Hapoel Jerusalem Holds Maccabi Netanya to 1-1 Draw to End Losing Streak

Hapoel Jerusalem halted a three-match losing streak on Saturday, securing a crucial 1-1 away draw against Maccabi Netanya.

"This is one of the most important points of the season. It is not easy to endure such a run, fall behind away in Netanya, and then fight back. We desperately needed this point, no matter how," club representatives stated after the match.

While the game lacked high technical quality, Hapoel Jerusalem drew encouragement from the strong performances of Nadim Varasna and goalkeeper Nadav Zamir, whose return to form proved vital in claiming the draw.

Zamir, who was Hapoel Jerusalem's standout player last season, has experienced a rocky campaign so far, making his stabilizing presence in goal a major asset for the capital club in their relegation battle.

Reflecting on the match, Zamir noted: "When I was younger, I had a couple of rough games against Netanya, but now I am in a good run of form against them. After three consecutive losses to top teams, we would have signed for a 1-1 draw here, but the way the game unfolded, we could have won. We created many chances against 10 men and deserved more."

Addressing the team's all-Israeli defensive lineup, the goalkeeper added: "Last year we had a very similar back four and we were among the best in the league. It is about chemistry. No matter who plays in defense, we will reach the level we want. There is still work to do."

Head coach Lior Zada assessed the result: "Before the match, I would have gladly taken a draw in Netanya after three straight defeats. Unlike our match against Hapoel Tel Aviv, where we went down 1-0 at halftime and failed to recover, this time we responded well in the second half. Nadav helped us, we equalized, and we almost won."