24 goals, 2 red cards and no penalties at all - this was the story of the first week after a Jewish holidays' recess in Israel. Lost of great goals and cool keepers' saves took place, and the results of 1:1 and 2:1 finished 7 of the 8 games! Hapoel Ashkelon made a different result, but it would like to forget it as quickly as possible.
Hapoel Tel-Aviv wasn't convincing in Ashdod, but still managed to defeat the hosts 2:1; the derby the next week in Bloomfield will be held, therefore, between the Red leaders and the Yellow outsiders of Maccabee who, nevertheless, managed to register their first victory by defeating Maccabee Herzliya at home with an identical score. The same result was registered in Kefar-Saba, where the hosts defeated the deteriorating squad of Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv, and in Petakh-Tikwa where the local Maccabee caused a first loss this season to Hapoel Jerusalem. 2 goals of incredible beauty were the only beautiful moments in a somewhat disappointing top game between Hapoel Haifa and Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa in Kiryat-Eliezer, 1:1. And finally, 3 keepers in bright performances were extremely disappointed at the end of their games - Shaul Smadja of Hapoel Beer-Sheva and Meir Cohen of Hapoel Beit-Shean conceded the equalizers in the dying minutes of their shows (from respectively Hapoel Rishon le-Zion and Maccabee Haifa), and Asi Rakhamim prevented his team, Hapoel Ashkelon, from a once-in-a-lifetime humiliation in Teddy, but still conceded 5 goals from Beitar, 1:5. And now - the details.
The very first attack of Beitar Jerusalem proved to be lethal - Yossi Abuksis sent a long ball to the right wing, Istvan Salloi sent it quickly and precisely into the box, and Nir Sevilla was there with a sharp volley from 7 meters under the left crossbar of Asi Rakhamim, 1:0. However, Hapoel Ashkelon managed to answer quite quickly with a brilliant equalizer - Georgi Anchavadze was knocked down 25 meters from Beitar's net and shot himself a fantastic curved free kick to the bar of Itzhak Korenfein and in, 1:1. Beitar was attacking vigorously then until the break, but saw Asi Rakhamim in his best again and again; besides, the lack of an injured Eli Ohana (who will probably return to play just several weeks before the end of the season) caused a certain indifference in the team's attacking line.
The 2nd half, however, was fully of Beitar, with the results to come. Parrying the balls of Abuksis and Salloi in the starting seconds, Asi Rakhamim threw his right hand instinctively in the air to parry the deadly header of Nir Sevilla from 5 meters above the bar, "The Save Of The Week" according to "Ha'Daka Ha'91". But there was no question which team was better, and this was just the question of timing for the 2nd goal of Beitar to come. And it came in another minute - an incredible dribbling of Istvan Hamar found another killing shot of Nir Sevilla, Rakhamim parried the danger, but Istvan Pisont was there to throw himself to a rebound, 2:1 with a beautiful flying header from 9 meters. And in another 7 minutes (55), it was 3:1 - Abuksis found Sevilla inside the box, Nir rolled it shortly to Hamar, and "The Player Of The Game" bounced the ball cleverly over the rushing keeper.
Ashkelon would've agreed to this relatively decent result, but the last 5 minutes produced two great and nearly identical attacks of Beitar, sealing the final score. First, the corner of Pisont (85) found the back header of the substituting defender Ehud Kahila outside the box, and Alon Harazi, another one to make all the way from his own defensive line, volleyed it flatly and diagonally from 18 meters to the right corner of Asi Rakhamim, through the narrow corridor between the numerous legs and out of the keeper's view. And 2 minutes later on, Abuksis performed the corner, and Istvan Pisont collected the ball and shot it wholeheartedly under the right crossbar of Rakhamim to become "The Best Scorer" of the League. 5:1; Beitar goes forward with 24 goals.
Unlike Beitar Jerusalem, Hapoel Tel-Aviv scored only 8 goals in 8 games (!); however, it conceded just 2 goals (!), and so, it leads the table. Yesterday it wasn't easy in Ashdod, but the locals missed time after time, and the Red guests were lucky. 28 minutes in the game, a cool pass of Georgi Daraselia found Demian Geiser inside the box, the latter's shot was blocked by Devadze, but Offer Shitrit was there on the rebound to push the ball in, 1:0. And 8 minutes from time, it was a pass of Mario Masterovic to the substitute Pinney Balili, and the latter rolled it past the diving Devadze to Ashdod's left post and in, 2:0. Amir Turgeman, also a substitute, used a mistake of Shavit Elimelekh and pushed the reducer into an empty net after a pass of Naor Galili; however, Ashdod missed the opportunities of Galili (56, 70), Suokonatio (71), Turgeman (81) and Zrihen (89) to earn the points and to make the sensation, and on the other hand, Shalom Tikwa's goal for Hapoel during the dying seconds of the game was rightly disallowed by the referee Eitan Tabrizi because of an offside. Even so, the feeling is that quite the few teams will take points in Ashdod this year.
