Hapoel Be'er Sheva Coach Apologizes After 4-1 Loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv

Hapoel Be'er Sheva, the reigning Israeli league champions, suffered a significant 4-1 defeat against Maccabi Tel Aviv on Monday evening, marking the end of the third round of the Premier League season. Following the disappointing performance, coach Ran Kozuch expressed his regret to the team's supporters, stating, "We need to apologize to those who came to support us today. We will make it up to them later." He described the team's play as "very weak" and "very lax," noting that they "didn't show up from the start." While acknowledging the first goal conceded was a "very trivial ball with no coverage," Kozuch dismissed the idea that the team's recent Champions League exit was a contributing factor to their league struggles. "There's no connection, and if there is, there shouldn't be," he stated, emphasizing that the team must perform differently regardless of European competition. He added that securing a spot in the Europa League, a realistic goal for the team, is the current focus.

Goalkeeper Ofir Marciano also commented on the loss, admitting that "sometimes things don't go as planned." He reminded his teammates that they are still the champions and must demonstrate the character that led to their title. "This is what we will rise and fall on, our character and knowing not to lose our heads," Marciano said. He acknowledged the lingering disappointment from their Champions League elimination, calling it a "scar that will remain with us," but stressed the importance of looking towards the present and future. "It was a big miss for us, but that's life, and we will try to lead this place to good places going forward," he concluded.