Hapoel Jerusalem Faces Hapoel Be'er Sheva With Key Absences

Hapoel Jerusalem is set to play Hapoel Be'er Sheva on Sunday in the seventh round of the Israeli Premier League. The team is looking to rebound from a significant 4-1 loss to Maccabi Haifa in their previous match. Historically, Hapoel Jerusalem has struggled against Be'er Sheva, with only one draw and multiple losses in past encounters. The team is particularly focused on improving its defense, having conceded crucial goals late in recent games, and aims to counter Be'er Sheva's aggressive pressing style.

Despite defensive concerns, Hapoel Jerusalem is confident in its offensive capabilities, planning to create threats through structured play and set pieces. On the personnel front, Vitali Damashkan has returned to full fitness. However, Eduard Chilufia will be unavailable due to a severe nose injury, joining Sunny, Yonatan Lish, and Einau Freda on the list of absent players. Hilai Melman is with the squad, and the club hopes his injury issues are behind him.

Coach Lior Zada acknowledged the quality of their opponent, stating the team will give their all and hopes for a better outcome than in previous games. He noted that while parts of their performance against Maccabi Haifa were not bad, brief lapses in concentration led to defeats, similar to their game against Maccabi Tel Aviv. Zada expressed confidence in his players' ability to find balance, even if it takes time.

Player Nadav Zamir echoed the coach's sentiment, asserting that the recent loss has not shaken the team's morale. He believes the squad is deep and capable of defeating a strong team like Be'er Sheva. Zamir is optimistic about the team's ability to address their shortcomings. Vitali Damashkan also shared his positive outlook, feeling physically fit and happy to rejoin his teammates. He emphasized the need for maturity and responsibility on the field, believing the team can achieve a good result in Be'er Sheva by learning from mistakes.