Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Hapoel Beersheba 3-1 in a commanding Israel Premier League victory that propelled it to the top of the table.
The yellow-and-blue started strong, taking a 1-0 lead when Weslley Patati cleaned up an Osher Davida ball from close range. Things quickly went from bad to worse for the southern reds. Less than 15 minutes after the opening goal, Guy Mizrachi was sent off with a straight red card for a reckless, cleats-up tackle from behind on Dor Peretz, leaving the hosts with just 10 men for the remainder of the match.
Zarko Lazetic’s squad wasted no time capitalizing on the advantage. Peretz headed home a Patati corner, and in first-half injury time, Patati himself found the back of the net to give Maccabi a commanding 3-0 lead at halftime. Kings Kangwa cut the deficit to 3-1 with a goal in the 48th minute, but that was as close as Beersheba would get, as the visitors wrapped up a dominant performance.
“Congratulations to the players for reaching the top of the table and also to Hapoel Beersheba for a good game,” Lazetic said. “This is a great moment for us. We weren’t at our best, but we were strong, intense, precise, and smart with the ball. We have a tough stretch of games coming up, and every match is important. This win will give us confidence moving forward. Hapoel Beer Sheva is a great team, and the gap between us is not big. I’m happy we performed the way we did against them.”
“We started well,” Hapoel Beersheba coach Ron Kozuk said. “We moved the ball well, but then an unforced error happened – that’s part of the game. From there, the red card changed everything. We talked about needing to control the game, and I was disappointed with how we handled that in the first half. We wanted to get back to our principles, hold the ball, and stay composed, but we were in a deep hole. We climbed out a little in the second half, but it wasn’t enough. We are a strong team.”
Elsewhere, Beitar Jerusalem secured a 1-0 win over Maccabi Netanya thanks to an 88th-minute goal by Silva Kangani, snatching three crucial points for the capital city club.
“In the first half, we didn’t get into the game as much as I would have liked,” Beitar Head Coach Barak Itzhaki said. “We lost too many balls, our first touch wasn’t good, and we struggled to settle in. I’m glad that in the second half, we played much better and managed to score the goal we deserved. Looking at the game as a whole, I think the better team won.”
Netanya coach Yossi Abukasis lamented his team’s missed opportunities.
“We didn’t create enough chances,” he said. “Even when we broke free, we were poor in making the final pass. Our shortcomings were clear. This was the best we could do with this lineup. It’s disappointing, but the players worked hard and gave their all – it just wasn’t enough against a quality Beitar side.”
Maccabi Haifa defeated Hapoel Haifa 2-0, with Kenny Saief scoring in the first half and Guy Melamed finding the net against his former club in the second half.
“We won, but our performance wasn’t as good as I would have liked,” Maccabi Haifa coach Barak Bachar admitted. “It’s important to win, but there have been games where we played better and didn’t get the result. In this match, we managed to avoid conceding at key moments.”
Hapoel Haifa Head Coach Rony Levy was disappointed with the loss.
“The result doesn’t reflect how we played,” he said. “We conceded unnecessary goals despite Maccabi Haifa not having many real chances. In our best moments, we couldn’t capitalize, and we paid the price. However, I’m pleased with some aspects of our play. We have quality young players who will benefit from this experience in the championship playoffs. This will help us improve.”
Hapoel Jerusalem and Ashdod split the points in a 1-1 draw.
Eylon Almog gave the reds an 18th-minute lead, but Muhammed Knaan equalized in the 51st minute.
“The result is disappointing, but the game itself was not,” Ashdod coach Haim Silvas said. “We played well, created chances, and wanted to win. Even though Sakhnin won and we are below the red line in the relegation zone, I am confident that if we keep playing like this, we will win games. What matters is how we finish the season in May.”
Hapoel Jerusalem coach Ziv Arie added: “It was a good, fast-paced match, and both teams had their moments. Of course, you always want to win, but taking a point is still positive.”
Bnei Reineh cruised past Ironi Kiryat Shmona 3-0 with an early goal from Omri Altman in the fourth minute, a first-half penalty from Guy Hadida, and a late long-range strike from Ezekiel Henty.
“We controlled the first half and played the way we wanted,” Reineh Head Coach Sharon Mimer said. “In the second half, we didn’t play as well and let them back into the game, but fortunately, the third goal sealed it.”
Kiryat Shmona’s coach Shai Barda acknowledged his team’s struggles.
“We deserved to lose – we weren’t good enough,” he said. “We had young players and a goalkeeper who hadn’t played all season. These are positives I take away. How we finish this season will determine how we start the next one. There were a lot of things I didn’t like, but I hope this was just a one-off.”
Bnei Sakhnin edged Ironi Tiberias 2-1 thanks to a dramatic injury-time penalty by Eyad Abu Abaid.
Ahmad Salman gave Sakhnin an early 1-0 lead in the 10th minute, and Or Roizman equalized in the 86th minute with a free kick. However, a stoppage-time foul in the box allowed Abaid to convert from the spot and secure the win.
“We started poorly, and our first half was bad,” Tiberias coach Eliran Hodeida admitted. “We played better with 10 men, but we weren’t focused at the crucial moment. We’ll have to approach our next game differently.”
Sakhnin Head Coach Menachem Koretzky praised his team’s resilience.
“It was a tough, tense game, but we earned a crucial victory,” he said. “The fans gave us incredible energy, and their support made the difference. This win is important, but we have a lot of work ahead.”
Maccabi Petah Tikva snapped a five-match losing streak with a resounding 4-1 victory over Hapoel Hadera.
Wilson Harris opened the scoring, and though Ibrahim Sangare equalized in the 18th minute, Petach Tikva responded with goals from Idan Vered, Anas Mahmid (penalty), and Alon Azugi to secure the win.
'A weak second half cost us'
“I would have been happy with a 1-0 win, but I’m proud of the players for their effort,” Petah Tikva coach Noam Shoham said. “They showed passion and commitment in training, and it paid off.”
Hadera coach Nimrod Kostika acknowledged his team’s shortcomings.
“A weak second half cost us,” he said. “We have no choice but to win our upcoming games. It’s not over for us – we have a good team. We stumbled, but we won’t bow our heads.”
