17 goals, 4 red cards and 1 crucial penalty scored - this was the story of the last weekend. Maccabee Yaffa seems to be the most possible candidate for relegation, and Maccabee Tel-Aviv seems to be the Champion, after a fantastic equalizer of Eitan Taib against Beitar Jerusalem in the injury time. And it was also the keepers' round - Meir Cohen of Beit-Shean, Golan Malul of Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa, Shai Hess of Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa, Sagi Strauss of Beitar Tel-Aviv, Alexander Zhidkov of Hapoel Tsafririm Holon... And Rafi Cohen returned to the net of Maccabee Haifa, being good enough to stay there for the rest of the season, if nothing unexpected happens; many people say now it was a crucial mistake to play without him in "The Game Of The Season" a week ago. He and Bonnie Ginzburg will play against South Korea this Tuesday in a friendly game. And last but not the least, Alon Brumer returned to the pitch for the first time after 7 months... Well, now - to the details.
Maccabee Tel-Aviv had to win in Holon in order to be almost sure of its Championship, but a week after a great victory in Haifa, the team was nervous, and the ball just refused to get in, partly due to the misses and partly due to the wonderful ability of Alexander Zhidkov in the net. However, Maccabee was still the better squad on the pitch, and the goal was just a question of time, finally coming after 65 minutes - Eli Driks found Itzhak Zohar in the box, and the latter misled Roman Pets and shot a powerful ball; Zhidkov touched it, but couldn't deflect it out of the net. On the 76th minute, Alon Brumer substituted Evgeniy Kashentsev; Brumer returned to the pitch after an absence of nearly 7 months, since Week 4, and was somewhat unsecure, but he's in a nice form. In any case, Maccabee Tel-Aviv is now 6 points from the 2nd place, when there are still 9 points to be played for; and it seems illogical one can deny them the Championship at that stage.
The story of Maccabee Tel-Aviv became even happier after the game in Haifa, where Hapoel Beit-Shean hosted Beitar Jerusalem. Eli Ohana scored after 7 minutes, due to the brilliant goal pass and the preparation work of Arik Benado, but Dani Malkin made no less brilliant goal pass to Vyacheslav Melnikov who equalized momentarily. Beitar was attacking all the time, but Meir Cohen was in his place to deny most of the balls, together with his defence. Dani Malkin (33) headed the ball away from the goal-line after the header of Eli Ohana, and the same Ohana shot away near an empty net (55), after a mistake of Meir Cohen; Istvan Salloi bombed it to the post (38), and Meir Cohen registered "The Save Of The Week" - Eli Ohana prepared the ball wonderfully to Shmuel Levi, the latter headed it to the legs of Eitan Taib and then shot the rebound from 5 meters to see Meir Cohen. lying on the ground, who parried it. Still, Beitar managed to score (65), when a shot of Pisont was deflected to Eli Ohana's head, and this prepared a ball to Yossi Abuksis who shot it flying in the air to his right post and in, 2:1. And the game seemed to end, 3 minutes in the injury time, when the unexpected happened - Eitan Taib got the ball from Yehuda Amar, advanced and shot from 30 meters at half a height to the right corner of Korenfein, the keeper flying all the way but failing to stop the killer. 2:2, and Beit-Shean seems to be able to stay in the League, while Beitar Jerusalem will fight for the UEFA Cup place. Beitar lost also a key player, David Amsalem, who had been sent off several minutes from the end after a brutal foul on Dani Malkin without a ball.
Maccabee Haifa won in Shkhunat-ha'Tikwa, and Rafi Cohen entered the net of Haifa to show a good performance and to catch again a National place in the net; as for the other National keeper, Bonnie Ginzburg, his situation is similar to this of the wonderful Andreas Koepke, the German National keeper who suffers badly in his home team, virtually without defence. Ginzburg made several saves, but still found himself frustrated 3 times. The 1st goal was a mirrored goal of Lee Sharpe against Barcelona, as Eyal Berkovich made a great preparation work, and Ronnie Levi heeled it to the far corner of Ginzburg. Just a minute has passed, and Offer Shitrit managed to pass the keeper and to score without seeing the net. And late in the 2nd half, the wonderful bounce of Avishai Zhano found Haim Revivo with an unstoppable flying header, 3:0 to the Greens. The people in Shkhunat-ha'Tikwa said it was the repetition before the Cup final (if Maccabee Haifa defeats Maccabee Tel-Aviv, and Bnei-Yehuda defeats Rishon le-Zion); if so, the lucky Haifa can start preparing to meet Atletico Madrid or any other European team in the nearest future.
