Besiktas vs Hapoel Beer Sheva Predictions, Betting Tips and Match Previews

Hapoel Be’er Sheva looked like a decent team for the majority of last week’s Europa League first leg clash with Besiktas, often looking the more dangerous team going forward, despite them conceding the lion’s share of possession. Besiktas opened the scoring through an own goal from the hosts though, and despite the Israeli’s equalising two minutes later, things were going to get a lot worse for them. Besiktas managed another goal with half an hour remaining, and with Hapoel Be’er Sheva pushing for an equaliser they notched another in injury time.

This all but ends this Europa League tie, and the hosts change to a more attacking mentality shows their inexperience in these two legged ties. Besiktas now lead 3-1 going into the second leg, which happens to be at their home ground.

The hosts followed this up with a 3-1 win in the Turkish Super Lig on Sunday, taking themselves four points clear at the top of the table and making it eight wins, two draws, and two defeats from their last 12 matches in all competitions.

Hapoel Be’er Sheva, on the other hand, continued a spell of poor form with a goalless draw at Hapoel Haifa on Sunday. This makes it two wins, two draws, and three defeats for them in their last seven outings. They remain at the top of the Israel Ligat Ha’ah table, but their lead has been cut to just two points and Maccabi Tel Aviv know what it takes to win a league title.

Away from home Hapoel Be’er Sheva are winless in five matches, and in the Europa League they won just one of their three away group games. Sticking with the continental theme they lost 5-2 at Celtic in the Champions League Playoffs as well. Things don’t look too promising for the visitors.

I can see this being another high scoring affair. Hapoel Be’er Sheva have generally kept it quite tight on the road this season but they don’t have that luxury on Thursday. The visitors will have to go all out to try and get back in this one, knowing they need to score at least three goals to stand a chance of qualification.

Besiktas are no strangers to goal-fests either, with 12 of their 16 home games this season resulting in at least three goals being scored. They have won seven of their last eight on home soil as well, and I can’t see them sitting back when they know a couple of goals would kill Hapoel Be’er Sheva off. This makes odds of 11/10 for Over 2.5 Goals look a good value offering, so I’m backing that alongside a 2-1 win for Besiktas at 15/2 for my correct score predictions.

Cenk Tosun is the man Hapoel Be’er Sheva need to contain. The Turkish striker has bagged 17 goals in his 22 appearances in the Super Lig and the Europa League this season, including one last week against Hapoel Be’er Sheva. 11 of these goals have come on home soil, so odds of 8/5 for him to score anytime look good value for money.