Ludogorets vs Hapoel Tel Aviv

Ludogorets had the momentum and a raucous crowd of 5,632 behind them. But the advantage lasted just four minutes. Boateng collected the ball on the edge of the area and fired past the Ludogorets goalkeeper — his second goal of the night — making it 2-2 on the night and restoring Hapoel's two-goal aggregate cushion.

The goal deflated the home side. Ludogorets huffed in search of the two further goals they needed but created little of note in the final half-hour, with tempers fraying — Anton Nedyalkov, Rwan Cruz and Eric Bille all went into the book in the closing stages.

Emmanuel Boateng (Hapoel Tel Aviv) — The Ghanaian forward was the difference across both legs. His two finishes here were composed and decisive. He also won the foul that led to Leidner's yellow card. Player of the match.

Bernard Tekpetey (Ludogorets) — The Ghana winger scored the goal that sparked Ludogorets' brief revival and was a persistent threat down the right flank before being withdrawn late on.

Assaf Tzur (Hapoel Tel Aviv) — Saved Duah's first-half penalty at 1-0 down on the night, a moment that could have shifted the tie decisively had it gone in.

The provider stats page shows Ludogorets dominated possession (62%) and territory, but that control was largely sterile outside the seven-minute spell either side of half-time. Hapoel registered four shots on target from limited possession — two of them Boateng goals — highlighting a clinical edge that Ludogorets lacked. The missed penalty (Duah, 39') was the statistical hinge: expected-goals data would have favoured the hosts after the Tekpetey and Salido strikes, but Boateng's swift response neutralised that advantage before it could compound.

Eight yellow cards — five for Ludogorets, three for Hapoel — reflected the fractious nature of the contest, especially after Boateng's equaliser.

Hapoel Tel Aviv advance to the UEFA Europa Conference League third qualifying round, maintaining their European campaign. For Ludogorets — Bulgarian champions and regular group-stage participants in recent seasons — elimination at the second qualifying round represents a significant early setback. Hapoel's aggregate win also continues their strong start to the 2026/27 European campaign after a 2-0 first-leg victory.

A compelling two-legged tie decided by Boateng's ruthless finishing and Tzur's penalty save. Ludogorets had the quality to fight back but left themselves too much to do after the first leg, and their failure to convert the spot-kick at a pivotal moment proved fatal. Hapoel's organisation and counter-attacking efficiency carried them through.