It seems like one of the Haifa teams will be in Europe anyway, but if Maccabee Haifa loses the Cup semifinals, there will be JUST one Haifa team there. A week before the big derby between the two, Hapoel also won, 2:1 over Hapoel Tel-Aviv at home. Offer Talker scored a perfect header to the bar and in, after 11 minutes, and later Tal Banin bombed it home from a very hard angle; a great mistake of Jaroslav Baku, who didn't close his near corner, but we can't blame the keeper for the loss of Hapoel Tel-Aviv, as he made several superb saves later on. Nissim Avitan reduced the score after a certain confusion in Haifa's box, and the 2nd half was a total boredom.
Beitar Tel-Aviv hosted Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa and seemed very motivated to win; however, Shai Hess played greatly in the net of the guests. Seeing how unbeatable their keeper is, Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa started attacking too, but Sagi Strauss had a good day as well. And so, the game seemed to remain scoreless until the bright personal effort of the player from Ghana, Mark Adousi of Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa, who passed 2 players in the box and made a goal pass above Sagi Strauss and Gonen Botel; Manor Hassan succeeded in heading a ball into an empty net. Just a minute has passed, and Yaniv Avvargeal used a bad deflection from the head of Israel Cohen to volley it home on the other side, 1:1. Beitar tried, but the result remained as it was, and the Tel-Aviv squad seems to be in a real trouble.
Maccabee Yaffa needed the points, too, but it seems this team has nothing to do in the National League anymore. Dudu Elkaslassi passed the defence and scored after a mistake of Beloshapka (and the keeper seems to be a shadow of himself lately), and Yuriy Moroz equalized with a bright shot from 30 meters after a free kick to the left corner of Shavit Elimelekh at half a height. However, the same Moroz performed a dirty foul on Nir Shikwa and was sent off. Rishon started to press in the 2nd half, and Moshe Sebeg scored a good goal, turning out to be a winner. Yaffa is in a big-big trouble; Rishon le-Zion, on the other hand, seems to stay in the National League for one more season.
The same is the destiny of Kefar-Saba which defeated Maccabee Herzliya at home, 1:0, after Cobi Refua shot the unstoppable penalty kick; the referee Avner Cohen could've done far better, as he disallowed the clear goal of Offer Mizrahi and didn't give the 2 deserved penalties, one to each side. And Hapoel Beer-Sheva hadn't ensured its stay in the League yet - it was the better squad on the pitch, but Golan Malul managed to leave his net clean.
THE NEXT WEEK: The game of a great interest will be in Haifa, the derby. Maccabee Tel-Aviv (1) plays away against Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa (8), and if Shai Hess plays like yesterday, who knows what happens? Beitar Jerusalem (3) plays a very important game against Beitar Tel-Aviv (15) at home, as both teams have a lot to lose. At the bottom - Hapoel Beer-Sheva (13) hosts Maccabee Yaffa (16), Hapoel Rishon le-Zion (9) hosts Hapoel Beit-Shean (12), and Hapoel Tsafririm Holon (14) hosts Bnei-Yehuda (10).
MACCABEE TEL-AVIV - Hapoel Tsafririm Holon 1:0 (0:0).
-------------------------------------------------------
Hosts: Itzhak Zohar (65).
Guests: -.
THE BEST: Haim Hageage, midfielder, Maccabee Tel-Aviv.
Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv - MACCABEE HAIFA 0:3 (0:2).
--------------------------------------------------
Hosts: -.
Guests: Ronnie Levi (15), Offer Shitrit (16), Haim Revivo (77).
THE BEST: Eyal Berkovich, midfielder, Maccabee Haifa.
Hapoel Beit-Shean - Beitar Jerusalem 2:2 (1:1).
-------------------------------------------------
Hosts: Vyacheslav Melnikov (8), Eitan Taib (90).
Guests: Eli Ohana (7), Yossi Abuksis (65).
RED: David Amsalem, defender, Beitar Jerusalem, 86.
THE BEST: Eitan Taib, defender, Hapoel Beit-Shean.
HAPOEL HAIFA - Hapoel Tel-Aviv 2:1 (2:1).
-------------------------------------------
Hosts: Offer Talker (11), Tal Banin (28).
Guests: Nissim Avitan (39).
THE BEST: Offer Talker, midfielder, Hapoel Haifa.
Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa - Hapoel Beer-Sheva 0:0.
------------------------------------------------
Hosts: -.
Guests: -.
RED: Morad Magamedov, defender, Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa, 57.
THE BEST: Golan Malul, keeper, Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa.
HAPOEL KEFAR-SABA - Maccabee Herzliya 1:0 (0:0).
--------------------------------------------------
Hosts: Cobi Refua (81 pen).
Guests: -.
RED: Tomer Azulai, midfielder, Maccabee Herzliya, 71.
THE BEST: Andrei Lazovskiy, defender, Hapoel Kefar-Saba.
Beitar Tel-Aviv - Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa 1:1 (0:0).
--------------------------------------------------
Hosts: Yaniv Avvargeal (78).
