Hapoel Tel Aviv Holds Atalanta to Goalless Draw in Conference League

Hapoel Tel Aviv walked off with a goalless draw against Atalanta that felt anything but empty. Against one of Italy’s sharpest outfits, in a tense UEFA Conference League Playoff Round first leg, the Israelis survived late pressure, created the better moments, and kept their European dream very much alive.

The scoreline read 0-0. The statement was louder than that.

Hapoel stand tall in cagey first leg

Backed by around 1,500 travelling supporters, Hapoel started with intent, pressing high and trying to force errors from Atalanta’s back line. The Reds hunted for a turnover they could turn into something bigger, hoping one mistake would tilt the tie.

Roie Alkukin whipped an early cross into the Italian box, but it flashed past its intended target. Omri Altman then swung in a corner that was firmly headed clear. Half-chances, nothing more, yet they underlined Hapoel’s refusal to simply sit back and absorb.

Both sides spent most of the first half probing, testing each other’s structure rather than tearing it apart. Clear opportunities were scarce. The match crept into halftime goalless, shaped more by discipline than by risk.

The pattern barely shifted after the break. Neither side wanted to be the first to blink. Hapoel coach Elyaniv Barda tried to break the deadlock from the bench, sending on Xander Silva and Mor Buskila in a double substitution designed to open the game up and inject pace.

Still, the night remained tight and nervous, with cautious play scattered all over the pitch.

Then, right at the death, the tension spiked. Atalanta finally carved out two golden chances in second-half stoppage time, both falling to Ederson. Twice he pulled the trigger. Twice Assaf Tzur stood firm, producing crucial saves that preserved the clean sheet and sent the tie to a decisive second leg in Miskolc, Hungary – Hapoel’s home-away-from-home.

Barda left the pitch satisfied with more than just the result.

“We can congratulate the guys on a very good performance. We stuck to our principles and played our football against a great team, so the players deserve congratulations,” he said. “Having said that, it ended 0–0, and we have a second leg in which we’ll want to reproduce this performance. In the end, we stood firm and insisted on doing what we had worked on. There is still room for improvement, but the better chances were ours.”

On the opposite bench, Atalanta coach Maurizio Sarri acknowledged the struggle.

“I expected a difficult game. They were superior to us physically. We lack fluency in our play; every time we receive the ball, we think, and that slows us down,” he admitted. “Nevertheless, there are also positive aspects: in our last three games, we haven’t conceded a goal.”

So the tie heads to Miskolc on a knife edge. Hapoel have the belief and a clean sheet. Atalanta have the pedigree and the feeling they cannot be this flat again. One of them will walk away with a place in the Conference League league stage.

Maccabi punished in Lugano but tie still alive

While Hapoel were celebrating a job well done, Maccabi Tel Aviv were left to stew over a 2-1 defeat in Lugano that could easily have looked different.

The Swiss side were sharper, more ruthless, and made Maccabi pay for errors. Kevin Behrens and Anto Grgic struck for the hosts, with Ido Shahar briefly dragging the yellow-and-blue level. Now Maccabi must overturn a one-goal deficit in Batumi, Georgia – their own temporary “home” until European games return to Israel.

The opening goal came from a moment Maccabi will replay for days. A poor clearance by goalkeeper Ofek Meilika handed Lugano the initiative in the 30th minute. The hosts pounced, worked the ball into the danger area, and Behrens rose to nod it into the net for 1-0.

Maccabi regrouped at the break and came out after halftime with purpose. It took them just two minutes to strike back. Roy Revivo delivered a superb cross from the left, picking out Shahar, who timed his run and finished coolly in the 47th minute to level at 1-1.

The momentum seemed to shift. Then came the lapse.

Tyrese Asante clipped Yanis Cimignani in the box, and the referee pointed to the spot. Grgic stepped up and converted with ease, restoring Lugano’s lead at 2-1 and swinging the pressure firmly back onto Maccabi.

Kenny Miller’s side pushed hard for another equalizer. Shahar, Dor Peretz and Revivo all found themselves in promising positions, each with a chance to drag Maccabi back into the tie. Each time, the finish was missing. Lugano held on and carried a narrow but significant advantage into the second leg.

“It was a good game. I’m coming away with very positive feelings about our performance in the second half. I have no doubt that we can get the win next week,” Miller said after the final whistle. “The Lugano players were very aggressive in the first half. They pressed us and made it difficult for us to settle and find our rhythm. The second half was completely different. We created several promising attacks, found a much better rhythm and had a lot of possession.”

Shahar, who marked his 25th birthday with Maccabi’s only goal, cut a frustrated but determined figure.

“Honestly, I would have been much happier if we had won and received the perfect birthday present. I’m happy about the goal, but unfortunately we lost in the end,” he said. “Nevertheless, we fully believe that with the support of the fans next week in Batumi, we will get the job done.”

Hapoel now head to Miskolc with a giant in their sights and nothing to fear. Maccabi travel to Batumi needing a response, a comeback, and a clinical edge. Two ties, two different paths – but only performances under pressure will decide which Tel Aviv side is still standing in Europe.