Maccabi Haifa, Beitar Jerusalem roll to wins in local soccer

By the Editorial Team · Thursday, October 15, 2026

Maccabi Haifa rallied from an early deficit to beat Hapoel Jerusalem 4-1, keeping pressure on league leaders Maccabi Tel Aviv, who dropped points in a 0-0 draw with Bnei Sakhnin. This result tightens the Premier League title race as Hapoel Tel Aviv and Hapoel Beersheba also gained ground with wins, while controversy marred a late penalty in the Hapoel Petah Tikva vs. Maccabi Netanya draw.

Maccabi Haifa mounted a strong comeback to defeat Hapoel Jerusalem 4-1 in an Israel Premier League match, maintaining pressure on league leader Maccabi Tel Aviv. Hapoel Jerusalem initially took the lead through Andrew Idoko midway through the first half. However, Maccabi Haifa responded with goals from Andrija Novakovich and Pedro Brazao before halftime. Kenji Gore and Guy Melamed added two more goals in the second half to secure the victory.

Barak Bachar, Maccabi Haifa’s coach, expressed satisfaction with his team’s ability to overcome the early deficit, noting that while the team is still in a building phase, they are playing "very happy football." Conversely, Hapoel Jerusalem coach Lior Zada criticized his squad’s defensive performance, highlighting the critical timing of the conceded goals.

In another decisive win, Beitar Jerusalem routed Hapoel Ramat Gan 4-0. Omer Atzily opened the scoring, followed by two goals from Boris Enow straddling halftime. Eugene Ansah added a fourth to complete the dominant performance. Beitar coach Almog Cohen commended his players’ pressing and dedication but acknowledged his team struggled at times to fully impose their game, particularly during counterattacks. Cohen stated the team will reflect on areas for improvement ahead of their upcoming match against Hapoel Beersheba.

Hapoel Tel Aviv continued its strong start to the season with a 3-1 win over Ironi Kiryat Shmona. Douglas Owusu opened the scoring, and Emmanuel Boateng extended the lead early in the second half. Omri Altman converted a free kick, while Amadou Sanga scored from a penalty in the 90th minute for the visitors.

Meanwhile, reigning champions Maccabi Tel Aviv dropped their first points of the season in a goalless draw against Bnei Sakhnin at Bloomfield Stadium. Despite creating several chances, Maccabi Tel Aviv was unable to find the net, a frustration voiced by coach Kenny Miller, who believed his team did enough to secure the win. Maccabi Tel Aviv remains top of the league table, three points clear of Hapoel Beersheba and Hapoel Tel Aviv.

In a dramatic late turnaround, Hapoel Haifa edged Maccabi Petah Tikva 2-1 thanks to Sal Pahima’s stoppage-time volley. Alon Turgeman gave Hapoel Haifa the lead before Guy Amos equalized in the 70th minute, setting up Pahima’s decisive strike.

A 1-1 draw between Hapoel Petah Tikva and Maccabi Netanya ended amid controversy. Roie David put Hapoel Petah Tikva ahead, but Maor Levi converted a penalty in the final minute to level the match. The penalty situation became contentious as a substitution mix-up resulted in 12 Hapoel Petah Tikva players being on the field during the penalty, prompting complaints from head coach Omer Peretz regarding the time allowed for substitutions.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.