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

Hapoel Be'er Sheva suffered a significant 4-1 defeat against Maccabi Tel Aviv in a league match held at Turner Stadium, just days after losing to the same opponent in the State Cup final. The loss was particularly disappointing for the home team, who conceded early in the first minute to Eran Zahavi and later a penalty goal from Ester Sukler in the 35th minute. The situation worsened for Hapoel Be'er Sheva when Eliel Peretz was sent off in the 44th minute following an argument with referee Yigal Fried. Although Amir Ganach managed to pull one goal back just before halftime, Hapoel Be'er Sheva's hopes were further diminished by an early injury to Lucas Ventura and later to Itay Rotman. Sukler completed his brace in the 67th minute, and Dor Peretz sealed the victory for Maccabi Tel Aviv in the 79th minute.

Hapoel Be'er Sheva coach Ran Kochuch admitted his team's poor performance, stating, "We didn't show up. We need to apologize to everyone who came to watch us today." He attributed the collapse to a "sloppy first goal" and the subsequent disarray after losing Ventura to injury early on. Kochuch also commented on the red card, expressing uncertainty about the incident but acknowledging the need for his players to mature and avoid engaging with referees. He downplayed any connection between this loss and their Champions League elimination, emphasizing the need for rapid improvement to contend for the championship again.

Goalkeeper Ofir Marciano echoed the sentiment of a difficult evening, highlighting the impact of early setbacks like Ventura's injury, the quick goal conceded, and the red card. He stressed the importance of the team's character, which led them to the championship last season, and urged his teammates to regain composure. Marciano expressed confidence in their ability to defend their title, despite the sting of their Champions League exit, which he described as a lasting scar.

Maccabi Tel Aviv currently leads the league table with a perfect record after three games, while Hapoel Be'er Sheva sits in sixth place with one win, one draw, and one loss.