Full Breakdown
Israeli Premier League: Early-Season Upsets and Managerial Outlooks
9/7/2026, 3:22:37 AM
Match Results Overview
- Hapoel Tel Aviv 3–0 Beitar Jerusalem – Goals: Roi Alkukin, Douglas Owusu, Daniel Dappa. Beitar’s Luka Gadrani was sent off.
- Hapoel Beersheba 2–2 Hapoel Haifa – Scorers: Eliel Peretz, Javon East (Beersheba); Alon Turgeman, Naor Sabag (Haifa).
- Maccabi Haifa 2–1 Hapoel Petah Tikva – Andrija Novakovich, Bruninho (Haifa); Boni Amian (Petah Tikva).
- Hapoel Jerusalem 4–2 Ironi Kiryat Shmona – Andrew Idoko (brace) and teammates secured the win.
- Ironi Tiberias 2–1 Maccabi Petah Tikva – Nene Gbamble, Chris Kouakou scored; Bar Cohen’s red card left Tiberias with ten men.
Managerial and Owner Comments
- Barak Abramov, Beitar owner, attended the match to support the club during a difficult start and said the search for a midfielder “who upgrades the club.”
- Eliyaniv Barda, Hapoel Tel Aviv coach, said the win was not “easy” but praised the first-half performance.
- Ron Kozuk, Hapoel Beersheba coach, defended his side’s philosophy and warned against “sitting back like cowards” late in games.
- Barak Bachar, Haifa manager, emphasized that “the most important thing is to win.”
- Lior Zada, Jerusalem coach, called the game “a roller coaster, a scandal and a festival.”
Statistical Highlights
- Red cards: Luka Gadrani (Beitar), Bar Cohen (Ironi Tiberias) and one opponent who played with ten men for over an hour.
- Goal distribution: Three different scorers for Hapoel Tel Aviv; Andrew Idoko’s brace for Jerusalem; Bruninho’s late winner for Haifa.
Outlook for Upcoming Fixtures
- Abramov expects the next challenge against Bnei Sakhnin, with no immediate roster changes.
- Barda warned that expectations have risen ahead of the match versus Hapoel Ramat Gan.
- Kozuk expressed confidence before the clash with Maccabi Tel Aviv, stressing squad health.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I’m here after a game, which I normally don’t do, but it’s important for me to be here during the tough times,” — Barak Abramov
- “I don’t think that we can use the word ‘easy’ for this win, but the players were ready and we did things right in the first half,” — Eliyaniv Barda
- “Hapoel Beersheba are Hapoel Beersheba because of their philosophy, and if, in the final minutes, we sit back like cowards, that’s not who we are,” — Ron Kozuk
- “The most important thing is to win, and that’s what we did,” — Barak Bachar
- “This game was a roller coaster, a scandal and a festival,” — Lior Zada
