Yitzhaki Era Begins With Anorthosis Victory Over Omonia Aradippou

Idan Baruch Yitzhaki's tenure as coach of Cypriot club Anorthosis began with a crucial 2-0 victory against Omonia Aradippou in a bottom-of-the-table clash on Saturday. The win, described as a promising start to a new era for the former Beitar Jerusalem coach, has been met with positive commentary from the Cypriot press.

Local media highlighted a strong team spirit, with players celebrating goals by pointing to their assisters. The "ultras" group reportedly returned to the club, celebrating with the players after the final whistle. "The crowd has returned to Anorthosis," noted Kerkida.

Cypriot outlets like 24Sport and balla praised Yitzhaki's immediate impact, attributing the win to increased player confidence and a more assertive tactical approach. "The pressure has lifted, the players believed in themselves," stated 24Sport, while balla observed that Yitzhaki "changed the psychology of his squad," leading to a display of "determination, intensity, and daring" in his debut.

Anorthosis's management was lauded for the "chess-like" signing of Yitzhaki, with local press asserting that his tactical acumen and clear instructions for players, combined with visible passion, made the team tactically superior. The team scored two of its six season goals in Yitzhaki's first match.

Yitzhaki, who utilized a 3-5-2 formation, also gave a first start as a second striker to winger Babacar Dione, who played 86 minutes. "It wasn't an easy game. After the first goal it opened up," Yitzhaki commented post-match. "Playing here is always special, I am very pleased. We had 3.5 training sessions together, it's important to protect the home ground. We haven't achieved anything yet." Anorthosis will next face Aris Limassol.