Hapoel Be'er Sheva Coach Slams Team's 'Cowardly' Play After Late Draw

Hapoel Be'er Sheva coach Ran Kozuch expressed frustration following his team's disappointing 2-2 draw against Hapoel Haifa in a dramatic match on September 2nd. A penalty deep into stoppage time by Naor Sabag cost the reigning champions two valuable home points. Kozuch attributed the result not to the late equalizer, but to the team's overall approach, stating, "If in the final minutes we go backward like cowards, this is the result." He elaborated that while the first half was strong, the team struggled to adapt to Hapoel Haifa's more direct play in the second half, noting that the opponent only had two shots on target, one of which was the penalty.

Looking ahead, Kozuch assured that the club would bring in more quality players to strengthen the squad, emphasizing the hard work of the coaching staff. He also commented on the new signing, Amankwah Forson, predicting he would add dribbling ability and become another well-oiled part of the team machine.

Player Javan East, who scored against his former club, echoed the disappointment, acknowledging the need for the team to take responsibility and move forward. "We are all angry about it, expect more from ourselves like the coach, and we are all disappointed now," East said, adding that the focus must now shift to the next game in what is expected to be a long season.