28 minutes in the game as well, it was also the turn of Hapoel Beit-Shean to open the score at home vs Maccabee Haifa - Ami Azulai sent a long ball to Moris Uzan, who overran Avishai Zhano and rolled the ball past the hesitant Nir Davidovich, 1:0. There was another golden opportunity of Beit-Shean to make the matters certain, but it was missed (64) - Davidovich dived to parry the curved shot of Uzan from Haifa's right corner, Shimon Danan was there with a flat rebound to find the lying keeper throwing the ball away from a goal-line, and Heiman Halaila missed the ball in front of an empty net. But generally, it was Maccabee Haifa pressing all the time, only to see Meir Cohen, "The Player Of The Week", in his best; the peak was reached after 31 minutes of play, when a corner of Haim Silbas found a well-shot header of Arik Benado from 14 meters - Cohen made a step backwards, threw himself into the air and stretched there acrobatically to deflect the ball with his right-hand fingertips from under his right crossbar, my "Save Of The Week" which will be a real competitor for "The Save Of The Year". And still, the hosts were disappointed at the end - a simple ball was lost by the defensive line seconds from time, a series of ridiculous mistakes from both sides followed, and finally, Golan Deri brought Haifa a needed equalizer with a killing shot from 14 meters. Deri immediately lost all of the respect the local fans had for him after his 2 good seasons in Hapoel Beit-Shean, but he didn't seem to mind. As for Maccabee Haifa, it's still the 3rd; hopefully, the return of the injured Sergei Kandaurov will improve its game.
A great penetration of Giovanni Rosso (12) that ended in the right post of Shai Hess, a good save of Dudu Awwat from Eli Abrabanel's shot (27) and a very dubious red card shown to the guests' defender Ilan Boaron (in the 2nd consecutive game!) by the referee Haim Lipkovich for a mild foul on Giovanni Rosso (65)... This was all the story of the top game between Hapoel Haifa and Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa in Kiryat-Eliezer, besides the goals; however, those 2 teams have a tradition of totally dull games with incredibly beautiful goals, going all the way back to 1992 when "The Volley Of All Times" by Tal Banin astonished the Israeli Soccer fans. Yesterday, 1 minute before a break, Gabor Marton rolled the ball to an advancing defender Walid Badir; the latter overran Offer Talker, protected the ball from Reuven Attar, made yet another step forward and from 18 meters shot a razor-sharp right-footer to end its way of glory under the right crossbar of a desperately flying Awwat, 1:0 to make a serious statement for "The Goal Of The Season" contest. However, 5 minutes after the break, Giovanni Rosso equalized not just the score, but the beauty - Ran Ben-Shimon found Oren Flash at the right wing, the latter overjumped Ilan Boaron and slid the ball with his foot down to Giovanni Rosso, and the Croatian midfielder made one step into the box and sent a killer from 14 meters under the bar of a frantically flying Shai Hess, 1:1. Indeed, the goals were nothing but brilliant, but if the two teams want to stay at the top, they should improve their play.
Laszlo Czeh, the Hungarian midfielder of Hapoel Jerusalem, deserved a clear penalty kick away vs Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa after having been knocked down by Golan Malul (42); however, the young referee Lior Korenfeld didn't whistle for that. Indeed, Hapoel Jerusalem can see itself robbed in this particular moment, but as for the whole picture, the first home victory of Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa this season (and the first loss of Hapoel Jerusalem) were justified. 23 minutes still to go, Roman Filipchuk (a new purchase from Maccabee Herzliya) got a ball from Idan Tal and made a circus out of the guests' defence in his way to 1:0. 6 minutes later on, Morad Magamedov (a great game) centered the ball from the right wing, the keeper Liran Strauber and Filipchuk missed it, but Offer Cohen was positioned well to roll another ball into an empty net, 2:0. The guests reduced the score 2 minutes from time, through a header of Vickey Bukovza after Dudi Stolper's assist, but it wasn't enough. Unfortunately, after the final whistle it was a dirty "conversation" between Liran Strauber and Offer Cohen, ending, however, without direct blows. Yossi Mizrahi shouldn't be disappointed still with his team's overall performance during the Championship, and Moshe Sinai - he's on the right track, or so it seems. Even the attacking line has improved.
