Austria Vienna vs Beitar Jerusalem prediction: Will the Austrians' first-leg win be enough? - 13.08.2026
The second leg of the UEFA Conference League third qualifying round between Austria Vienna and Beitar Jerusalem promises to be a tense affair.
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The Viennese return home with a 2-1 advantage—a solid lead, but by no means a comfortable one, especially after the drama of the first encounter.
The opening match took place in Ploiești, Romania, as Israeli clubs continue to host their European fixtures on neutral ground. Beitar started brightly and broke the deadlock in the 19th minute—Noam Muce was in the right place at the right time after a save from the Austria Vienna goalkeeper. But just before halftime, Vasilije Marković unleashed a brilliant strike into the top corner to draw level.
After the break, it was the Austrians who looked more threatening. In the 69th minute, Senel Salić took advantage of a pass from Daniel Nnodim to put Austria Vienna ahead. In the end, a 2-1 victory proved crucial for Stefan Helm's men.
But there's one key factor that can't be ignored. Beitar dominated possession—69% to 31%, completed 681 passes to Austria's 299, and fired 14 shots at goal. The issue for the Israelis was in the final third: just four shots on target, and only one of 17 crosses found its mark. Austria Vienna, meanwhile, played much more directly and efficiently. Only nine shots overall—but five on target and six big chances created. Still, they couldn't convert all six.
So, to say Austria Vienna completely outplayed their opponent would be inaccurate. Instead, the Austrians were ruthless with their opportunities and defended superbly without the ball. Goalkeeper Samuel Sahin-Radlinger was especially impressive, making three saves—two of them classified as big chances. Unsurprisingly, he was named Man of the Match.
For Beitar, the return leg is a shot at redemption. The Israelis must score, as a 2-1 deficit means even a narrow win in Vienna would force extra time, while a two-goal victory would see them through.
Austria Vienna, however, have their own worries from domestic action. In the Austrian Bundesliga opener, they suffered a painful 0-3 defeat away to Wolfsberg, conceding twice after the break.
This creates an intriguing scenario: Austria Vienna have navigated the European qualifiers well and won the first leg against Beitar, but started their league campaign with a heavy loss. The Viennese simply can't afford another defensive collapse.
Beitar, on the other hand, have already tasted victory in this European campaign. Before facing Austria Vienna, the Israelis overcame AEK Larnaca—winning the first leg 1-0 thanks to a 77th-minute goal from Bryan Carabali.
The big question ahead of the second leg: who will score first? If Austria Vienna strike early, Beitar's task becomes much harder—they'll need to score twice. But an early Israeli goal could instantly turn the tie into a nerve-wracking contest.
The first match showed Beitar's ability to control possession and pin their opponents back. The challenge is converting that dominance into genuine chances. In Ploiești, they had plenty of the ball but struggled to turn territorial advantage into real dangers.
Austria Vienna are the opposite. They don't need to dominate possession. They're happy to sit back, wait for mistakes, and strike on the counter. The first leg proved this approach can pay off.
So, don't expect a wide-open contest from the start. Austria Vienna will likely adopt a cautious game plan, protecting their lead. Beitar will be forced to crank up the pressure, and if they can't find a breakthrough, gaps will open up at the back.
Beitar have to take risks, so goal-scoring chances should come for both sides. The Viennese have already shown they can punish opponents' mistakes.
My prediction: both teams to score – yes.
