Tiberias Secures Late Draw Against Hapoel Jerusalem, Avoiding Early Season Deficit

Hapoel Ironi Tiberias salvaged a dramatic 2-2 draw against Hapoel Jerusalem on Tuesday, with Ziv Morgan scoring an equalizer in the 90+2 minute. This goal prevented Hapoel Jerusalem's Andrew Idowu from securing a victory and earned Tiberias a crucial point, erasing their initial six-point deficit to start the season. Tiberias coach Alon Ziv acknowledged the importance of the point but expressed frustration, stating his team should have extracted more from the match. He noted that while the team showed good moments in the first half and a strong comeback in the final minutes, they need to improve consistency throughout the game.

Ziv emphasized that Tiberias has shed its early-season struggles, referring to the initial deficit as "the hump," and now aims to climb the league table. He also addressed team acquisitions, stating that their "new signings" are players returning from suspension and that they are not looking to add players merely for the sake of it, though they would welcome one more addition. He expressed satisfaction with Kase Ghanem's performance and goal, noting that Ghanem joined the team for precisely that purpose.

Morgan, who scored the late equalizer, reflected on his dramatic goals, noting two of his three league goals have come in the final minutes. He expressed happiness with the team's ability to erase the season-opening deficit and highlighted the team's character and mental resilience. Morgan also praised the welcoming environment at the club, stating he found a "warm home" and is enjoying his football again.

Hapoel Jerusalem coach Lior Zada described the result as painful and frustrating, feeling the game was within his team's grasp and that they "gave away a gift." While acknowledging his team controlled the second half better than the first, he lamented a momentary loss of concentration that led to the equalizer. Zada reiterated that Hapoel Jerusalem's goal this season is to remain in the league and that they are improving, though they "wasted two valuable points" that could be critical later in the season. He also mentioned that their two foreign players are expected to return after the international break.

Nadim Versana, a Hapoel Jerusalem player, expressed regret over conceding a goal in the final minute, stressing the need for better concentration to secure wins. He acknowledged the point as important and looked forward to continuing. Versana also spoke about the club's role as a nurturing environment for young players and stated his personal ambition is to score as much as possible and win every game.