Beitar Jerusalem Suffers Rare Four-Goal Collapse in 24 Minutes

Beitar Jerusalem experienced a rare and rapid defensive collapse on Saturday, conceding four goals in just 24 minutes during their 4-1 loss to Maccabi Netanya. This rapid succession of goals is the fastest conceded by Beitar in the 21st century. Matheus Dabo scored a hat-trick for Netanya in the 52nd, 66th, and 71st minutes, with Maor Levy adding the final goal in the 76th minute. While conceding four goals in such a short span is uncommon, it is not unprecedented in the Israeli Premier League. For instance, Maccabi Netanya themselves scored four goals in 23 minutes against Ironi Tiberias last season. The fastest four goals scored by a team in recent years occurred in the 2022/23 season when Maccabi Tel Aviv scored four goals in eight minutes against Hapoel Hadera. In total, this has happened 17 times in the 21st century, with an increasing frequency in recent years. Beitar Jerusalem, however, had previously scored four goals in 10 minutes in a 5-0 victory over Maccabi Petah Tikva in the 2024/25 season. This marks the first time in the 21st century that Beitar has conceded four goals within a 24-minute period. In 2018, Beitar conceded four goals in 27 minutes against Hapoel Be'er Sheva. The team also conceded four goals in 16 minutes of playing time against Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2018/19, though the first goal occurred before halftime, making the total elapsed time 31 minutes. Beitar's coach at the time was Roni Levi. The article notes that reliable data from the 20th century is unavailable, making it difficult to determine the last occurrence then. During the rapid scoring period, Almog Cohen made three substitutions for Netanya, including two in the attacking line. Despite holding possession for only 27% of the game and committing more fouls, Maccabi Netanya's quick players exploited Beitar's midfield pressure, leading to their dominant performance.