There are nights in sport that are remembered not for the scoreline, but for the emotion that fills the air. Sunday evening at Bloomfield Stadium began as one of the most moving moments in recent Israeli memory – a celebration of resilience, hope, and homecoming – before turning into one of Maccabi Tel Aviv’s most shocking defeats in years.
The atmosphere was electric even before kickoff. Fans packed every seat, flags and scarves waving under the floodlights, anticipation humming through the stands. But before soccer could take center stage, the crowd’s attention shifted to a very different kind of return – one that transcended sport.
Onto the pitch walked Gali and Ziv Berman, the twin brothers who had been held hostage by Hamas for more than two years before their release in October. Lifelong Maccabi Tel Aviv fans, the Bermans were greeted with a roar that seemed to shake the old stadium’s foundations. Thousands rose to their feet, tears in their eyes, and cheered for two young men who had endured what few could imagine and were finally back home, safe, and standing on the grass of the team they loved.
Flanked by Maccabi legend Eran Zahavi, the brothers waved to the crowd, visibly overcome. Then, taking the microphone, they spoke from the heart.
“We’re standing here on this field to say thank you,” said Gali. “While we were in captivity, you never forgot us. You were there for our return. You embraced us with endless love and gave us strength when we had none.”
Ziv added,:“You were the beating heart of hope. Maccabi isn’t just football – it’s a way of life. While our hearts were imprisoned, you gave us moments of joy, unity, and faith.”
The brothers paid tribute to the fans who are no longer with them – those still missing, and those who did not make it home. They also thanked the soldiers and security forces working tirelessly to protect Israel. “Our hearts say it clearly,” they said. “Maccabi is home. Maccabi is family. Thank you for never forgetting us. Am Yisrael Chai.”
The club and its supporters’ group, “Brothers for the Emblem,” had kept the Bermans’ story alive during their captivity – with banners, songs, and quiet acts of remembrance. On Sunday night, their ovation symbolized something deeper than football. It was a communal catharsis – two brothers returning not just to a stadium, but to the embrace of a people who had waited for them.
But as the echoes of that emotional moment faded and kickoff arrived, the night took a sharp and unexpected turn.
Maccabi Tel Aviv, still basking in the glow of that tribute, started the match against Beitar Jerusalem with confidence. Elad Madmon, Dor Peretz, Helio Varela, and Osher Davida all tested the Beitar defense early, and just before halftime, a quick throw-in from Roy Revivo found Heitor, whose deft header looped past goalkeeper Miguel Silva to give the hosts a 1-0 lead. Bloomfield erupted again – this time in sporting joy – and it seemed the night might carry the fairytale ending everyone hoped for.
But soccer, ever unpredictable, had other plans.
Barely minutes into the second half, Yarden Shua pounced on a poor back pass by Raz Shlomo, slipping the ball past Roi Mishpati to level the score. Moments later, Omer Atzily fed Adi Yona, who danced through a shaken Maccabi defense to fire home a second for Beitar and turn the match on its head.
Then came the moment that sealed Maccabi’s fate. Frustrated and boiling over, Mishpati head-butted Shua during a confrontation in the box – a clear red card offense that left the yellow-and-blue with ten men and a penalty against them. Atzily made no mistake from the spot, burying the shot behind substitute keeper Yoav Gerafi to make it 3–1.
With the extra space, Beitar ran rampant. Yona struck again in the 65th minute, combining beautifully with Shua and Atzily for a 4–1 advantage. Shua added his second goal soon after, beating Gerafi to a loose ball to push the lead to 5–1, silencing most of Bloomfield and sending many home early.
A brief glimmer of consolation arrived when Andrade tapped in after a Silva miscue to make it 5–2, but Beitar restored their cushion moments later through Ziv Ben Shimol, who atoned for his goalkeeper’s error by slotting home the visitors’ sixth of the night. The final whistle confirmed a 6–2 rout — Beitar’s biggest win at Bloomfield in years, and one that few could have seen coming at halftime.
Beitar coach Barak Itzhaki reflected on the stunning performance with pride and a hint of disbelief.
“About a year ago we had a great win at Bloomfield against Hapoel Tel Aviv, but not just any team can come in here and score six goals,” he said. “The ball just went in for us tonight. Once Maccabi went a man down, we had more space to operate. But even at 3–1, I had to push the players to stay focused – because Maccabi never gives up easily.”
Maccabi Tel Aviv's second painful painful loss of the week
For Maccabi coach Zarko Lazetic, the night was a painful reminder of soccer’s volatility. His team had returned from a tough midweek loss to Aston Villa in Europa League play, but the Serbian tactician refused to use fatigue as an excuse.
“We made mistakes on defense, and this was one of the toughest moments as a coach,” Lazetic said. “But that’s football – one day everything clicks, and the next, nothing does. Everything happened quickly, and I tried to help them as best I could. We have to learn from this and give something back to the fans next match.”
Shua, who finished with two goals and an assist, spoke about Beitar’s resurgence with cautious optimism.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” he said. “We don’t want to talk about championships, but we’re building and growing. We came into the second half determined to raise our intensity, and we did exactly that.”
For Peretz, one of Maccabi’s captains, there were no silver linings.
“We’re disappointed, dejected, and ashamed,” he admitted. “I can’t even explain what happened in the second half. This is one of the toughest moments of my career.”
As the crowd filtered out of Bloomfield into the cool Tel Aviv night, the contrast of emotions was striking. The evening had begun in unity – a moment that transcended the game itself – and ended in sporting heartbreak. Yet even in defeat, the image that lingered wasn’t of Shua’s brace or Mishpati’s red card, but of two brothers standing hand in hand on the grass, smiling through tears as tens of thousands chanted their names.
For the Bermans, it was a homecoming. For the fans, a reminder of what truly matters. And for Israeli soccer, a night when the power of sport to heal, to hurt, and to connect was on full display – all within the same 90 minutes.
See more Israeli sports coverage at www.sportsrabbi.com/en