Soccer-Beitar Jerusalem clinch Israeli league title

By Ori Lewis

JERUSALEM, May 17 (Reuters) - Beitar Jerusalem trounced second-placed Maccabi Netanya 3-0 on Saturday to clinch the Israeli Premier League title for the second season in a row and register their first league and cup double.

With three games remaining, Beitar have a nine-point lead over Netanya, who have two matches left. Beitar will play in the in the qualifying rounds of next season's Champions League.

The Jerusalem side won the Israeli State Cup by beating Hapoel Tel Aviv 5-4 in a tense penalty shootout on Tuesday.

The title marked a second family celebration of the day for the club's Russian-born billionaire owner, Arkady Gaydamak. His son Sasha, the Portsmouth chairman, had earlier celebrated Pompey's FA Cup final victory over Cardiff City at Wembley.

Beitar were poised to win the title last month but a pitch invasion by impatient fans four minutes from the end of what looked like certain victory over lowly Maccabi Herzliya postponed the celebrations after the club were disciplined.

Beitar are one of Israel's best-supported clubs and are considered a bastion of the Israeli political right-wing. They also have the most volatile fans and since 2005 have been found guilty of disciplinary offences more than 20 times.

Netanya, who will be coached by German Lothar Matthaeus next season, are tipped to finish second in the 12-team Premier League and earn a spot in the UEFA Cup. If they do so, it will be a repeat of last season's 1-2 finish. (Writing by Ori Lewis; Editing by Trevor Huggins)