And with Filipchuk passing to Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa, Maccabee Herzliya is in trouble; indeed, it was a last minute beautiful reducer of Oleg Naduda, but the team still lost, sinking to the last place and taking Maccabee Tel-Aviv out of there with the latter's first victory this season. The Cup finalists failed to impress, but with Rodrigo Goldberg in their attacking line and the veteran Alexander Uvarov in their net - the latter made 2 beautiful saves (from Naduda and Santos Sierra), while the former scored 2 beautiful goals. The first came after 64 minutes, when a flat volley of Goldberg from 14 meters beat the diving Yehuda Boaron; the latter came after another 9 minutes with a penetration of Eli Driks, when Goldberg swang himself between Alex Barmecher and Vassili Ivanov and rolled the ball finally between Boaron's legs. Still, the Tel-Aviv derby the next week in Bloomfield will be another story.
Two great mistakes of the National keeper Rafi Cohen caused yesterday another loss of Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv, away to Hapoel Kefar-Saba. After just 6 minutes of play, he got out and missed the ball in Eliezer Spire's penetration from the left; Spire passed him and rolled the ball from an extremely hard angle, but it still found the net. And 3 minutes later, Tomer Shem-Tov came with a penetration from the right wing and a pass; Rafi Cohen got out badly to hit his own defender, and Itai Koren rolled the ball into an empty net, 2:0. Timur Tugashi reduced the score after 33 minutes of play, with a great solo penetration, and Bnei-Yehuda had plenty of time to equalize or even to win, but missed all the opportunities.
And finally, it was the game between Hapoel Rishon le-Zion and Hapoel Beer-Sheva, the gloriless Israeli representatives in the European Cup Winners' Cup in the last 2 years. After changing a coach, Beer-Sheva also opened a score away - Dudu Heffer got a ball from Oren Sagron and shot it greatly from 25 meters under the right crossbar of Sagi Strauss. Rishon was attacking most of the time, especially after a red card shown to Beer-Sheva's defender Sharon Raphael after 60 minutes of play; however, Shaul Smadja broke the chain of multiple goals conceded in each game and was in his best. And still, 1 minute from time, Moshe Sebeg tried to score, failed against Smadja and finally shot the rebound in, 1:1. A justified draw it was, after all.
NEXT WEEK: The Tel-Aviv derby between Hapoel (1) and Maccabee (13) is NOT TO BE MISSED!!! Besides, the games between Maccabee Herzliya (16) and Beitar Jerusalem (2) were never ever disappointing. Also to watch closely - Maccabee Haifa (3) vs Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa (8), Hapoel Jerusalem (5) vs Maccabee Ironi Ashdod (7).
Maccabee Ironi Ashdod - HAPOEL TEL-AVIV 1:2 (0:1).
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Hosts: Amir Turgeman (83).
Guests: Offer Shitrit (28), Pinney Balili (82).
THE BEST: Asi Domb, defender, Hapoel Tel-Aviv.
BEITAR JERUSALEM - Hapoel Ashkelon 5:1 (1:1).
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Hosts: Nir Sevilla (1), Istvan Pisont (48, 87), Istvan Hamar (55),
Alon Harazi (85).
Guests: Georgi Anchavadze (8).
THE BEST: Istvan Hamar, midfielder, Beitar Jerusalem.
Hapoel Beit-Shean - Maccabee Haifa 1:1 (1:0).
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Hosts: Moris Uzan (28).
Guests: Golan Deri (90).
THE BEST: Meir Cohen, keeper, Hapoel Beit-Shean.
Hapoel Haifa - Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa 1:1 (0:1).
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Hosts: Giovanni Rosso (50).
Guests: Walid Badir (44).
RED: Ilan Boaron, defender, Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa, 65.
THE BEST: Ran Ben-Shimon, defender, Hapoel Haifa.
MACCABEE PETAKH-TIKWA - Hapoel Jerusalem 2:1 (0:0).
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Hosts: Roman Filipchuk (67), Offer Cohen (73).
Guests: Vickey Bukovza (88).
THE BEST: Ismail Amar, defender, Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa.
Hapoel Rishon le-Zion - Hapoel Beer-Sheva 1:1 (0:1).
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Hosts: Moshe Sebeg (89).
Guests: Dudu Heffer (42).
RED: Sharon Raphael, defender, Hapoel Beer-Sheva, 60.
THE BEST: Shaul Smadja, keeper, Hapoel Beer-Sheva.
HAPOEL KEFAR-SABA - Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv 2:1 (2:1).
