Hapoel Beersheba Faces Belgian Media Outcry After Rough Europa League Match
Hapoel Beersheba faced criticism in Belgian media after a rough Europa League match against Union Saint-Gilloise where two Belgian players were forced off injured.
Brutal First Half Drama in Europe
The Europa League clash between Royale Union Saint-Gilloise and Hapoel Beersheba delivered immense drama during the first half, as the Belgian side lost two key starters in less than thirty minutes. First, Mateja Biondic suffered an ankle injury and was forced off on a stretcher, followed shortly by Darius Olaru following a heavy challenge from Niv Yehoshua. Belgian media did not hold back their criticism of the Beersheba player.
Media Outcry Over Fouls
The Sporza website described the 24th-minute incident under the headline "Brutal foul on Olaru," noting that physical fouls were accumulating due to numerous turnovers. The Beersheba midfielder received a yellow card, while Olaru required prolonged medical treatment before ultimately being substituted by Dylan Akcino.
"Yehoshua suddenly and brutally brought down Olaru, with a shoulder movement that struck the Union player directly in the face," reported Sporza.
Additional outlets like HLN and DHnet also highlighted the aggressive style of play from the Israeli side, reporting increasing tensions and physical challenges early in the match.
