Hapoel Beer Sheva Completes Comeback Win Despite Player Issues
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
Hapoel Beer Sheva achieved a 2-1 comeback victory against Hapoel Jerusalem on Sunday, marking their fourth consecutive league win. The team faced pre-game disruptions with Lucas Ventura and Javon East being benched, and Ventura later sustained a hamstring injury. Javon East and Igor Zlatanovic, both coming off the bench, were instrumental in the comeback, with Zlatanovic scoring twice. Beer Sheva now prepares for upcoming Europa League and league matches with injury concerns and reliance on squad depth.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Hapoel Beer Sheva defeated Hapoel Jerusalem 2-1, extending their league winning streak to four games.
- Lucas Ventura was removed from the starting lineup and later suffered a hamstring injury in the second half.
- Javon East, initially benched, played a key role in the team's comeback, earning a penalty.
- Igor Zlatanovic scored twice after coming off the bench, including the winning penalty.
- The team faces Union SG in the Europa League on Thursday and Maccabi Haifa next Monday.
Hapoel Beer Sheva secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Hapoel Jerusalem on Sunday, extending their winning streak in the league to four games and staying close to the top of the standings. However, the win was marred by several issues that have raised concerns for coach Ran Kozuch.
Problems began before the match, with reports indicating that Lucas Ventura and Javon East arrived late to the team meeting due to traffic and were subsequently removed from the starting lineup. The first half saw Beer Sheva fail to threaten the opponent's goal and concede a spectacular individual goal. The team struggled to find solutions against Jerusalem's defense.
Kozuch brought Ventura and East into the game at the start of the second half, but Ventura's return was short-lived. After approximately seven minutes, he suffered a hamstring injury and was forced off in the 53rd minute. The severity of his injury will be assessed, especially given the team's busy schedule.
East, on the other hand, became a key factor in Beer Sheva's comeback. His pressure led to the rebound from which Igor Zlatanovic scored the equalizer, and he later earned the penalty that Zlatanovic converted for the winning goal. Adrian Grbic also contributed, being involved in the play that led to the penalty after two of his goals were disallowed.
Zlatanovic, who scored twice after coming off the bench, highlighted the team's mentality and the challenge of balancing league and European competitions. "It's not easy to come back after European games and flights," Zlatanovic said. "It's hard to combine the league and Europe. Luckily, I came in well, I scored two goals. You have to know how to come in from the bench, everyone has to give 100 percent in every situation. We need to be as close to first place as possible in January."
Beer Sheva faces Union SG in the Europa League on Thursday and Maccabi Haifa next Monday. The team enters these matches with a positive league run but faces uncertainty regarding Ventura's injury and the need for the bench to consistently deliver.
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