Union St Gilloise Dominate Hapoel Beer Sheva in Europa League

Union St Gilloise turned a borrowed ground into a statement stage, dismantling Hapoel Beer Sheva 4-0 in Düsseldorf to tighten their grip on their Europa League group.

They needed time to warm up in the unfamiliar surroundings of the Merkur Spiel-Arena, a “home” shifted across the border to Germany, and the first half threatened to drift. Injuries disrupted any early rhythm: Mateo Biondic went off, Raul Florucz came on, and the pattern of the night looked set to be frustration rather than fluency.

Then the game snapped into focus.

Just before the interval, Florucz seized his moment from the penalty spot, drilling in the opener to give Union control at a crucial time. The goal changed the mood, but it came with a sting. Florucz, who had already come on as an early replacement, would later join the growing injury list, underlining the physical cost of this campaign.

The setbacks kept coming. Darius Olaru also had to leave the pitch, forcing another reshuffle as Dylan Aquino entered the fray. Union could easily have lost their shape, or their nerve. Instead, they cut loose.

Second Half

The second half belonged to one man first: Guiherme Smith. The Brazilian winger came alive just after the hour, stretching Beer Sheva with his movement and direct running. When the chance arrived, he made it count, striking to make it 2-0 and effectively break the Israeli side’s resistance.

The pressure didn’t ease. Union sensed vulnerability and played like a team that knew it. Smith struck again in the 80th minute, his second of the night and Union’s third, a finish that underlined the gulf that had opened up between the sides as the game wore on.

Aquino then added his own chapter. The summer signing from Lanus has had to be patient for his breakthrough, but he chose the right stage to open his account. His goal, Union’s fourth, capped a ruthless second-half display and turned a solid win into a statement scoreline: 4-0, and no arguments.

Behind the numbers sits a quietly impressive European record. Union St Gilloise remain unbeaten in this season’s Europa League: victory over Viktoria Plzen in their opener, a hard-earned 1-1 draw against Real Sociedad, and now a four-goal dismantling of Hapoel Beer Sheva.

Next comes another test of their growing European authority: Celta Vigo, fresh from their own away win at Celtic. A neutral venue, a patched-up squad, and rising expectations — Union have handled all of that so far. The question now is whether this sharp, confident side can turn a promising start into something far more serious in Europe.