Hapoel Be'er Sheva Coach Considers Major Changes After Disappointing Europa League Loss

Hapoel Be'er Sheva's coach, Ran Kozuch, is reportedly contemplating significant lineup changes following the team's disappointing 2-0 defeat to Greek side OFI Crete in the Europa League on Thursday. Club sources described the performance as lacking quality and disappointing, with one insider stating, "We are paying tuition and conceding goals that should not be conceded." The team also struggled with final passes and decision-making in the box.

The loss was compounded by the fact that Kozuch had fielded a lineup with an eye on the upcoming domestic league match against Hapoel Tel Aviv on Sunday. While this strategy allowed key players like Igor Zlatanovic, Amir Ganach, Jabon East, Miguel Vítor, and Pedro Amador to rest, it exposed weaknesses. The absence of Eliel Peretz and Lucas Natura was felt, and players Amankwaa Forson and Niv Yehoshua appeared fatigued, with no immediate replacements available for Sunday's game.

Adding to the team's concerns is the situation with player Itai Rotman, who has been excluded from the squad for the last two matches for professional reasons, losing his place in the rotation. "Every player in the squad needs to perform better than they did in the game. The way we played was very disappointing," a source close to the team commented.

Looking ahead to the match against Hapoel Tel Aviv, Kozuch might surprise opposing coach Eliniv Barda by adopting a five-man defense formation. This tactical shift could be a key change in response to the team's recent struggles in European competition.