Hapoel Tel Aviv Coach Barda Praises Squad Depth After Kiryat Shmona Victory

Hapoel Tel Aviv secured a decisive 3-1 victory over Kiryat Shmona on Saturday, with goals from Douglas Owusu, Emmanuel Boateng, and Omri Altman. Hapoel coach Eliniv Barda expressed satisfaction with his team's performance, particularly their strong start and second-half resurgence. He highlighted the team's deep squad, noting that competition for places each week is beneficial, though he wishes he could utilize all five substitutions more often. Barda specifically commented on Owusu, stating the player is far from reaching his full potential and can improve significantly, adding that the team knew he would be a valuable asset.

Barda also touched upon the reduced gap between teams in the current era of numerous foreign players. Omri Altman echoed the coach's sentiments, describing the win as crucial for the team's return to form and emphasizing their efficiency in converting chances. Kiryat Shmona coach Shi Barda acknowledged his team's loss to a superior opponent, attributing the defeat to missed opportunities and two critical errors. He expressed the team's desire to learn from these mistakes and improve their recent lack of points, stating they would analyze the errors made.