Hapoel Be'er Sheva Narrows Defeat to AZ Alkmaar in Europa League
Hapoel Be'er Sheva fought hard but fell 2-1 away to AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA Europa League, leaving the Israeli club with one point after two matches in the league phase.
Hapoel Be'er Sheva suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat away to AZ Alkmaar in the UEFA Europa League on Thursday evening, leaving the Israeli side with one point after two matches in the league phase. Ron Kozuch's side put up a resilient fight in the Netherlands, but the hosts secured their first win of the campaign.
The match at the AFAS Stadium took place amid a pro-Palestinian demonstration outside the venue, while Israeli fans were barred from attending. Despite a quiet first half where the visitors struggled to threaten, Hapoel Be'er Sheva responded strongly after the break.
AZ Alkmaar took the lead in the 49th minute when captain Koopmeiners capitalized on a defensive lapse to beat Ofir Marciano. However, the visitors equalized in the 55th minute through Forson, who capitalized on a defensive error following pressure from Zahi Ahmed.
The hosts sealed the victory in the 77th minute when substitute Meerdink converted a penalty awarded following a foul by Diop. Hapoel Be'er Sheva pushed for a late equalizer, with Miguel Vitor hitting the post in stoppage time, but Alkmaar held on for the 2-1 win.