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Hosts: Eliezer Spire (6), Itai Koren (9).
Guests: Timur Tugashi (33).
THE BEST: Tamir Netser, defender, Hapoel Kefar-Saba.
MACCABEE TEL-AVIV - Maccabee Herzliya 2:1 (0:0).
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Hosts: Rodrigo Goldberg (64, 73).
Guests: Oleg Naduda (89).
THE BEST: Rodrigo Goldberg, forward, Maccabee Tel-Aviv.
THE WEEK'S TEAM:
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Meir Cohen
(Hapoel Beit-Shean)
Ismail Amar Eitan Taib Asi Domb Eliezer Spire
(Mcb. Petakh-Tikwa) (Hapoel Beit-Shean) (Hapoel Tel-Aviv) (Hapoel Kefar-Saba)
Yossi Abuksis Istvan Pisont Yossi Benayoun Istvan Hamar
(Beitar Jerusalem) (Beitar Jerusalem) (Hapoel Beer-Sheva) (Beitar Jerusalem)
Rodrigo Goldberg Nir Sevilla
(Maccabee Tel-Aviv) (Beitar Jerusalem)
Beitar Jerusalem - 4.
Hapoel Beit-Shean - 2.
Hapoel Tel-Aviv, Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa, Hapoel Kefar-Saba,
Maccabee Tel-Aviv, Hapoel Beer-Sheva - 1.
THE BEST GOAL:
91: Walid Badir, Giovanni Rosso, Dudu Heffer,
Nir Sevilla, Rodrigo Goldberg (the 2nd), Georgi Anchavadze.
MO: Walid Badir.
Also - the rest of the list from "91" + Rodrigo Goldberg (the 1st).
THE BEST SAVE:
91: Asi Rakhamim, from Nir Sevilla, 47.
MO: Meir Cohen, from Arik Benado, 31.
PLACE TEAM G W T L Goals Points
1 (1) Hapoel Tel-Aviv 08 5 3 0 8- 2 18
2 (5) Beitar Jerusalem 08 4 4 0 24-11 16
3 (3) Maccabee Haifa 08 4 3 1 15- 8 15
4 (4) Hapoel Haifa 08 4 3 1 12- 7 15
5 (2) Hapoel Jerusalem 08 4 3 1 11- 8 15
6 (6) Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa 08 4 2 2 14-11 14
7 (7) Maccabee Ironi Ashdod 08 3 3 2 10-11 12
8 (10) Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa 08 2 4 2 7- 8 10
9 (8-9) Hapoel Rishon le-Zion 08 2 3 3 10-12 9
10 (12) Hapoel Kefar-Saba 08 3 0 5 11-14 9
11 (8-9) Hapoel Ashkelon 08 2 2 4 10-16 8
12 (13) Hapoel Beit-Shean 08 2 1 5 7-12 7
13 (16) Maccabee Tel-Aviv 08 1 3 4 10-13 6
14 (11) Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv 08 1 3 4 7-11 6
15 (15) Hapoel Beer-Sheva 08 1 3 4 12-20 6
16 (14) Maccabee Herzliya 08 1 2 5 9-13 5
IN BRACKETS - the places of the teams after the last week.
BEST PLAYER: Meir Cohen, keeper, Hapoel Beit-Shean.
TOP SCORERS: Istvan Pisont (Beitar Jerusalem) 7(0) 2
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Moti Kakun (Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa) 6(4)
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Nir Sevilla (Beitar Jerusalem) 5(0) 1
Alon Mizrahi (Maccabee Haifa) 5(0)
Istvan Salloi (Beitar Jerusalem) 5(1)
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Sergei Kandaurov (Maccabee Haifa) 4(0)
Eli Driks (Maccabee Tel-Aviv) 4(0)
Yossi Benayoun (Hapoel Beer-Sheva) 4(1)
NOTE - the penalties scored are put in brackets. The last
column means the number of goals scored this week.
THE NEXT ROUND (in a week):
| Hosts | Guests |
| Hapoel Tel-Aviv (1) | Maccabee Tel-Aviv (13) |
| Maccabee Herzliya (16) | Beitar Jerusalem (2) |
| Maccabee Haifa (3) | Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa (8) |
| Hapoel Ashkelon (11) | Hapoel Haifa (4) |
| Hapoel Jerusalem (5) | Maccabee Ironi Ashdod (7) |
| Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa (6) | Hapoel Rishon le-Zion (9) |
| Hapoel Beer-Sheva (15) | Hapoel Kefar-Saba (10) |
| Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv (14) | Hapoel Beit-Shean (12) |
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