Alex MacQuoid
Sheriff Tiraspol host Maccabi Tel Aviv at Sheriff Stadium on 23 July in the second qualifying round of the UEFA Europa League 2026/27. The bookmakers have flipped the usual home-side logic here, making the Israeli visitors slight favourites despite traveling to Tiraspol, which tells you something about how the market reads the current shape of both clubs. Sheriff have been unbeaten in their last six outings across all competitions, but those results came almost exclusively against Moldovan opposition, and stepping up to European qualifying is a different ask entirely. Maccabi arrive with a more mixed recent record, having dropped a surprise home loss to IMT Novi Beograd just days before this fixture, so neither side enters this tie with bulletproof confidence.
For Sheriff, the player to watch is forward Danila Forov, who picked up an assist in the most recent league outing and brings direct running that can unsettle a high defensive line. On the Maccabi side, Sayd Abu Farhi is the obvious danger man, having scored twice in the last match against Hapoel Beer Sheva and registering five shots in just 83 minutes of action. His movement inside the box is the kind of problem Sheriff’s defence has not really been tested on this summer.
Hot stat: Maccabi Tel Aviv attempted 18 total shots in their most recent match and registered three yellow cards, signalling an aggressive, high-volume attacking approach that Sheriff’s defensive structure, which recorded just eight shots in their own last outing, may struggle to contain from the first whistle.
| 🏆 Tournament: | UEFA Europa League 2026/27, Second Qualifying Round |
| 🏟 Venue: | Sheriff Stadium, Tiraspol |
| 🗓️ Date: | 23.07.2026 |
| ⏰ Time: | 19:00 CEST |
Sheriff Tiraspol vs Maccabi Tel Aviv Prediction
The market has Maccabi Tel Aviv as favourites, and honestly, the stats back that up more than the home advantage undermines it. Sheriff have been solid domestically, four wins and two draws across their last six games, but their attacking output in the most recent match was limited to just eight shots and two corners. Maccabi, by contrast, generated 18 shots in their last game and showed genuine attacking intent even when the result did not go their way against IMT Novi Beograd.
The best value in this match sits with a Maccabi Tel Aviv win. Their squad depth is more suited to the European qualifying stage, Kenny Miller’s side has shown the ability to score in multiple ways, and Abu Farhi’s form alone makes them dangerous against a Sheriff backline that has not been tested at this level yet this season.
On style of play, Sheriff are a disciplined side, their foul count in the last match was zero, and they kept the game tight with a narrow shape. Maccabi, on the other hand, committed 12 fouls in their last outing and picked up three yellow cards plus one red, which points to a combative, pressing style that can generate momentum but also leave gaps on the counter. That red card is a concern for Maccabi’s defensive stability, but their attacking numbers still outclass what Sheriff have produced recently. We think the Israeli side edges this first leg, though a one-goal margin is the most likely outcome.
- Best Bet: Maccabi Tel Aviv to Win
- Value Pick: Under 2.5 Goals
| 🔥Hot Tip: | Maccabi Tel Aviv to win & Under 2.5 Goals |
| ⚽Total Goals: | Under 2.5 |
| 💥Both Teams To Score: | No |
| 🎯Total Corners: | Over 7.5 |
Team Analysis
Sheriff Tiraspol go into this European tie on the back of an unbeaten six-game run in Moldovan football, but the quality of opposition matters here. Their last result was a 3-2 win over Petrocub, a side ranked 307th in the world club rankings, which required a late push to secure three points. Before that, a 1-0 win over Aluminij and a 4-2 victory against Zimbru Chisinau showed some attacking punch, but two goalless draws, against Aluminij and FC Politehnica Chisinau, revealed a side that can be kept quiet when opponents set up defensively. In those two draws, Sheriff failed to find the net at all, which is a worry when facing a structured Maccabi side. Victor Mihailov’s men have been playing in a 4-3-3 shape, which gives them width and the option to press high, but the attacking stats from the last match, just eight shots and two corners, suggest the system is not yet firing at full capacity.
Maccabi Tel Aviv’s recent form is more turbulent. A 3-1 win over Hapoel Beer Sheva in the most recent match was encouraging, with Abu Farhi bagging a brace and Dor Peretz adding a goal and six shots from midfield, a genuinely productive individual performance. But the 0-1 home defeat to IMT Novi Beograd just before that was a real dent in confidence, and the red card accumulated in the last match means Kenny Miller may need to reshuffle his defensive line. Their 4-4-2 setup relies on compactness in midfield and direct balls to the forwards, and on their day, with Peretz driving from deep and Abu Farhi making runs, they can be difficult to contain. The Hapoel Beer Sheva games this season, three fixtures between the two sides, produced a total of nine goals, which shows Maccabi are not shy about open, high-scoring encounters when the conditions allow. That said, a European away trip to Tiraspol demands more caution than a domestic rivalry.
