JERUSALEM, May 24 (Xinhua) -- Hapoel Beer Sheva won the Israeli State Cup 3-1 on penalties against league champions Maccabi Haifa, after a 2-2 draw at the end of 120 minutes on Tuesday evening.
This was Beer Sheva's third cup win, preventing Haifa from completing a domestic treble, after the latter won both the Israeli Premier League and Toto Cup this season.
The final attracted 28,720 fans to Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem, and supporters from both sides remained at loggerheads as they threw cold pyrotechnics onto the field, causing a delay to the beginning of the match.
Striker Ramzi Safuri scored the first goal in the 27th minute for Beer Sheva after a cross by Ghanaian midfielder Eugene Ansah.
Beer Sheva, who finished as league runners-up with an eight-point gap to Haifa, continued to dominate the match until the end of the first half, missing several chances for a second goal.
Haifa fought back after half-time. Winger Omer Atzili, who was awarded the league's MVP with 20 goals and 10 assists, equalized with a penalty in the 55th minute.
Beer Sheva again took the lead in the 70th minute, but a late own goal by their captain Miguel Vitor in the 87th minute made it 2-2.
Both teams failed to score in extra-time. During the penalty shoot-out, former Haifa goalkeeper Omri Glazer saved three penalties to secure the cup for Beer Sheva.
Beer Sheva and Maccabi Haifa will meet again in the 2022 Israel Super Cup in July. ■
