Hapoel Tel Aviv and Bnei Herzliya tip-off in the Israel State Cup Final on Thursday at 21:00 as both teams will vie for their first title in almost two decades. Ahead of the contest, the head coaches and captains spoke about the mission in front of them as well as their expectations in the one game winner take all clash.

“First of all I have goosebumps,” Herzliya captain Yair Kravitz said ahead of the big game. “Two years ago I was watching Jerusalem play Nahariya and now I am actually playing. “Thanks to our hard work we find ourselves in this position and we are ready to play our game, aggressively and with pressure.”

Bar Timor, the Hapoel captain reflected on the opportunity to win his 3rd State Cup, “We talk a lot about dreams and that is one that I have thought about ever since signing here, but there is still a long way to go and the only thing on our minds must be the game itself. This will be a very tough battle against a talented team. This is what we will deal with now and not dreams.”

Herzliya’s head coach Oren Aharoni spoke about the game on deck for his club, “We have tried to keep a regular schedule and regular preparations although i am sure everyone is excited which is natural. Hapoel Tel Aviv is a very experienced team with a coach who has been to these types of games. We will do the maximum that we can.”

“We have a lot of confidence as a team but in a final we must push ahead when there is a title on the table to be won. To be here in itself is an accomplishment but we will have to ignore the hype from the semifinal. Herzliya has already beaten us this season and we will have to show that we have improved.”