Maccabi Haifa soccer team earned Tuesday the ticket to the UEFA Champions League (UCL) group stage for the first time since 2009, beating Serbian Red Star Belgrade 5-4 on aggregate.
The back-to-back Israeli champions won by a dramatic own-goal in the 90th minute, clinching a 2-2 tie, after winning 3-2 in the first leg.
Haifa struggled early against the home squad and a crowd of some 52,000 Red Star fans. Alexander Pesic scored the first goal for the hosts in the 27th minute and just 15 minutes later, midfielder Mikro Ivanic lashed a shot high into Joshua Cohen's net, 2-0 for the red and whites.
But the greens didn't intend to go down without a fight. As the first half entered stoppage time, Haifa's Dolev Haziza penalty was saved by Red Star goalie Milan Borjan, who shortly after went from hero to zero. Just seconds after blocking the penalty Daniel Sundgren's long-range shot slipped through his fingers and got the visitors back into the match before halftime.
Momentum swung in Maccabi Haifa's favor in the second half and the never say die mantra that helped them come back in the first leg from a 2-1 down kicked in Belgrade.
The Red Star struggled to contain Haifa, and a scoreless second half almost came to an end, as the teams were tied on aggregate - the combined number of goals scored over two games.
The game was edging towards extra time, Maccabi Haifa pressed forward, earning a free-kick just outside the goalie penalty box. Substitute Omer Atzil whipped the ball which was deflected into the net by Milan Pavkov, giving the Israeli champs the aggregate lead and win.
“You’ve brought great pride to all Israelis,” Prime Minister Yair Lapid said in a congratulatory message to the team. “We’ll be crossing our fingers for you in the Champions League.”
The win means Barak Bakhar's men will join 31 other teams in the most prestigious annual club competition in European football, where it will face the continent's soccer giants for a shot at winning the UEFA championship. The 2022/23 UEFA Champions League group stage draw will take place in Istanbul, Turkey, on Thursday.
It will be Haifia's third appearance in the group stage, which makes it the first Israeli team ever to qualify to the Champions League group stage three times. Its first appearance was in the 2002-2003 season, and while the team didn't proceed to the next stage, it did take down English giants Manchester United with a three sucker punch win.
Maccabi Haifa's second feat was in 2009-2010, but miserably it ended with 0 points and 0 goals as the greens became the first team to achieve this grim record.