Beitar Jerusalem Fans Cancel Romania March Ahead of Austria Vienna Match

Beitar Jerusalem, Israel's league runner-up, is preparing for its Europa Conference League third qualifying round match against Austria Vienna in Romania. Approximately 1,000 fans traveled to support the team, but a planned fan march through the streets was canceled due to heavy police presence and concerns over arrests. Fans reported that police were stopping individuals frequently to check passports and were closely monitoring hotels, creating an atmosphere of intimidation. Romanian authorities explained that the increased security followed a previous late-night march by hundreds of Beitar supporters that included fireworks and flares, prompting them to prevent a repeat.

On the sporting front, Beitar's coach Almog Cohen is considering starting Eugene Ansah due to his physicality, which could be crucial against the tough Austria Vienna squad. Cohen emphasized to his players the importance of the moment, highlighting the need for intelligence, passion, and relentless teamwork to succeed. Goalkeeper Miguel Silva was also given a supportive talk by goalkeeping coach Dudu Ben Harush to boost confidence after criticism following the previous match against Larnaca. The expected lineup includes Silva, Nana Antwi, Brian Karvely, Gil Cohen, Boris Ino, Noam Motta, Daniel Vorko (or Eugene Ansah), Yarden Shoa, Omer Atzili, and Sean Weissman.