Masai Dego Reflects on Hapoel Ramat Gan's Dramatic Toto Cup Draw and Team Progress

Hapoel Ramat Gan, newly promoted to the Israeli Premier League, secured a dramatic 2-2 draw against Hapoel Jerusalem in the Toto Cup on August 5, 2026, with a last-minute equalizer in the 95th minute. Coach Masai Dego expressed satisfaction with the team's unbeaten start to the season despite acknowledging a less-than-ideal performance in the match. He emphasized the importance of avoiding losses to maintain their position at the top and highlighted the upcoming match against Hapoel Petah Tikva as an opportunity to build confidence. Dego also noted the need to strengthen the squad, particularly with foreign players in key positions, but praised the current players' contributions and expressed optimism for the league season ahead, mentioning his personal return to the Premier League after a challenging year and a half.

Amid the celebrations, striker Amit Tzur, who scored the equalizing goal, shared his excitement about his first goal and the team's goal to reach the Toto Cup semifinals. He stressed the team's trust in the coaching staff and their commitment to hard training and improvement.

On the other side, Hapoel Jerusalem's coach Lior Zada expressed disappointment over conceding goals at critical moments but acknowledged positive aspects from the match as a preparatory game. He pointed out the need for quick corrections and improvements, especially in their attacking play, and evaluated the new players as mixed in performance.

Hapoel Jerusalem's Andrew Idoko, who scored a notable goal, described the result as bittersweet, expressing hope for future success and emphasizing the team's ambition and strong locker room spirit. The Toto Cup continues to serve as a platform for teams to prepare and strengthen ahead of the league season.