Israeli side Hapoel Beer Sheva take on Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League next week, with the home side having nothing but pride to play for. With the visiting team requiring just a single point in order to confirm their place in the draw for the knockout stage of the competition, the emphasis will be on the Czech side to take the game to the hosts.
Europa League – Turner Stadium, Beersheba – Thursday 7th December – 20:05 UK Time
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Draw Best Odd of: 23/10 at Ladbrokes |
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Hapoel Beer Sheva
Viktoria PlzenMatch Preview
Hapoel Beer Sheva host Czech side Viktoria Plzen in the Europa League next week, with the away side looking to earn the point that would secure their place in the next phase of the tournament. Given the fact that Plzen have already defeated Hapoel Beer Sheva earlier on in the campaign, it is Pavel Vrba’s men who are the favourites for many. However, with many predicting a closer encounter at the Turner Stadium, it is well worth checking out our top betting tip below. However, let’s first take a closer look at the two teams, starting with the home side.
Hapoel Beer Sheva Team News & Form
The home side come into this match off the back of an entertaining draw with rivals Beitar Jerusalem on Monday evening, leaving them second in the Israeli top-flight standings, level on points with the league leaders. Having also lost against Lugano in Europe last week, the Israeli side are certainly not in the best of form. However, with the likes of Tomas Pekhart, Isaac Cuenca and John Ogu in their ranks, manager Barak Bakhar will be hoping that his side can return to winning ways next week. Hapoel Beer Sheva have scored five goals from their five Group G matches to date, as well as conceding eight in the process.
Viktoria Plzen Team News & Form
Viktoria Plzen drew with Teplice over the weekend, which was the first time that they have dropped any points in the Czech top-flight this season. Pavel Vrba has led his side to 14 wins from 15 domestically, leaving Plzen 11 points clear of their closest rival. Having also beaten Steaua Bucaresti in Europe last week by a scoreline of 2-0, it is clear to see that the Czech giants are in fantastic form leading into this tie. The Plzen squad is dominated by home-grown players, with the likes of Jan Kopic, Martin Keman and Tomas Horava among their most talented players.
Head to Head
Viktoria Plzen’s 3-1 win over Hapoel Beer Sheva in the Czech Republic earlier on in the season was the first ever competitive meeting between the two clubs, meaning that few conclusions can be made surrounding their head-to-head record.
Betting Odds and Predictions
Despite being the away team next week, their performances in the competition so far mean that it comes as little surprise that it is Viktoria Plzen who are the favourites for victory with the majority of bookmakers. Those looking to back the visitors for the win for can take advantage of odds of 21/20 from William Hill, while Hapoel Beer Sheva are priced at 11/4 from Skybet.
Top Betting Tip
However, our top betting tip for the match is to bet on there being over 2.5 goals the 90 minutes, which is available at odds of 3/4 with Ladbrokes.