Author: David Lindholm
The UEFA Cup, one of soccer's most prestigious trophies, is now in its quarterfinal stage. And some of Europe's biggest clubs are there: Valencia of Spain, Inter Milan and A.C. Milan of Italy, Borussia Dortmond of Germany, Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven from Holland and Hapoel Tel-Aviv from Israel.
Hapoel Tel-Aviv? No team from Israel has ever gone to the round of 16 in any European tournament, let alone the UEFA Cup. And now they're facing one of the strongest and richest teams in the world, A.C. Milan. How did they get there? Well, they had to knock off Chelsea, from England, and Lokomotiv Moscow, the Russian powerhouse, before beating another strong side, Parma, last Thursday.
It's the Cinderella-type run that defines soccer and the sport's many knockout cup competitions. But this team's success is extra special in a country plagued with violence, with fans of all teams coming together to root for Hapoel.
"It is an amazing feeling and one of those moments that proves why it's worth becoming a professional footballer," said István Pisont, a midfielder who scored the game-winning goal against Parma for the Israeli team. "We are in the quarter-finals and no one can take this achievement from us; the feeling is just unbelievable."
The victory over Parma was a totally unexpected result, as Hapoel had been considered rather lucky against Chelsea earlier in the tournament. After a 0-0 tie in Israel, the Tel-Aviv side had to travel to Italy and earn a result. Hapoel was up to the task, however, and scored a half-hour into the game and again with 10 minutes left to seal the victory. The game ended 2-1, and the 4,000 Hapoel fans in attendance at Parma erupted in celebration.
"[We] taught Parma a lesson," said Yossi Abuksis, one of the best players on the field in Parma. "In fact, apart from not knowing what perfume their players use, we knew everything there was to know about them, which is a massive credit to our coaching staff."
Hapoel Coach Dror Kashtan recognized the significance of the night for both club and the country. He said, "This is the biggest night in the history of Hapoel football. It is an important result for both Israel and the Israeli people. I'm happy that there were so many fans here. We are beginning to understand how European sides are playing."
Whether or not the team beats Milan, it has already been a massive morale boost for everyone associated with the club, and perhaps the whole country. The club's directors are now debating the idea of having their first-leg match against Milan in the Israeli National Stadium, which has a capacity more than twice the size of Hapoel's home stadium. Either way, Kashtan concludes, the biggest result has already taken place. "It's a celebration for Israeli football, which has just taken another giant step."
THE INSIDE STORY Cinderella in Israel
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