Hapoel Tel Aviv defeated Salzburg 3-2 for a crucial away victory in the first leg of their Champions League playoff on Wednesday.
Hapoel took the lead just three minutes into the match with a penalty by keeper Vincent Enyeama, after a clear foul by Franz Schiemer on Itay Shechter.
Salzburg equalized in the 28th minute with a 20-meter shot by Nikola Pokrivac that hit the post before ending up in the opposite corner.
Ben Sahar then put the visitors ahead 15 minutes later with a close-range header from a cross by Deddi Ben Dayan that exploited a hesitant Salzburg defense, and Shechter slotted home to make it 3-1 for Hapoel in the 53rd minute.
Roman Wallner got one back for Salzburg with a penalty 14 minutes later after Omri Kende fouled Jakob Jantscher.
A revitalized Salzburg then pressed hard but failed to translate possession into goals in the last 20 minutes of the match, which also saw two near misses from Hapoel - one from Schechter in the 82nd minute, the other from Eran Zahavi four minutes later.
The second leg is Aug. 24 in Jaffa.