Guests: Manor Hassan (76).
THE BEST: Shai Hess, keeper, Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa.
Maccabee Yaffa - HAPOEL RISHON LE-ZION 1:2 (1:1).
---------------------------------------------------
Hosts: Yuriy Moroz (18).
Guests: Dudu Elkaslassi (10), Moshe Sebeg (70).
RED: Yuriy Moroz, defender, Maccabee Yaffa, 36.
THE BEST: Moshe Sebeg, defender, Hapoel Rishon le-Zion.
THE WEEK'S TEAM:
----------------
Shai Hess
(Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa)
Moshe Sebeg Eitan Taib Andrei Lazovskiy Raz Rabinovich
(Rishon le-Zion) (Beit-Shean) (Hapoel Kefar-Saba) (Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa)
Alon Riff Offer Talker Eyal Berkovich Haim Hageage
(Hapoel Beer-Sheva) (Hapoel Haifa) (Maccabee Haifa) (Maccabee Tel-Aviv)
David Elkaslassi Eli Ohana
(Hapoel Rishon le-Zion) (Beitar Jerusalem)
Hapoel Rishon le-Zion - 2.
Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa, Beitar Jerusalem, Hapoel Beit-Shean,
Hapoel Kefar-Saba, Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa, Hapoel Beer-Sheva,
Hapoel Haifa, Maccabee Haifa, Maccabee Tel-Aviv - 1.
PLACE TEAM G W T L Goals Points
1 (1) Maccabee Tel-Aviv 27 20 5 2 55-16 65
2 (3) Maccabee Haifa 27 17 8 2 70-30 59
3 (2) Beitar Jerusalem 27 17 7 3 59-27 58
4 (4) Hapoel Haifa 27 17 7 3 58-28 58
5 (5) Hapoel Tel-Aviv 27 13 6 8 34-26 45
6 (6) Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa 27 12 9 6 38-31 45
7 (7) Maccabee Herzliya 27 10 5 12 31-31 35
8 (8) Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa 27 7 14 6 28-33 35
9 (10) Hapoel Rishon le-Zion 27 7 6 14 22-36 27
10 (9) Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv 27 7 6 14 41-56 27
11 (11) Hapoel Kefar-Saba 27 8 3 16 29-47 27
12 (12) Hapoel Beit-Shean 27 5 10 12 25-44 25
13 (13) Hapoel Beer-Sheva 27 5 9 13 28-35 24
14 (14) Hapoel Tsafririm Holon 27 6 5 16 26-46 23
15 (15) Beitar Tel-Aviv 27 5 6 16 26-56 21
16 (16) Maccabee Yaffa 27 5 4 18 21-49 19
BEST PLAYER: Eitan Taib, defender, Hapoel Beit-Shean.
TOP SCORERS: Haim Revivo (Maccabee Haifa) 25(0) 1
*********************************************************
Reuven Attar (Hapoel Haifa) 20(6)
*********************************************************
Eli Driks (Maccabee Tel-Aviv) 15(1)
(3 in M. Haifa) Alon Mizrahi (Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv) 15(1)
*********************************************************
Offer Shitrit (Maccabee Haifa) 14(0) 1
*********************************************************
Eli Ohana (Beitar Jerusalem) 13(0) 1
Roman Filipchuk (Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa) 13(1)
Istvan Salloi (Beitar Jerusalem) 13(1)
*********************************************************
Amir Turgeman (Hapoel Haifa) 12(0)
Ronen Harazi (Beitar Jerusalem) 12(3)
*********************************************************
Cobi Refua (Hapoel Kefar-Saba) 11(4) 1(1)
Sergei Kandaurov (Maccabee Haifa) 11(4)
*********************************************************
Nir Klinger (Maccabee Tel-Aviv) 10(0)
Najouan Grayib (Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa) 10(1)
Moti Kakun (Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa) 10(1)
Offer Mizrahi (Maccabee Herzliya) 10(3) 2(1)
NOTE - the penalties scored are put in brackets. The last
column means the number of goals scored this week.
NEXT ROUND (in a week):
| Hosts | Guests |
| Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa (8) | Maccabee Tel-Aviv (1) |
| Maccabee Haifa (2) | Hapoel Haifa (4) |
| Beitar Jerusalem (3) | Beitar Tel-Aviv (15) |
| Hapoel Tel-Aviv (5) | Hapoel Kefar-Saba (11) |
| Maccabee Herzliya (7) | Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa (6) |
| Hapoel Rishon le-Zion (9) | Hapoel Beit-Shean (12) |
| Hapoel Tsafririm Holon (14) | Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv (10) |
| Hapoel Beer-Sheva (13) | Maccabee Yaffa (16) |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Previous, Week 26 | Main Page | Soccer Page | 1995-96, History | Next, Week 28 |