel Beer Sheva
Dinamo Zagreb Team Overview
Dinamo also failed to reach the league phase of the Champions League. The Zagreb side came through against Thun and Ε½algiris before facing Norwegian side Viking. The first leg in Zagreb ended 2-2, and Viking won the return fixture 3-1. As a result, Dinamo continued their European campaign in the Europa League. They made a reasonably confident start to the domestic season, and going into the match against Osijek they had gone 28 league games without defeat - but that run ended on 12 September. Dinamo lost to Osijek 2-4, conceding four goals.
That defeat highlighted Dinamo's main problem ahead of the Europa League. The team are capable of creating chances and scoring, but under sustained pressure from the opposition their defence makes mistakes. In terms of squad quality and European experience, though, Dinamo look the stronger side. The club are regular participants in the main stages of UEFA competitions and have already come through several rounds of Champions League qualifying this season.
Match Results: Dinamo Zagreb
Latest news
Hapoel Beer Sheva
β Hapoel Be'er Sheva will be without Djibril Diop, Lucas Ventura and Itay Rotman. Diop is suspended after receiving a red card in a European match, while Ventura and Rotman are both out injured. Igor ZlatanoviΔ is also a doubt, with the forward recovering from a groin problem.
Dinamo Zagreb
β Dynamo go into the match against Hapoel without any serious injury concerns. The only absentee is Bruno Goda, who is ill.
β Josip MiΕ‘iΔ has returned to the squad, so coach Mario KovaΔeviΔ has most of his key players available. In recent matches, KovaΔeviΔ has been giving regular minutes to new signings, including Iker Almena and Luka IvanuΕ‘ec. Both have featured, and IvanuΕ‘ec scored twice in the cup match against Bedem.
β½ Goals Prediction
Both sides come into this match on the back of poor results in their domestic leagues. Hapoel Beer-Sheva lost to Maccabi Tel Aviv (1-4), while Dinamo Zagreb were beaten by Osijek (2-4). In both cases, their defences allowed opponents to create plenty of dangerous chances. The trend is notable: Total Goals - Over 2.5 has landed in 7 consecutive home matches for Hapoel Beer-Sheva, and in 6 of Dinamo Zagreb's last 7 matches in the Europa League.
Dinamo's attacking potential is higher, and the absence of a proper home advantage for Hapoel works in the Croatian club's favour. The Israelis are capable of getting on the scoresheet, but it is Zagreb who look the favourites here. Our prediction: Total Goals - Over 2.5 at odds of 1.68*.
π© Corners Prediction
Dinamo have reason to dominate possession and build through positional attacks, particularly given the difference in class and European experience between the two sides. Hapoel, meanwhile, are likely to rely on quick transitions. The trend speaks for itself: Dinamo Zagreb have had more than 4.5 corners in 12 of their last 13 matches. Taking into account the visitors' quality and that consistent trend, a high corner count looks probable, but our pick is Dinamo Zagreb Team Total Corners - Over 4.5 at 1.77*.
π¨ Yellow Cards Prediction
The match will be refereed by English official John Brooks. Across his last 20 matches, he has averaged around four yellow cards per game. With that level of disciplinary strictness, a contest for initiative and frequent duels could lead to bookings coming quickly. It is particularly important for Hapoel not to give their opponents space, while Dinamo will surely look to respond with active pressing and aggressive defending. In that scenario, four or more cards looks quite realistic. Our prediction: Total Yellow Cards - Over 3.5 at odds of 1.41*.
*Odds are indicative and may vary depending on the bookmaker.
β Editor's Prediction
Dinamo Zagreb look the stronger side thanks to a better squad, greater European experience and consistent quality over the course of a season. The most recent meeting between the two sides ended with both teams scoring. That said, there are genuine reasons not to trust the Croatian defence: a 2-4 defeat to Osijek showed the team can make serious errors under pressure. Hapoel are capable of making life difficult and exploiting their opponents' problems, but the match is being played in Bucharest rather than on the Israeli side's home ground. That reduces the significance of the home factor and makes Dinamo's advantage more pronounced. Predicted score: 1-2. Editor's prediction: Both Teams to Score - Yes.
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Betting Tips: Hapoel Beer Sheva - Dinamo Zagreb
in 5 of last 6 home games.
in 29 of last 31 games.in 14 of last 16 away games.in last 7 home games.in 32 of last 33 games.in last 15 away games.in 24 of last 25 home games.in 19 of last 20 games.in last 7 games (Europa League).
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