Ghanaian forward Eugene Ansah was the match-winner as Beitar Jerusalem secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Bnei Sakhnin in the Israeli Premier League at Doha Stadium.
Ansah broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute, calmly converting a pass from Tomer Yosefi to give Beitar the crucial advantage in a tightly contested encounter.
The first half ended goalless, with both sides struggling to create clear-cut opportunities. The match was also marked by several yellow cards, while a penalty appeal for Beitar Jerusalem was reviewed by VAR before ultimately being overturned.
Beitar maintained their narrow lead after the break, but Sakhnin pushed for an equaliser in the closing stages. Maroun Gantus came agonisingly close in stoppage time when his effort struck the crossbar, but Beitar’s defence held firm to preserve the clean sheet and secure all three points.
Ansah’s decisive contribution earned him an impressive 8.3 Sofascore rating, while he was also voted the fans’ player of the match.
The victory gives Beitar Jerusalem valuable momentum early in the campaign, while Bnei Sakhnin continue to search for their first win following another setback.
Beitar will now turn their attention to their next league assignment against Maccabi Petach Tikva on September 14, hoping to build on Ansah’s match-winning performance and climb further up the standings.
