The UEFA Europa League league phase delivered a tense, tightly contested encounter at Turner Stadium in Beersheba, where Hapoel Beer Sheva and Dinamo Zagreb played out a 0-0 draw on 17 September 2026. Neither side could find the breakthrough across 90 minutes, but the stalemate was far from a dull affair, with both goalkeepers called into meaningful action and the tactical battle between two well-drilled European sides keeping the outcome in doubt until the final whistle.

Match Overview

Hapoel Beer Sheva entered the fixture looking to make home advantage count in what has traditionally been one of the most intimidating atmospheres in Israeli football. Dinamo Zagreb, the Croatian giants and perennial European campaigners, arrived with a clear plan: absorb pressure, stay compact in midfield, and strike on the counter through their quick wide players.

The result was a chess match. Hapoel controlled the bulk of possession in the opening half, circulating the ball through midfield and probing the Zagreb back line with crosses from the flanks, while Dinamo sat deeper and looked to spring forward the moment they won the ball back.

Key Moments

• Early warning: Hapoel's first meaningful chance came inside the opening quarter of an hour, a low drive from the edge of the area that forced a smart save down to the goalkeeper's right.
• Zagreb's counter: The visitors' best spell arrived midway through the first half, when a rapid break down the right ended with a shot flashing just wide of the far post.
• Second-half pressure: After the interval Hapoel pushed their full-backs higher and began to pin Dinamo back, generating a string of corners that the Croatian defence dealt with through a combination of brave blocks and commanding aerial work.
• Late drama: The clearest opportunity of the night fell in the closing stages, but a scrambling defensive clearance off the line preserved the clean sheet at both ends.

Tactical Story

The defining feature of the match was the contrast in approach. Hapoel Beer Sheva built patiently, using their midfield triangle to shift Zagreb from side to side, but they struggled to convert territorial dominance into genuine chances against a defence that dropped into a disciplined low block. Dinamo Zagreb, meanwhile, were content to cede possession and rely on transitions, and they twice came close to punishing their hosts on the break.

Both managers made attacking substitutions in the second half in search of a winner, but the game's structure held firm. The Croatian side's centre-backs were outstanding in the air, while Hapoel's midfield anchor repeatedly snuffed out counters before they could develop.

Standout Performers

Both goalkeepers deserve credit for keeping the scoreline blank, each producing at least one save of genuine quality. Hapoel's midfield creator was the game's most progressive passer, constantly looking for the killer ball between the lines, while Dinamo's right-sided attacker was the most dangerous player on the pitch whenever he was given space to run into.

Season Impact

In the context of the Europa League league phase, a home draw is a result that leaves both teams with mixed feelings. Hapoel Beer Sheva will feel they did enough to win and will rue the missed opportunities, while Dinamo Zagreb will view a clean sheet and an away point as a solid, if unspectacular, platform to build on.

The point keeps both sides in the early running for a knockout-phase place, but it also underlines how fine the margins are in the new format, where every home fixture carries extra weight. For Hapoel, the challenge now is turning dominance into goals on the road; for Dinamo, the priority is adding a sharper cutting edge to their counter-attacking game.