Hapoel Tel Aviv Edges Be'er Sheva 1-0 to Claim Top Spot in Dramatic Fashion
Hapoel Tel Aviv defeated Hapoel Be'er Sheva 1-0 with a 91st-minute goal by Roei Alkokin, capturing their sixth straight win and soaring to the top of the table.
Hapoel Tel Aviv secured a dramatic 1-0 victory over reigning champions Hapoel Be'er Sheva at Turner Stadium, climbing to the top of the table heading into the international break. Roei Alkokin scored the decisive goal in the 91st minute, capping off a remarkable ten-day stretch that included winning the Toto Cup and defeating Maccabi Haifa.
A Historic Winning Streak
This marks Hapoel's sixth consecutive league victory, a milestone the club has not achieved in 15 years. Despite relying on eight foreign players this season, the winning goal was crafted by homegrown talent: Stav Lemkin intercepted the ball, El Yam Kancepolsky passed to Daniel Dapaah, who set up Alkokin for the finish. Hapoel boasts eight wins in their opening ten matches and the league's tightest defense, conceding only six goals.
Tactical Mastery and Ambitions
Manager Elyaniv Barda outmaneuvered his opponents tactically, leading his squad to the summit even without key forwards Stav Toriel and Emmanuel Boateng. Barda reflected on his emotional return to Turner Stadium: "It is very exciting for me, this whole occasion—returning to Turner, I almost got confused at the locker rooms. It was a very high-level tactical match." Alkokin expressed his elation, noting that the team is setting its sights high: "If we are there and continue at our pace until March-April, we can talk about a championship."
