Hapoel Tel Aviv Dominates Beitar Jerusalem in 3-0 League Victory

Hapoel Tel Aviv secured their first league win of the season on Thursday, defeating Beitar Jerusalem 3-0 in a postponed match from the first round at Bloomfield Stadium. Roey Alukain opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a header, followed by Douglas Owusu's first goal for the club in the 73rd minute, and Daniel Dafa sealed the victory nine minutes before the end.

Hapoel Tel Aviv started strongly, taking the lead when Stav Turel delivered a precise cross for Alukain to head home. Beitar Jerusalem struggled to respond effectively before halftime, with Hapoel controlling the pace and creating more dangerous opportunities. The situation worsened for Beitar in the second half when Gadrani was sent off early, complicating their efforts.

Leveraging their numerical advantage, Hapoel pressed for a second goal. Owusu hit the post in the 67th minute, but found the net six minutes later after a well-placed pass from Emmanuel Boateng. The lead was extended to 3-0 in the 82nd minute when Shahar Piven set up Dafa for a decisive strike.

The win marks a positive evening for Hapoel Tel Aviv, who will face Hapoel Ramat Gan next. Conversely, Beitar Jerusalem suffered their second consecutive loss and remains without points, having conceded seven goals in their opening two matches. This result places significant pressure on Beitar's players, including Almog Cohen, as they prepare to face Bnei Sakhnin next week amidst their ongoing struggles.

This was the 135th league encounter between the two rivals, with Hapoel Tel Aviv extending their historical advantage to 56 wins against Beitar's 43, and 36 draws.