Katowice Coach Confident Despite 0-2 Deficit Against Hapoel Tel Aviv in Conference League

Hapoel Tel Aviv is set to face Katowice on Wednesday in the second leg of the third qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League, holding a strong 2-0 advantage from the first match. Katowice’s coach, Rafal Gorak, spoke ahead of the game in Poland, expressing belief that overturning the deficit is still possible. He emphasized that scoring the first goal would be crucial and dismissed the idea that the 0-2 scoreline is insurmountable, contrasting it with larger deficits like 0-4 or 0-5 which are historically difficult to overcome.

Gorak acknowledged that Katowice performed poorly in the first leg held in Miskolc, citing simple individual mistakes. He noted that the team quickly analyzed the match and focused on preparing for the rematch, aiming to deliver a strong performance without changing the tactical formation but with some lineup adjustments. The coach also mentioned that the team is preparing for the possibility of a penalty shootout, practicing with players to assess their composure and penalty-taking skills.

Additionally, Gorak confirmed that Adam Żerlak, who was injured in the first leg, will not be available for the return match as he still requires recovery time. Despite Hapoel Tel Aviv’s higher budget and quality players, Gorak feels his team is within reach of their level and is motivated to create a memorable comeback in front of their home crowd.