Hapoel Jerusalem Secures First Win of Season with 1-0 Victory Over Maccabi Petah Tikva

Hapoel Jerusalem achieved their first victory of the 2026/27 season on August 2, 2026, by defeating Maccabi Petah Tikva 1-0 in the Toto Cup's third round. The match marked the debut of coach Ziv Arie against his former club, where he spent seven years and became a prominent figure. Despite Arie's hopes for a first win in his new tenure, his former team prevailed, deepening Maccabi Petah Tikva's challenging start with a third consecutive loss.

The decisive goal came in the 47th minute when Ohad Almog assisted Vitali Damashkan, who scored to give Hapoel Jerusalem the lead. The visitors were reduced to ten men after Yazan Watad received a red card for a high-footed challenge on On Mizrahi. Hapoel Jerusalem dominated much of the game, with Andrew Idoko and Tamir Haimovich standing out, but they struggled to create many clear chances. Maccabi Petah Tikva, still shaping their squad under Arie, found it difficult to generate offensive opportunities.

Despite the win, Hapoel Jerusalem will need to strengthen their attack to avoid another season near the bottom of the table. Maccabi Petah Tikva must regroup and improve ahead of their next match to reverse their poor start. The Toto Cup serves as a preparatory competition, but both teams showed areas requiring attention before the league begins.