Europa League Clash: Southampton vs Hapoel Be'er Sheva
Published December 8, 2016 by Sol FH
Hapoel with a chance to make history and move onto the knockout rounds. Catch the action live at 20:05 GMT.
Southampton and Israeli surprise story Hapoel Be'er Sheva are in a duel for the next round in the Europa League. They are currently tied for second place in Group K, which means a win tonight would secure a ticket into the knockout stages of the tournament, something that Southampton does not want to miss, and Hapoel Be'er Sheva has never done before. This year Hapoel just missed a spot in the Champions League after the goal count was against them against Celtic, but they have been incredible in the Europa League beating Inter Milan in both of their matches and drawing with Southampton in the first leg. The Premier League side is hoping for win, and they are the favorites to do so, but this Israeli Premier League champion has been exciting to watch.
The Saints are relatively healthy tonight with just one of their regular starters out, as Matt Targett has a serious hamstring problem. They have not lost at home in their last three matches at St. Mary's, but they have failed to score in three of their last four Europa League matches; although these were away games. Israeli sides have yet to beat a team in England in any of their eight trips to the UK, but lest we forget that Hapoel walked into San Siro a few weeks ago and trounced Inter Milan 2-0.
Southampton should be very weary tonight as Hapoel have found a serious rhythm in the Israeli League. Recent results including a 5-0, 2-0 and 5-1 have become a regular occurrence for Barak Bachar's men, whom have played for a good amount of time together and it shows. Of course the odds are stacked against them, as Southampton have not lost a home match in their last 16 across all competitions.
Europa League Betting
Punters have an excellent opportunity to bet with an underdog team that actually has a real chance at winning. At bet365 Sports, Hapoel is at 9.00, while Southampton is at 1.44. A draw could be the best bet at 4.50, as the Europa League has not been the best tournament for the Saints so far. A 1-1 finish would be smart to play.
