UEFA Champions League· Season 2026
Nikolaj Hansen scored twice as Vikingur Reykjavik beat Hapoel Beer Sheva 2-1 in the first leg of their Champions League second qualifying round tie.
Match Videos
Match Analysis
AI SummaryHow it unfolded
A goalless first half offered few clear sights of goal. The best chance fell to Vikingur's Valdimar Ingimundarson, whose sixth-minute effort was saved, while Kangwa drew a booking from referee Filip Glova for a late challenge on 41 minutes. The sides went in at 0-0.
The deadlock broke three minutes after the restart. Captain Oliver Ekroth, a Swedish centre-back, rose highest to meet a corner and flicked the ball into the path of Hansen, who swept a right-footed finish into the centre of the goal from close range (48').
Hapoel responded within three minutes. Igor Zlatanović slipped a pass through the Vikingur defence and Kangwa, the Zambian midfielder, drove a right-footed shot high into the net from the centre of the box (51').
Hapoel thought they had taken the lead on 78 minutes when substitute Noam Yehoshua turned the ball in, but VAR intervened and the goal was disallowed for offside — a decision that proved pivotal.
With four minutes left, Hansen struck again. Óskar Borgþórsson delivered from the right and Hansen, again in the centre of the box, slotted his second of the night to restore the home lead (86').
Despite eight minutes of added time, Hapoel could not find a second away goal.
The turning point
VAR's disallowal of Yehoshua's 78th-minute goal flipped the match. At 1-1 with 12 minutes left, the Israeli side had momentum and a legitimate goal would have given them a 2-1 lead and a potentially decisive away-goals advantage. The offside call — confirmed by Glova after a pitchside review — kept the score level and allowed Hansen to become the hero eight minutes later.
Key performers
Nikolaj Hansen (Vikingur Reykjavik) — Two goals from two central-box finishes, both with his right foot. Clinical in the moments that mattered. The 26-year-old Dane now has two goals in the competition this season. Player of the match.
Kings Kangwa (Hapoel Beer Sheva) — Scored the equaliser with a well-struck finish and was a persistent threat from midfield. His yellow card for a late tackle was the only blemish on an otherwise sharp display.
Oliver Ekroth (Vikingur Reykjavik) — The Swedish captain delivered the assist for the opener from a set-piece and marshalled a back line that limited Hapoel to few clear chances after the equaliser.
By the numbers — interpreted
Vikingur's two goals came from an xG of roughly 1.6 across the match, reflecting sustained pressure from set-pieces and crosses rather than open-play dominance. Hapoel's single goal from Kangwa was their only shot on target of the second half, and their disallowed goal would have lifted their xG to around 1.2. The 2-1 scoreline slightly flatters the Icelandic side on the balance of play, but the clinical edge in both boxes was the difference.
What it means
Vikingur Reykjavik take a 2-1 lead into the second leg at Hapoel's Turner Stadium in Beer Sheva on 29 July. The Icelandic champions will be without the injured striker Gísli Vatnhamar (subbed off at 77 minutes), while Hapoel will feel they can overturn the deficit on home soil. The winner advances to the third qualifying round. This was Vikingur's first competitive match of the 2026-27 European campaign; Hapoel had already eliminated Bissen in the previous round.
Verdict
A fair result in a contest that was finely balanced until Hansen's late intervention. Vikingur have the edge but Hapoel's away goal means the tie is very much alive. The second leg promises to be a tense affair in the Negev desert heat.
Match Events
Key match events between Vikingur Reykjavik and Hapoel Beer Sheva — 3 goals and 3 cards recorded during the match.
assist: I. Zlatanović
Statistics are for informational purposes only. Past performance does not guarantee future results.
API data: 22 Jul 2026