Happy, but not celebrating: Beitar Jerusalem is on edge ahead of the second leg
The professional staff mentioned after the victory in Cyprus: 'AEK is experienced, we will need to be ready.' Bryan Carabali has taken a liking to set pieces.
Beitar Jerusalem players left the pitch in Larnaca yesterday, Thursday, in a happy but cautious mood following their 0:1 away victory over AEK Larnaca in the Conference League qualifiers. The club praised the players but issued a warning, with the coaching staff summarizing:
'They are a more experienced team than us. They will draw conclusions, change things ahead of the second leg, and we will need to arrive prepared.'
Nevertheless, Beitar noted the importance of an away win with a clean sheet. The team controlled the game from the 30th minute, successfully fulfilling their mission despite dealing with injuries and players who are not yet at full fitness.
When Bryan Carabali got the chance to take a free kick during a training match at the camp, it drew smiles, but that was the preparation for his goal last night. The Colombian approached the ball with the confidence of a seasoned specialist. As they said at Beitar: 'He has fallen in love with taking free kicks whenever there is an opportunity.' Carabali is expected to sign a new contract with Beitar soon.
Luka Gadrani is in major doubt for the second leg, with low chances of him playing. The team's final foreign player will be either a center-back or a creative number 8 midfielder, with the club currently evaluating options for both positions.
Before the match, several dozen Larnaca fans surprised Beitar supporters in the stadium parking lot. The incident ended quickly with six arrests on the Cypriot side. Some Beitar fans suffered minor external injuries but were not taken to the hospital. Fans who arrived at the stadium without a ticket were forced to turn back, as the police had made it clear early on that they would not allow entry. Despite space in the stands and requests from the Israeli security team accompanying the squad, local police refused to allow additional fans to enter, with the exception of 20 tickets that were released.
As long as the security situation permits, thousands of fans are expected to accompany the team to the second leg in Romania. Beitar is monitoring the escalation in the Gulf and, depending on developments, will make decisions regarding the possibility of moving the flight to Romania to an earlier date, as they prepare for any emergency scenario.
