Hapoel Haifa Draws With Champion Hapoel Be'er Sheva After Dramatic Comeback

Hapoel Haifa secured a valuable point in a dramatic 2-2 draw against champions Hapoel Be'er Sheva at Toto Turner Stadium on Wednesday. The team, trailing twice, managed to equalize in stoppage time, showcasing significant resilience.

After a lackluster first half, Hapoel Haifa, managed by Haim Silvas, displayed a different attitude in the second half. Alon Turgeman scored a stunning equalizer, and even after conceding again, the team fought until the final whistle to salvage the draw. Silvas acknowledged the team's attacking patterns were not effective but praised their character, stating, "It wasn't great football, but to come back from behind twice at Turner, I don't remember that. Kudos to the players, I'm really proud of them."

Naor Sabag scored the decisive equalizer from the penalty spot and spoke about feeling underrated. He expressed pride in scoring the late goal against his hometown team, where his family supports Hapoel Be'er Sheva. Sabag also reflected on his past struggles for playing time at Be'er Sheva, noting that coaching changes made it difficult to establish himself.

Owner Yoav Katz emphasized the team's character, stating, "The character won. The players gave everything, we managed to cover for defensive errors with character. It's definitely a draw of effort, a draw of giving the soul on the field." He admitted the defense had issues and that Be'er Sheva could have scored more goals due to their mistakes, but credited luck and the team's spirit. Katz set a goal for the next match against Maccabi Netanya: "Now it's time for a win, if we beat Maccabi Netanya it will be an unusual achievement."

Silvas concluded by highlighting the message of the game: "What's important to me in this game is the message that came out of it, it's a valuable point. Every one of our players needs to understand that their capability is limitless. If on an off day we came away with a draw from Turner, we can achieve any result."

In related news, Hapoel Haifa is expected to sign Anis Porat Ayash on loan from Maccabi Tel Aviv for a second season, likely concluding their summer transfer window activity.