Beitar Jerusalem shocked Maccabi Haifa with a thrilling 3-1 Israel Premier League victory on Monday night at Sammy Ofer Stadium.
After a mostly uneventful first half, the game erupted into action just before halftime. Deep into first-half stoppage time, Yarden Shua’s cross, intended for Mayron George, struck Ilay Feingold’s hand in the box, earning Beitar a penalty. Shua’s initial spot kick was saved by Sharif Kaiuf, but the forward buried the rebound to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.
As the teams headed to the locker rooms, Haifa’s Ali Muhammed received a yellow card for protesting to the referee. Muhammed continued his complaints and was promptly shown a red card, leaving the Greens to play the second half with only 10 men.
Beitar sought to capitalize on their numerical advantage, but their goalkeeper, Miguel Silva, fouled Dia Saba just outside the box and was also sent off, reducing Beitar to 10 men as well.
Haifa equalized in the 67th minute through Kenny Saief, but Ayi Kangani restored Beitar’s lead just minutes later. Patrick Twumasi sealed the victory in the 88th minute with an insurance goal.
Beitar coach Barak Itzhaki expressed his delight, calling it a “character victory.” He praised his players for their resilience in a challenging match.
“There is never a dull moment here, and the pressure is immense,” he said. “Winning under these circumstances, especially at Sammy Ofer, shows the kind of team we have.”
Haifa coach Barak Bachar lamented his team’s missed opportunities and tactical missteps.
“At 1-1, we had excellent momentum and could have won the game,” he said. “But we took too many risks, didn’t control the pace, and paid the price.”
Maccabi Tel Aviv demolished Ashdod SC 5-1, overturning a 1-0 halftime deficit with an explosive second-half performance.
Roie Levy had given Ashdod a surprising lead, but goals from Dor Peretz, Eran Zahavi, Osher Davida, and Dor Turgeman turned the game on its head. Peretz scored twice, while Davida played a pivotal role with a goal and an assist.
Maccabi coach Zarko Lazetic credited his players for their response but criticized their first-half performance.
“We underestimated our opponents, missed chances, and were complacent,” he said. “In the second half, we were focused and clinical.”
Ashdod coach Eli Levy admitted his team collapsed after conceding the first goal.
“We prepared well, but once we were down 2-1, we fell apart,” he said. “Maccabi is not in our league. We need to strengthen our squad and improve.”
Hapoel Beersheba secured a 2-1 win over Hapoel Hadera to maintain its spot at the top of the table.
Alon Turgeman scored early with a header, and Kings Kangwa doubled the lead. Omer Senior pulled one back for Hadera in injury time, but it was too late for the hosts.
Beersheba coach Ron Kozuk expressed relief at the win despite his team’s sluggish play.
“We didn’t adhere to our principles and allowed Hadera to control the pace,” he said. “We need to create faster gameplay despite the opponent’s tactics.”
Hadera coach Asaf Nimi said his team failed to capitalize on their opportunities, especially in the first half. “We were always in the game but couldn’t finish it off,” he said.
Hapoel Haifa thrashed Maccabi Petah Tikva 5-1, with Guy Melamed scoring a hat-trick to lead the Carmel Reds to victory.
Melamed struck twice in the first half, and after Vitalie Damascan reduced the deficit, Theimoko Diarra restored Haifa’s two-goal cushion. Darmame Salou and Melamed added further goals to complete the rout.
Haifa coach Rony Levy praised his team’s response after a previous loss.
“We played positive football, made quality moves, and were very committed,” he said.
Petah Tikva coach Tamir Luzon was visibly frustrated, calling his team’s performance a mental breakdown.
“We can lose, but not like this,” he said. “The third goal broke us, and that has happened too often this season.”
Melamed, the league’s top scorer, expressed pride in his performance and ambition to continue excelling.
“My goal is to be the league’s top scorer, but nothing is guaranteed,” he said. “I aspire to play at the highest levels and will make the best decisions for my future.”
Maccabi Netanya edged Ironi Kiryat Shmona 1-0 thanks to a dramatic 91st-minute winner from 17-year-old Daniel Dapaah.
Netanya coach Yossi Abukasis praised the young striker’s impact.
“On days like this, scoring late shows great character. The players deserve all the credit.”
Kiryat Shmona coach Shay Barda said his team needed to respect the game and recover from their struggles.
“We’re not playing well, but we have to continue working hard,” he said.
Bnei Reineh and Hapoel Jerusalem played to a goalless draw, with both teams splitting the points.
Reineh coach Sharon Mimer described the game as tough and evenly matched.
“Both sides cancel each other out, making it hard to create chances,” he said.
Playing cautiously
Jerusalem coach Ziv Arie admitted his team played cautiously.
“We are all afraid to make mistakes, especially when we haven’t won in a while.”
Bnei Sakhnin and Ironi Tiberias also played to a goalless draw.
Tiberias coach Eliran Hodeida felt his team deserved to win based on their chances.
“We shut them down and created opportunities,” he said.
Sakhnin coach Slobodan Drapić acknowledged his team’s struggles against defensive opponents.
“In games like this, we need quality to capitalize on small chances,” he said.