Beersheba hoping to keep momentum going in Week 3

Beersheba visits Hapoel Acre on Saturday aiming to record its third consecutive victory of the campaign.

By ALLON SINAI
HAPOEL BEERSHEBA midfielder Siraj Nasar 370 (photo credit: Adi Avishai)
HAPOEL BEERSHEBA midfielder Siraj Nasar 370
(photo credit: Adi Avishai)
The last time Hapoel Beersheba won three straight matches to start the season it also won the championship.
That was 39 years ago.
Beersheba visits Hapoel Acre on Saturday aiming to record its third consecutive victory of the campaign and strengthen its position at the top of the Premier League standings.
After opening 2013/14 with a 2-0 road triumph over Beitar Jerusalem, Beersheba went on to beat Hapoel Tel Aviv for the first time in nine years, starting the season with two wins for the first time in a decade.
Beersheba claimed its first-ever league title in the 1974/75 season, which was also the last time it was victorious in its first three games.
However, coach Elisha Levy doesn’t want his players to be thinking any further than Saturday’s trip to Acre.
“We must maintain our composure and enter the match with the right attitude because this is a real test for us,” said Levy, even though Acre has opened the season with two consecutive defeats. “We played well against Hapoel Tel Aviv, but the three-week break may have slowed our momentum. We may be the favorites, but that means nothing at this stage of the season.”
Beitar Jerusalem will look to build on its first victory of the season when it hosts Hapoel Haifa in Petah Tikva on Saturday, with Teddy Stadium still not ready following the Maccabiah.
Venezuelan defender Andres Tunez, who joined on loan from Spanish club Celta Vigo, and Sintiyahu Salalik, who was brought in on a loan deal from Maccabi Haifa, are expected to make their debuts, with new striker Teteh Bangura also likely to feature as a substitute.
The surprise package of the first two weeks, Hapoel Ra’anana, which has four points from two matches, will host Hapoel Ramat Hasharon, which has lost both its contests to date.
Ra’anana coach Menahem Koretzki was one of the main reasons behind Ramat Hasharon’s excellent start to last season, but was ultimately sacked after clashing with the club’s management.
He joined Ra’anana only late last term, but won all seven of his matches at the helm and led the club to promotion to the Premier League.
Also Saturday, Ironi Kiryat Shmona hosts Ashdod SC and Bnei Sakhnin visits Bnei Yehuda.
On Sunday, Hapoel Tel Aviv, which has gotten off to its worst start in six years, picking up just one point so far, hosts Maccabi Petah Tikva.
On Monday, Maccabi Haifa welcomes Maccabi Tel Aviv to Kiryat Eliezer Stadium in a showdown between the two leading title contenders.