🚨Check out our dedicated Sheriff Tiraspol vs Maccabi Tel Aviv stats page for more info.
Pre-game Odds and Win Probability: Maccabi Tel Aviv the Favourite
- Moneyline Sheriff Tiraspol 3.30 | Maccabi Tel Aviv 2.05
- Draw 3.10
The odds tell a clear story. Maccabi at around 2.05 to 2.22 across most books represent the market consensus, and the spread is tight enough that there is not much disagreement among bookmakers. Sheriff at 3.19 to 3.35 reflects the genuine uncertainty of a home side that has not been tested at European level recently. The draw sits at 3.10 to 3.35, which is reasonable for a qualifying leg where both sides might prioritise not losing. We think the Maccabi price around 2.05 to 2.10 at Bet365, Betway, or Cloudbet offers solid value given their recent attacking output. The Sheriff price is interesting for a punt, but their limited shot volume in the last match does not inspire confidence against a Maccabi pressing unit.
Possible Starting Lineups
Sheriff Tiraspol Possible Starting Eleven
- GK: Emil Tîmbur
- DF: Raí Lopes de Oliveira, Fomba Bourama, Miguel Mota
- MF: Dhoraso Klas, Samba Kone, Vsevolod Nihaev
- FW: Jayder Asprilla, Danila Forov, Vitor Sapata, Juan Pineda
Sheriff are likely to line up in their familiar 4-3-3, with Emil Tîmbur in goal having featured in the most recent match. The defensive unit of Raí Lopes de Oliveira, Fomba Bourama, and Miguel Mota provides the base, though Mota’s one minute of playing time in the last game raises a small question mark over his fitness. In midfield, Dhoraso Klas and Samba Kone are expected to anchor the shape, with Nihaev offering an option off the bench or potentially slotting in from the start. Forov’s assist in the last match earns him a starting spot in attack, and Jayder Asprilla, despite picking up a yellow card, has the energy to stretch Maccabi’s defensive line. Sapata came on as a substitute last time and may fill a similar impact role here.
Maccabi Tel Aviv Possible Starting Eleven
- GK: Ofek Melika
- DF: Raz Shlomo, Mohamed Ali Camara, Roy Revivo, Sagiv Yehezkel
- MF: Dor Peretz, Ido Shahar, Issouf Bemba Sissokho, Itamar Noy
- FW: Sayd Abu Farhi, Dan Glazer
Kenny Miller will likely deploy a 4-4-2, with Ofek Melika starting in goal after 90 minutes in the last fixture. The back four of Shlomo, Camara, Revivo, and Yehezkel is the expected unit, though Yehezkel’s yellow card and Revivo’s red card from the last match could force changes, with Roy Mashpati available as cover. Dor Peretz is the engine of this team and the player opposition managers worry about most, six shots and a goal from central midfield in the last game is exceptional output. Abu Farhi leads the line and his two-goal showing against Beer Sheva will have him full of confidence walking into Tiraspol. Bemba Sissokho provides the defensive midfield cover, and his 30 passes with four fouls last time out shows he is willing to do the ugly work to protect the shape.
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Sheriff Tiraspol. Source: Official Facebook. Edited photo
The Verdict
Sheriff Tiraspol have done the right things domestically this summer, but their attacking stats from the last match, eight shots, two corners, zero goals in two of their last six games, paint a picture of a side that has not yet found its best form in front of goal. Maccabi Tel Aviv carry more firepower, and Abu Farhi’s recent brace gives them a focal point that Sheriff’s defence has not faced this season. The defeat to IMT Novi Beograd is a worry for Maccabi, but we think that was an anomaly rather than a trend, and their overall season record of 16 wins from 28 games reflects a squad with enough quality to navigate this qualifying round.
We are going with a Maccabi Tel Aviv win in a tight match. Sheriff at home will make it uncomfortable, maybe a scrappy first half where neither side commits fully, but Maccabi’s pressing and Abu Farhi’s movement should create enough to edge it. Under 2.5 goals feels right for a first-leg qualifier in Tiraspol, where both sides will be conscious of the second leg. Corners over 7.5 is the secondary play, given Maccabi’s 4-4-2 width and their habit of generating high shot volumes from wide areas.
