Omonia Nicosia vs Hapoel Beer Sheva

Hapoel Beer Sheva struck first through D. T. Diop in the 10th minute, the forward finishing clinically to put the Israeli side ahead. Omonia responded midway through the half and found their equaliser in the 41st minute — T. Chatzigiovanis converting from the penalty spot to make it 1-1.

The parity lasted only three minutes. I. Zlatanović restored Hapoel's lead in the 44th minute, sending the teams into the break with the score at 2-1 to the Israeli champions.

Omonia head coach Henning Berg made five substitutions at half-time and a further six in the 62nd minute, effectively fielding an entirely different side in the second period. Hapoel made only two changes, both in the 59th minute.

The fresh legs paid off in the 87th minute. Neophytou — introduced in the 62nd minute — found the back of the net to level the scores at 2-2, securing a draw that Omonia's second-half pressure deserved.

Berg's decision to make 11 total substitutions — five at half-time, six more on the hour mark — transformed the match. Omonia's first-half XI struggled to contain Hapoel's transitions, but the wholesale changes injected energy and control. Neophytou's introduction in the 62nd minute proved decisive: he scored the equaliser 25 minutes later after being involved in Omonia's best second-half sequences.

Andreas Neophytou (Omonia Nicosia) — The substitute striker scored the 87th-minute equaliser and was the most dangerous attacking presence in the second half. Named player of the match.

T. Chatzigiovanis (Omonia Nicosia) — Scored from the penalty spot in the 41st minute to keep Omonia in the match heading into half-time.

D. T. Diop (Hapoel Beer Sheva) — Opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a composed finish and looked sharp in Hapoel's best attacking phase in the first half.

The substitution count — 11 for Omonia against 2 for Hapoel — tells the story of two different pre-season approaches. Berg used the match to give minutes to his entire squad, with two complete XI rotations. Hapoel coach Barak Bakhar kept his spine intact, making only two changes, and looked in control until Omonia's fresh legs overwhelmed them in the final 20 minutes. The single yellow card (N. Panagiotou, 27') suggests a clean, controlled friendly — neither side wanted to push physical limits in pre-season.

This was Omonia's second friendly of the summer, following a 2-1 win over Dinamo Bucharest on 1 July 2026. They continue pre-season preparations before the Cypriot league campaign begins.

For Hapoel Beer Sheva, this was their third friendly in Poland. They drew 0-0 with Odra Opole (4 July) and beat Radomiak Radom 1-0 (1 July). Their next test is a high-profile friendly against Legia Warsaw on 7 July. The Israeli Super Cup against Maccabi Tel Aviv follows on 16 July, with UEFA Champions League qualification starting in late July.

A typical pre-season friendly with two different tactical approaches: Omonia used the match for squad rotation, Hapoel for building match sharpness. The 2-2 scoreline was a fair reflection of that contrast — Omonia's second-half energy cancelling out Hapoel's first-half quality. Neophytou's late goal will give Berg selection confidence heading into the competitive season.