Atalanta failed to break through Hapoel Tel Aviv’s defensive wall and the playoff match against the Israelis ended 0-0.
The New Balance Arena held a goalless draw, welcoming 21 fans, including 1.500 from the Tel Aviv team. The return match is scheduled for the Miskolc Stadium in Hungary in seven days.
Un’azione di gioco fra Falcao dell’Hapoel e Gianluca Gaetano
Bergamo, August 20, 2026 – The two-legged playoff tie for the Conference League between Atalanta and Hapoel Tel Aviv will be decided in seven days’ time in the return leg at the Miskolc stadium in Hungary, which hosts the Israeli side’s home games. Tonight’s match in the cauldron of the New Balance Arena, with twenty-one thousand fans (including approximately 1500 fervent Israeli supporters), which ended 0-0, leaves the game wide open ahead of the return leg. Sarri’s Goddess, who will make their home league debut against Sassuolo on Sunday, will be able to count on improved fitness after another week of work and the likely return of De Ketelaere, who was absent this evening along with Hien, Ahanor, and Sulemana , as well as Scalvini, who was forced off after just 25 minutes due to a knee injury suffered early on, after undergoing treatment and gritting his teeth for over a quarter of an hour.
Opportunities to be seized
Sarri’s Atalanta side performed better in the first 90 minutes , with at least four clear chances created towards the end of the first half – in the 35th minute a powerful shot from Scamacca was blocked in mid-air by Tzur, in the 43rd minute another run from the left, the ball passed to Raspadori who was unable to apply any power, allowing Tzur to save – and in the final minutes with two plays from Krstovic that went wide in the 87th minute and were neutralised by the usual Tzur ‘s gloves in the first minute of injury time.
Hapoel, playing their fifth game in these preliminary rounds of the Conference League, and in better shape, played a cautious match, aiming to hold the scoreless by limiting themselves to counterattacks, managing the defensive phase with experience and skill, taking few risks.
Technical differences
The technical difference between the two teams was evident, however, and this still leaves the odds tipped in favor of the Bergamo side ahead of the return leg in Hungary. Atalanta now has two days to prepare for their first home league match against a tricky Sassuolo, on Sunday at 8:45 PM at the New Balance Arena.
