Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Haifa played to a 2-2 draw as the Carmel Reds came back from a two-goal deficit to snatch a point while the yellow-and-black dropped out of first place as Hapoel Beer Sheva leap frogged them with a win at Ironi Tiberias.

The first half was all Beitar as Grigori Morozov beat the Haifa keeper Yoav Gerafi to give Barak Itzhaki’s squad a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute. Yarden Cohen doubled the Beitar advantage with a scorcher of a shot from the top of the box to grab a 2-0 lead but just minutes later Anis Porat Ayash pulled a goal back for the reds as he beat Miguel Silva. As both sides searched for a marker it was Yonatan Ferber via a superb free kick in the 80th minute that knotted the match up at 2-2 as the two teams split the points.

Beitar Head Coach Barak Itzhaki looked back at the draw, “After a very good first half it’s a bit disappointing to finish the match in a draw. We gave up a quick goal after we were up 2-0 and it’s too bad the match ended this way. We needed to finish this match long ago and we have to know how to win these throws of game. When you’re up 2-0 you have to win the game and close it out.”

Haifa Head Coach Haim Silvas spoke about the draw, “I’m content with the result and we were able to come back from a 2-0 deficit after the week that we had. We put Hapoel Haifa ahead of everything and to be able to draw here at Beitar was a very good result. There’s a bit of a feeling that we missed out on the win, but we will take the draw at a very tough stadium like Teddy Stadium.”

Yarden Cohen spoke about the result, “We are disappointed and we were up 2-0 but we have to look forward now. We weren’t thinking about Hapoel Beer Sheva and we have to just move ahead from here. We have a great fanbase and we want to do the best for the supporters. Personally I feel good and now we will turn our focus to the Bnei Yehuda State Cup match.”

Dor Malul reflected on the match, “The way the game developed and we were down by a pair of goals was not an easy situation especially with so many Beitar fans at Teddy Stadium. But this was the first step for us as a new team with a new coach here. There are good moments and tough times but we want to get back on the right track and go in a new direction.”

Beitar Jerusalem pressed from the outset as they looked to catch Hapoel Haifa’s new keeper Yoav Gerafi a bit rusty after not having played much with Maccabi Tel Aviv who loaned him to the Carmel Reds. Following numerous opportunities to break through the visitors defense, Grigori Morozov finally did as he pounded a rebound past a helpless Gerafi to give Beitar a 1-0 lead in the 23rd minute. Yarden Shua’s free kick went off of the woodwork while his long range screamer was parried to safety by Gerafi as the first half came to an end with the yellow-and-black ahead 1-0.

Haifa came out of the break looking for the equalizer but the Beitar defense took care of the early threat and began to attack at will as their efforts paid off when Yarden Cohen beat Gerafi from just outside of the box to give Barak Itzhaki’s squad a 2-0 lead in the 53rd minute. However, just two minutes later Anis Porat Ayash, who had come on to begin the second half raced down the right flank and flicked the ball past Miguel Silva to cut the score to 2-1.

Rotem Hatuel’s chance flew over the bar while at the other end Adi Yona’s low liner missed the target wide to the right to keep the score as is. After a plethora of substitutions with a quarter hour remaining, Hatuel’s dangerous chance was punched out to safety by Silva but minutes later Yonatan Ferber’s free kick sailed right past the Beitar keeper and into the back of the goal to draw Haim Silvas’s squad even at 2-2 in the 80th minute. As the match went into injury time, Brayan Carabali’s shot in the box went wide left of the goal and Shua skied one over the bar as the match ended in a draw.