Be'er Sheva and Zagreb: An Ode to Nothingness

Europa League nights are supposed to be filled with drama, passion, and, dare we say it, goals. What we witnessed in Israel, however, was a masterclass in… well, not much at all. Hapoel Be'er Sheva and Dinamo Zagreb, two teams ostensibly competing for European glory, decided instead to put on a clinical display of how to play 90 minutes without troubling the scorekeeper. A truly forgettable 0-0.

The hosts, Hapoel Be'er Sheva, perhaps hoping to spring a surprise, instead settled for springing absolutely nothing from their attack. Their forwards seemed to be operating under the strict instruction of 'do not shoot, under any circumstances.' While their defensive resolve was commendable – they did, after all, keep a clean sheet – it felt less like a tactical masterstroke and more like Zagreb simply forgot their shooting boots at home.

Dinamo Zagreb, meanwhile, arrived in Israel with the weight of expectation and probably left with the weight of a monumental headache. Ranked presumably higher in the footballing pecking order, they looked utterly devoid of ideas when faced with a stubborn, if unremarkable, Hapoel defense. This wasn't a game where keepers made heroic saves; this was a game where keepers probably caught up on their sleep. Zagreb’s much-vaunted attack was toothless, blunt, and frankly, EMBARRASSING.

The closest either side came to scoring was probably when the ball boy briefly considered taking a shot. Corners came and went, free kicks sailed harmlessly over, and attempts on goal were either wide, blocked, or so weak they posed less threat than a gentle breeze. If you blinked, you didn't miss a thing. In fact, if you watched the entire 90 minutes, you probably still feel like you missed something – like a good football match.

So, what does this thrilling encounter mean for the Europa League group? Absolutely nothing groundbreaking, that’s what. Both teams pick up a solitary point, which for Hapoel Be'er Sheva might feel like a minor victory against a theoretically superior opponent. For Dinamo Zagreb, however, it’s two points dropped, a golden opportunity to stake an early claim in the group squandered. They'll need to show considerably more ambition, and crucially, more quality, if they hope to progress beyond this stage.

Ultimately, this wasn't a draw to remember, but a draw to quickly forget. The beautiful game sometimes gives us masterpieces; other times, it gives us… this. Let's hope for everyone's sake, particularly the neutral fan who was unfortunate enough to tune in, that the return fixture offers something, ANYTHING, more compelling than this VACUUM of excitement.