Bnei Yehuda vs. FC Ulysses

Kashtan’s team ready for Europa League return leg.

By ALLON SINAI
Dror Kashtan311 (photo credit: AP)
Dror Kashtan311
(photo credit: AP)
Despite the fact that he admits that his team is still playing far from its highest potential level, Bnei Yehuda coach Dror Kashtan expects the side to get the better of Armenian club FC Ulysses at Bloomfield Stadium on Thursday night and advance to the second qualifying round of the Europa League.
Bnei Yehuda only managed a 0-0 draw in the first leg in Yerevan last week, but Kashtan, the former coach of the Israel national team, is expecting an improved performance on Thursday.
Kashtan is confident that his team will progress to a second qualifying round tie against Ireland’s Shamrock Rovers.
“We have only been training for one month, but that will not be anexcuse,” Kashtan said. “I don’t expect the team to be at its best, butwe must do our utmost to advance.”
Bnei Yehuda survived the first three rounds of the Europa Leaguequalifiers last season, before eventually succumbing to Dutchpowerhouse PSV Eindhoven in the play-offs.
But captain Asi Baldut believes that the team can go even further into the Europa League qualifiers this time around.
“We know this is a very important match for us,” Baldut said. “We wantto go a step further than last season and we believe we can do it.”
On TV: FC Ulysses vs Bnei Yehuda, live on Sport 1 at 7 p.m.