Hapoel Emek HaYarden Makes History With Conference Cup Qualification
Hapoel Emek HaYarden women's water polo team made history by reaching the next round of the Conference Cup in Greece, becoming the first Israeli women's club to achieve the milestone.
Hapoel Emek HaYarden women's water polo team has made history by securing a spot in the next round of the Conference Cup following two impressive wins at the qualifiers tournament in Greece. This marks the first time an Israeli women's water polo club has achieved such a milestone.
On Friday, Emek HaYarden secured a dominant 15-8 victory over French side Toulon, powered by Mika Koren with four goals, alongside Dasha Weisberg and Yuval Raz who added three goals each. The team followed up with an offensive masterclass on Saturday, crushing Palilula, the runner-up of Serbia, by a score of 20-6. Koren led the charge with six goals, Raz added five, Gili Bornstein netted four, Avia Godes contributed three, and Weisberg rounded out the scoring with two goals.
The Israeli side opened the tournament with a narrow 13-10 defeat against German powerhouse Bochum, having led for most of the match before slipping in the final five minutes. The second qualifying round will feature 20 teams divided into four groups of five, comprising 12 teams advancing from the first stage and eight dropping down from the Euro Cup. The group stage draw is scheduled for tomorrow.
Financial Hurdles and Elite Ambitions
Reflecting on the team's journey, head coach Or Gil expressed immense pride while shedding light on the club's severe financial constraints. Emek HaYarden traveled to Greece with a bare-bones squad of just nine players, despite tournament regulations allowing up to 15 players on the roster and 14 on the match sheet. The club hopes to reinforce its ranks in January with an additional local player and potentially a foreign signing, pending further funding.
«We are a club belonging to the Emek HaYarden Regional Council and do not have wealthy owners like in football or basketball. We depend entirely on state funding,» Gil explained. «If we want more teams from non-mainstream sports to represent the country with honor, the state must rethink budget allocation.»
Water Polo Association Chair Rona Freund Amitour and CEO Dana Tartatski Gatu congratulated the squad on their historic achievement, praising the players' dedication and the continuous growth of the sport in Israel.
