Beitar Jerusalem Suffers Heavy 4-1 Defeat to Maccabi Netanya in Season Opener
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Beitar Jerusalem lost 4-1 to Maccabi Netanya in their 2026/7 Israeli Premier League season opener at Bloomfield Stadium. Despite scoring early in the second half, Beitar was overwhelmed by a hat-trick from Matias Dabo and a goal from Maor Levi. The defeat marks a disappointing start for the title contender, echoing a similar loss to Netanya in 2022/23.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Beitar Jerusalem lost 4-1 to Maccabi Netanya in their 2026/7 season opener at Bloomfield Stadium.
- Netanya's Matias Dabo scored a hat-trick, with Maor Levi adding another goal.
- Beitar scored early in the second half but was quickly overwhelmed by Netanya's comeback.
- Beitar missed the first round due to scheduling conflicts and played their opener in round two.
- This loss mirrors Beitar's 4-1 defeat to Netanya in the 2022/23 season opener.
- Other Jerusalem teams also lost in the second round of the Israeli Premier League.
Beitar Jerusalem, last season's runner-up, began the 2026/7 Israeli Premier League season with a humiliating 4-1 loss to Maccabi Netanya at Bloomfield Stadium, their temporary home. The team did not play in the first round due to scheduling conflicts with Hapoel Tel Aviv's European matches, postponing their opener to face Netanya in the second round on Saturday night.
From the start, the quality gap between the teams was evident. Despite Netanya missing four clear chances in the first half, the score remained 0-0 at halftime. Beitar scored early in the second half, but Netanya quickly responded with a hat-trick from Brazilian striker Matias Dabo and an additional goal by Maor Levi, overturning the score and dominating the match.
Netanya, which had only won twice in the last 11 encounters against Beitar, avenged their historic 8-2 defeat last season. Beitar, considered a title contender, opened the season with a loss reminiscent of the 2022/23 season when they also lost 4-1 to Netanya. This disappointing start contrasts with their previous two seasons, which began with victories.
Other Jerusalem teams also struggled in the second round: Hapoel Jerusalem lost 1-0 to Hapoel Petah Tikva, while Ironi Tiberias was defeated 2-0 by Kiryat Shmona. Fans of Beitar Jerusalem had hoped for a stronger start to the new season, but the heavy defeat raises concerns about the team's readiness and coaching under Almog Cohen, who is inexperienced in his role.
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