Beitar Jerusalem Eliminated From Conference League After Penalty Shootout Loss

Beitar Jerusalem's European campaign ended on August 14, 2026, after a dramatic 3-3 draw and a 2-4 defeat in a penalty shootout against an Austrian team in Vienna. Despite a spirited comeback led by goals from Omer Atzili and Junebosco Calu, the Israeli club fell short after missing crucial penalties by Eugene Ansah and Timothy Mozi. The match extended into extra time following a late Austrian equalizer caused by a defensive error from Boris Enow.

The game began well for Beitar, with Atzili scoring a spectacular goal in the 33rd minute and Calu doubling the lead early in the second half. However, the Austrian side quickly responded, leveling the score and pushing the match into extra time and eventually penalties. Beitar's goalkeeper Vasilija Markovic saved one penalty, but the decisive spot-kick by Sanel Sljic sealed the Austrian team's advancement.

This marked Beitar Jerusalem's second consecutive European match decided by penalties, ending their 420 minutes of continental play across four games. Following this exit, the team will now focus on domestic competitions, starting with a Toto Cup ranking match against Hapoel Ramat Gan in three days and their Israeli Premier League opener against Maccabi Netanya on August 29. Coach Almog Cohen's squad will need to recover quickly from this tough loss as they shift their attention to the national league and cup contests.