Beitar Jerusalem Exits Vienna After Penalty Shootout Despite Strong Performance

Beitar Jerusalem was eliminated from the competition after a 2-1 loss to Austria Vienna in Vienna on Thursday, falling 4-2 in the penalty shootout. Despite the disappointment, the team expressed satisfaction with their overall performance against a strong opponent. Club representatives stated, "Some may underestimate us, but we played well and were the better team. The league will show how strong we are."

Coach Almog Cohen addressed the players post-match, acknowledging the disappointment but urging pride in their effort, saying, "I understand the disappointment, I am disappointed too. Be proud that you gave everything and won today in a very tough stadium. From tomorrow, we focus only on the league."

Midfielder Timothy Mozi was visibly upset after missing his penalty, with teammates consoling him. Mozi said, "I let the fans down. People travel from Israel to support us, and we should have made them happy. We are a better team." The squad faced challenges due to the absence of key players like Gadrani, Anu, and Shua, who were either not fully fit or struggling to lead in European matches.

Omer Atzili stood out with three goals and involvement in another across four games, while substitutes Liel Darai, Roy Elimelech, and Nevo Shado performed well. Jordan Cohen is dealing with a knee injury and will likely need rest in the coming week. Injured Gil Cohen will be out for three weeks, and Shado is expected to continue receiving playing time in the Toto Cup match against Hapoel Ramat Gan.