Hapoel Tel Aviv Advances to Conference League Playoff Despite Loss to Katowice

Hapoel Tel Aviv took a significant step toward returning to European competition by advancing to the Conference League playoff round on Wednesday. Although they lost 2-1 away to Katowice in Poland, their 2-0 home victory in the first leg gave them a 3-2 aggregate win. Hapoel led 1-0 in the match thanks to Stav Toriel's goal in the 23rd minute, extending their aggregate lead to 3-0. For much of the game, they controlled the tempo, but late goals by Katowice in the 83rd minute and stoppage time, including a penalty converted by Arkadiusz Jędrzejczyk, brought pressure until the final whistle.

Despite the tense finish, Hapoel's first-leg advantage was enough to secure their place in the playoff round, the final hurdle before the group stage. Coach Aliniv Breda expressed cautious optimism, noting the team's organized and confident performances across both legs. New signing Douglas Aveso was on the bench but did not play. This advancement marks a notable achievement for Hapoel, which recently returned to Israel's top division and last competed in a European group stage in the 2012-13 Europa League season.

In the playoff round, Hapoel will face a much tougher opponent, Atalanta from Italy, who finished seventh in Serie A last season and reached the Champions League round of 16 and Italian Cup semifinals. Atalanta, coached by Maurizio Sarri and the 2021 Europa League champions, will be the clear favorites. The first leg is scheduled for August 20, with the return leg on August 27, determining who advances to the group stage of the Conference League.