LP Kangasala and Maccabi Haifa exceptionally also play their second leg on Thursday at Kangasa. LP Kangasala won on Tuesday.
On Tuesday, LP Kangasala beat Israeli Maccabi Haifa 3–0 (25–17, 25–18, 25–20) in the volleyball CEV Challenge Cup on their home field.
Because of the Israeli opponent, the security arrangements for the match were tighter than usual.
The match event and exceptional security measures had to be organized quickly, because Haifa had previously announced that she would not be able to participate in European matches.
Maccabi Haifa chopper Gabriela da Silva was happy after the match that the game trip to Finland and Kangasa finally came true. In the 2021–2022 season, the Brazilian player won silver medals in the Champions League and the Finnish Cup in the ranks of LP Kangasala.
– I was looking forward to seeing friends. I enjoy playing. We were ready to come to Finland because we know that the club will have to pay fines if we don’t participate.
Da Silva says that playing in Israel is challenging.
– These are big things. We do our best one day at a time. Many teams leave players, and it is difficult to get new ones. Everything is fine though.
Haifa team leader Guy Shamay says that Haifa has also lost players, which is why participation in the Challenge Cup matches was hesitated.
– We tried to cancel the match because we were afraid that it would not be sportingly profitable. The situation in Israel is not easy. We wish the war would end.
Players have strict instructions
The security of the Israeli teams has been talked about since the fans of the football team Maccabi Tel Aviv were attacked in Amsterdam last Thursday.
At least some of the attackers were pro-Palestine activists. More than 60 people were arrested.
In retrospect, the flow of events has become more detailed. Some of the fans from Israel rioted and shouted anti-Arab slogans. According to the Dutch media, the taxi driver was beaten by the Israelis.
Among them were Maccabi’s “ultria”, hard-line supporters who are known, among other things, for using racist language.
According to Da Silva, the Haifa players have received instructions from the Israeli authorities on what should be taken into account when traveling to games. One of the instructions was that you should not move anywhere alone.
– We follow the rules and instructions, so I believe that everything will go well. The events in Amsterdam are sad, but we take care of safety.
Guy Shamay assures that the Haifa team has not experienced any kind of threat.
– All the people we have met in Finland have been very warm. We are very grateful for that.
LP Kangasala and Maccabi Haifa will play their second leg on Thursday at Kangasala. According to normal practice, the teams would play one game in Finland and the other in Israel, but right from the start the clubs ended up playing both their matches at Kangasa.