[26-27 UEL] Royale Union Saint-Gilloise vs Hapoel Be'er Sheva Preview & Analysis Kick-off: October 22 at 16:45 UTC
Royale Union Saint-Gilloise and Hapoel Be'er Sheva face each other in matchday 3 of the UEFA Europa League phase. Union Saint-Gilloise started with four points and want to stay unbeaten, while Be'er Sheva sit on one point and target their first win of the campaign. The decisive factor is whether Union Saint-Gilloise can exploit the space behind Be'er Sheva when the Israeli side press high.
1. Match Overview and Current Form
Royale Union Saint-Gilloise are designated as the home team, but the match will take place behind closed doors at Merkur Spiel-Arena in Düsseldorf, Germany. Union Saint-Gilloise have played their European home games away from their regular ground this season, so playing without supporters is the bigger change. They will not have the crowd backing they enjoyed against Real Sociedad. Hapoel Be'er Sheva will also play without fans, having hosted Dinamo Zagreb in Bucharest, Romania earlier this season. Both teams must deal with unfamiliar surroundings, though Be'er Sheva face a longer trip from Israel.
Over the opening two Europa League rounds, Union Saint-Gilloise beat Viktoria Plzeň 3-0 and drew 1-1 with Real Sociedad. Be'er Sheva drew 0-0 against Dinamo Zagreb before losing 2-1 to AZ Alkmaar. Both sides sit near the top of their domestic leagues. Union Saint-Gilloise remain unbeaten through eight rounds with 22 goals scored and four conceded, while Be'er Sheva have won four straight league matches to sit two points behind leaders Maccabi Haifa. Domestic form alone cannot tell the story here, as recent European ties showed. Union Saint-Gilloise created openings against tough opposition but dropped points, while Be'er Sheva have scored only once in two Europa League games.
Last Two Europa League Matches Record and Points: Royale Union Saint-Gilloise 1W-1D, 4 pts / Hapoel Be'er Sheva 1D-1L, 1 pt Goals Scored and Conceded: Royale Union Saint-Gilloise 4-1 / Hapoel Be'er Sheva 1-2 Previous Match: Royale Union Saint-Gilloise 1-1 Real Sociedad / Hapoel Be'er Sheva 1-2 AZ Alkmaar
Royale Union Saint-Gilloise are unbeaten in their last 10 competitive matches with seven wins and three draws. Away to Viktoria Plzeň, they regained possession through a high press and struck three times behind the defensive line. The first goal came from Relebohile Mofokeng running onto a long pass by Massire Sylla, and the second followed Mateo Biondic driving forward after an opponent's turnover. Following the international break, they struggled to contain OH Leuven in the first half and drew 1-1. Against Real Sociedad, they posted an expected goals advantage of 1.84 to 0.70, but conceded right after half-time when Kamiel Van de Perre made an error on a back pass. Their overall play has recovered, but the risk in their backline under pressure remains visible.
Hapoel Be'er Sheva have seven wins, one draw, and two defeats in their last 10 competitive fixtures. In European competition, they ran into different problems depending on the opponent. Against Dinamo Zagreb, they controlled possession for long stretches without converting chances inside the penalty box. Away to AZ Alkmaar, they sat deep, snatched an equaliser after stripping the ball off an opposing defender, but gave away a late penalty for the decisive goal. In their recent league match against Hapoel Jerusalem, they rotated eight starters and could not break down a compact block in the first half. Igor Zlatanović came off the bench to score twice in a 2-1 comeback, showing both their attacking bench depth and their reliance on regular starters.
Union Saint-Gilloise set up in a 3-1-4-2, while Be'er Sheva favor a 4-3-3. David Hubert's side rarely chase possession for its own sake, creating openings through quick transitions after pressing, long passes from the central defenders, and Besfort Zeneli's set pieces. Ran Kozuch's team rely on building from the back with a high press, though they defended deeper away to AZ Alkmaar. Which setup Kozuch chooses will determine where Union Saint-Gilloise find space.
Both squads have selection concerns. Union Saint-Gilloise are missing Kevin Mac Allister and Ilan Hurtevent, while Ondřej Kricfaluši and captain Rob Schoofs carry knocks. Over the last two matches, Nohim Chibani stepped in at center-back with Van de Perre in defensive midfield. Midfield regular Adem Zorgane has resumed training, but his minutes depend on his fitness on matchday. Top scorer Raul Florucz returns to bolster the bench after serving a suspension. Be'er Sheva traveled without center-back Idan Nachmias and midfielder Lucas Ventura. Djibril Diop and Itay Rotman are options at center-back, but they have not started together in this Europa League campaign.
