|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Beitar Jerusalem delivered a commanding performance at Teddy Stadium on Monday night, overwhelming Hapoel Haifa 5-0 in the Toto Cup semifinal to set up a showdown with Hapoel Tel Aviv in the final.
With five different scorers contributing to the victory, the yellow-and-black highlighted their strength in depth ahead of the new league season.
The hosts asserted control early, pressing high and unsettling the Haifa defense. Their pressure bore fruit in the 28th minute when Johnbosco Kalu converted a precise ball from Timoti Muzie.
Just two minutes later, Omer Atzili doubled the lead with a spectacular curling strike that left Haifa goalkeeper Niv Antman stranded, giving Beitar a comfortable 2-0 advantage at halftime.
The second half picked up right where the first had left off. Atzili once again made his mark, this time with a clever backheel assist to Yarin Levy, who controlled with his head before blasting home in the 48th minute to extend the lead to 3-0.
Former Hapoel Haifa striker Dor Hugi then came back to haunt his old club with a thunderous finish, while youngster Ziv Ben Shimol coolly converted a penalty to complete the rout at 5-0.
Beitar coach Barak Itzhaki was pleased with the display but urged caution. “There is never a perfect game, but we will continue on and be ready for the league. We had a ton of fans here, and I’m happy we were able to give them something to cheer about. The fact that five different players scored is very important for our confidence.”
Haifa coach Gal Arel acknowledged his side’s struggles. “The first 20 minutes we had some chances, but once Jerusalem scored and the fans really got into the game, Beitar couldn’t be stopped. This was still a preseason game, and although it was the Toto Cup semifinal, it was a good tune-up for the league.”
Beitar acting captain Gil Cohen credited the team’s preparation. “Hats off to the guys. We saw what we’ve been practicing, and we put it into action. The European matches also helped us prepare for this, and we’ll be ready for the league.”
In the other semifinal, Hapoel Tel Aviv defeated Hapoel Beersheba 2-0 thanks to goals created by Ran Binyamin, who provided steals and assists for both Liran Rotman and Amit Lemkin. With the victory, Tel Aviv sealed their place in the final, where they will meet Beitar in a highly anticipated clash.
The Toto Cup final now promises a dramatic contest between two of Israel’s most storied clubs, with Beitar Jerusalem aiming to carry its dominant form into the season’s first title decider.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members