Maccabi Tel Aviv didn't get all three points against Hapoel Haifa last night, but head coach Paulo Sousa remarked: "I was very happy to see, especially in the second half, that capacity to turn things around"
For the second time at a home game this season Maccabi Tel Aviv dropped two points last night and with an identical scoreline, 2-2. Hosting Hapoel Haifa at the brand new stadium in Netanya, the team succeeded in coming from two goals down to draw level, but not in turning the match around completely, as head coach Paulo Sousa had hoped: "After we drew level we had key opportunities to score, to take the lead, and to control the game more and better. We saw some participation because the players wanted to deliver, they were looking for a victory and in this case it also happens when you play like we did last Thursday, with all that intensity, some players become tired mentally and their decisions are not the best ones. This is something we know and we understand. Not the fans who come to the stadium, of course, but we understand and it's something for which we want to provide coaching on a daily basis the best way we know how to make sure this doesn't happen that often".
Sousa was asked about the team's defences on the night and he replied: "When we don't concede goals it is not only the defence defending, it's the whole team and it's not only the players playing in the defence. Like I always say, the team is above each sector, each line, each individual, and the team can win and the team can lose but it's not only the three or four defenders".
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uhAIG7JcsTs&feature=c4-overview&list=UU-oWQqnf8B8a_TsmVi0mTUg
Team defender Carlos Garcia, who last week-end celebrated the birth of his second daughter, had hoped for a different kind of celebration on the pitch: "Yes of course I wanted to celebrate differently, with a victory, but I hope in a few months we'll have a bigger celebration, but we have to work a lot and improve. If we play like today it will be difficult. Our mentality in the beginning today wasn't the correct mentality for the game and after they scored the first goal we were also bad and I don't think we woke up until after the second goal. I can't explain why because I don't know". Asked if this might be the result of the players having their minds on Thursday night's Europa League tie in Basel, Garcia answered: "I hope not. I don't think so but it's also true that we're a bit tired. It's not an excuse but it's true. But it was one of the worst games we played this season for sure".
In contrast to the notion that Maccabi already have the title in the bag this year, the Spaniard is certain the team have plenty of hard work ahead in the league: "Of course we never think like this. Some other people can think like this but in the dressing room we know it will be difficult until the end". As for second placed Hapoel Beer Sheva's potential to sustain their momentum, he remarked: "Of course. They've done it up till now. There are ten games in the play-off and we have another three in the regular league, 13 games. If they've managed until now why shouldn't they continue? But we must think about our job, our games, that's the way to succeed".
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