This is the first competitive meeting between the sides. Be'er Sheva's long winless away run in the Europa League does not reflect their current squad, as they won 2-0 away to Red Star Belgrade earlier this season with goals from Zlatanović and Javon East. Scheduling is a more immediate factor. Both sides rested several key players in their domestic fixtures. Union Saint-Gilloise play Cercle Brugge three days later, while Be'er Sheva travel to league leaders Maccabi Haifa four days later. These commitments could shape second-half substitutions and squad management.
2. Tactical Matchup
If Be'er Sheva press high, Union Saint-Gilloise's backline will be tested directly. Three forwards can close down the three center-backs, with a midfielder stepping onto Van de Perre. Real Sociedad pushed their lines up in the second half, intercepted Van de Perre's under-hit back pass, and scored. Be'er Sheva used a similar route against AZ Alkmaar when Zahi Ahmed stole possession off a defender to score. If Zorgane cannot feature or plays limited minutes, Van de Perre has fewer reliable passing outlets when pressured. Be'er Sheva have the tools to convert defensive errors into scoring opportunities close to goal.
That same high press leaves Be'er Sheva vulnerable at the back. Union Saint-Gilloise can bypass pressure with Sylla's long passes, while wing-backs Louis Patris and Guilherme Smith create wide passing lanes. When Be'er Sheva's full-backs step up to engage the wing-backs, two center-backs are left defending Mofokeng and Biondic in open space. Both forwards scored against Viktoria Plzeň by timing runs behind the defense and accelerating forward. With Nachmias absent, Be'er Sheva's central defensive pairing will find this combination difficult to track. Hapoel Jerusalem also scored against them through a counter-attack launched from deep that beat their defenders.
If Be'er Sheva drop their defensive block as they did against AZ Alkmaar, the dynamic changes. Union Saint-Gilloise will have more possession, but less room behind the defense for their front two. Wide attacks from Patris and Smith alongside Zeneli's corners and free-kicks then become the main threat. Union Saint-Gilloise scored from a corner against Viktoria Plzeň and from a wide free-kick against Real Sociedad. When they failed to break down a compact defense against Zulte Waregem, the match ended 0-0. If Be'er Sheva goalkeeper Ofir Marciano repeats his shot-stopping form from the AZ match, Union Saint-Gilloise could struggle to convert chances.
When Be'er Sheva sit back, their attack relies on fast transitions or exploiting space behind Union Saint-Gilloise's wing-backs. OH Leuven scored their opening goal through a low cross delivered from that wide space. Be'er Sheva have East and Ahmed to push down the flanks and Zlatanović to finish in the box. Ventura's absence weakens their ability to link defensive recoveries to the frontline. Even if they establish extended possession as they did against Dinamo Zagreb, generating clear openings inside the penalty area remains a hurdle.
The response to the first goal will also shape the contest. If Union Saint-Gilloise score first, Be'er Sheva must push defenders forward to chase points, opening more space for Mofokeng and Biondic to attack. Hubert managed the Viktoria Plzeň match by rotating his forwards in the 60th minute once they established a lead. If Be'er Sheva strike first, Union Saint-Gilloise will need to commit extra numbers forward. In both matches where they fell behind this season, against OH Leuven and Real Sociedad, Union Saint-Gilloise salvaged draws but could not find a winner. If the game stays 0-0 deep into the second half, the return of Florucz and Be'er Sheva's bench options could swing the result.
3. Final Prediction
We see Union Saint-Gilloise taking the lead and Be'er Sheva pulling one back as the most probable script. Our projected scorelines are 3-1 or 4-1 in favor of the designated home side. If Be'er Sheva press high, they may force turnovers near Van de Perre, but Union Saint-Gilloise can play over the pressure using Sylla's distribution and active wing-backs. In the space left behind, Mofokeng and Biondic can trouble a center-back duo that has not started together in this competition. If Be'er Sheva push up after falling behind, Union Saint-Gilloise will find more chances to add goals. Zeneli's delivery on set pieces and Florucz's presence off the bench provide extra attacking options.
The market heavily favors Union Saint-Gilloise based on squad quality and recent form. While we agree with the match winner, Be'er Sheva could score more than the market consensus expects. Turnovers forced by Be'er Sheva's press can create immediate chances, and Union Saint-Gilloise can capitalise on the space left behind to extend their lead. If Hubert manages the lead with substitutions around the hour mark, a 3-1 finish looks most realistic. If Be'er Sheva push their full-backs high while trailing by two, the score could stretch to 4-1. The main factor that could change this outlook is Kozuch choosing a low defensive block from kickoff. That would limit Union Saint-Gilloise's space to run into, making set pieces and Marciano's goalkeeping far more influential.
