Gabi Kanikovski Leads Ferencváros Past Sétav Lemkin in Israeli Derby

On July 30, Israeli footballer Gabi Kanikovski helped Hungarian club Ferencváros secure a 3-4 aggregate victory over Dutch side Twente in the Europa League qualifiers. Both Kanikovski and fellow Israeli Sétav Lemkin started for their respective teams in this Israeli derby abroad. Despite Ferencváros playing over half the match with ten men after a red card to Románsz in the 36th minute, they took the lead with a penalty by Ramakers in the 22nd minute and extended it to 2-0 in the 50th minute through József's solo effort.

Twente fought back with goals from Wout Weghorst in the 82nd minute and Hasselink in the 86th, leveling the match at 2-2. Lemkin received a yellow card in the 61st minute and nearly scored in the 89th but missed. Ferencváros held on to their first-leg advantage to advance to the next round. Another Israeli player, Iham Shhada, appeared as a substitute for Bosnian club Velež Mostar in their 3-0 loss to Slovakian Dunajská Streda, resulting in their elimination with a 4-0 aggregate score.

All three Israeli representatives in European competitions completed their fixtures on this day, with Kanikovski’s team advancing despite adversity. The matches highlight the growing presence of Israeli players in European club football and their impact in continental tournaments.