Maccabi Netanya Captain Calms Tensions After Fan Clash in Scoreless Draw with Bnei Sakhnin

Maccabi Netanya opened their season with a disappointing 0-0 draw against Bnei Sakhnin on August 24, 2026. The match was marked by a tense incident in the 61st minute when midfielder Maor Levi was substituted following a confrontation with a small group of Netanya fans who insulted him and threw objects. Defender Karam Jaber accompanied Levi to the locker room and later returned to the bench, receiving applause from the crowd. Jaber described the incident as "game emotions," emphasizing team unity and support for Levi, stating, "We are one team. Maor is our friend, and the crowd loves him."

Netanya's coach, Roni Levi, praised his team's performance despite the lack of goals, noting their dominance and good chances but acknowledging the need for improvement. He highlighted the difficulty of playing against compact teams and expressed confidence in meeting high expectations, saying, "We will do our best." Meanwhile, Bnei Sakhnin's coach Yossi Abuksis expressed mixed feelings, acknowledging defensive improvements in the second half but also the ongoing challenge of building offensive coordination. He noted the team is still assembling its squad and is cautiously optimistic about future matches.

The match underscored both teams' struggles to convert opportunities into goals and the emotional intensity surrounding the players and fans early in the season. Netanya aims to address these issues in upcoming games to secure better results.