Hapoel Beersheba knocked out of Europa League

Israeli team sent packing after 0-1 loss to Swiss team, coach says Lugano players 'wanted it more'

By ToI Staff 24 November 2017, 5:46 am
Lugano's Italian midfielder Cristian Ledesma (2L) celebrates victory with teammates at the end of the UEFA Europa League Group G football match between FC Lugano and Hapoel Beersheba at Luzern Arena in Lucerne on November 23, 2017. (AFP PHOTO / Fabrice COFFRINI)

Israels’s Hapoel Beersheba was sent packing from the Europa League soccer tournament on Thursday after a 1-0 away loss to Swiss team Lugano.

The defeat sent the Israeli team to last place in Group G and unable to advance to the next round.

Lugano’s Carlos Antonio Souza Jr scored the game’s only goal in the 50th minute.

Afterwards, Hapoel coach Barak Bachar said he was disappointed in his team’s performance.

“During that 90 minutes it wasn’t Hapoel Beersheba playing, we were very soft and we thought things would work out for themselves,” he told the Walla News site.

“We lost to a team that wanted it more, that went for every ball, that defended itself well and got some good breaks,” he added. “That’s why we lost.”

Czech team FC Viktoria Plzen, who was also kicked out of the tournament on Thursday, will play Hapoel Beersheba for bragging rights in Israel next month.

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