Hapoel Be'er Sheva Rallies for 5-2 Win Over Maccabi Petah Tikva

Hapoel Be'er Sheva secured a decisive 5-2 victory against Maccabi Petah Tikva on Sunday, propelling them to at least a temporary lead in the standings. The win followed their previous 5-2 triumph over Maccabi Haifa. Niv Yehoshua was the standout performer, scoring two goals, while Igor Zlatanovic, Zahi Ahmed, and Adrian Grijak also found the net for the champions. Guy Dezent and Liran Hazan scored for the losing side.

Be'er Sheva coach the Bnei Yehuda coach expressed satisfaction with the final result, acknowledging the crowd's support. However, he admitted concern over his team's initial performance, stating, "I was bothered that we played with a lot of ego and lost every battle. We were very soft in the midfield and on the wings, and that's why Maccabi Petah Tikva managed to create chances." He considered making four substitutions before halftime, but his staff advised against it, and he was relieved they corrected their approach in the second half.

The Bnei Yehuda coach took responsibility for the team's initial 4-3-3 formation, calling it a mistake. He explained that a 3-5-2 formation from the side could have been more effective against Maccabi Petah Tikva's defense, but emphasized the need for a different attitude and more running, as the team was "very soft." He praised the substitutes who came on in the second half, noting the squad's depth and the need for further reinforcements in January to add more strength.

Regarding player performances, the Bnei Yehuda coach highlighted the improved play of Djibril Diop, whose quality the crowd recognized. He also defended the fans' halftime calls for the players, stating it's their role to push the team. He acknowledged that refereeing needs improvement but expressed confidence in the professionals involved. Looking ahead to their next league match against Hapoel Tel Aviv, the Bnei Yehuda coach described them as a strong, well-coached team.

Maccabi Petah Tikva coach Ziv Arie lamented his team's inability to convert their strong first-half performance into a better result, calling the final score "surreal" and not reflective of the game. He stressed the need for his young team to mature mentally, noting that many players were in the second division last season and are still adapting to the top league's demands. He pointed out that while they created chances, they lacked the experience to manage the game's momentum, which ultimately led to their downfall against a strong Be'er Sheva side.

Niv Yehoshua, who scored twice against his former club, expressed happiness that things clicked for him, despite his affection for Maccabi Petah Tikva. He credited the team, staff, and fans for his smooth integration and aims to be part of one of the best midfield trios in the country. Maccabi Petah Tikva player Guy Dezent admitted the team became complacent and lost focus in the second half, leading to punishment from Be'er Sheva.