HAPOEL HAIFA - Hapoel Kefar-Saba 6:0 (2:0).
---------------------------------------------
Hosts: Oren Nissim (31), Giovanni Rosso (43, 62),
Najouan Grayib (66, 73), Alexander Jovic (86).
| Awwat 6; Talker 6 (Aziz, 75), Ben-Shimon 6.5, Ami Azulai 6, Grayib 7;
| Zeituni 7, Ulyanov 7.5, Milenko 6.5, GIOVANNI ROSSO 8; Basis 6.5 (Hageage,
| 75), Nissim 6 (Jovic, 60 - 6.5).
********
Guests: -.
| Strauss 4.5; Shem-Tov 4, Catalyn 4, Netser 4, Ganon 4.5 (A. Sandor, 46 -
| 4); A. Itzhak 5, S. Danan 4 (Shum, 38 - 5), I. Koren 4.5, Masterovic 4.5;
| Niv Tal 4, Avvargeal 4 (Giannakh, 61).
********
REFEREE: Yosef Benishti (7).
AUDIENCE: 7,000, Kiryat-Eliezer Stadium, Haifa.
********
After two very hard games vs the top rivals, Hapoel Haifa used a short "vacation" for the true celebration of goals to humiliate Hapoel Kefar-Saba. The guests managed to hold on for 30 minutes, and then a dubious advantage, given to Haifa already after a whistle of the referee Yosef Benishti, resulted in a tremendous shot of Giovanni Rosso into the bar of Sagi Strauss; Oren Nissim's rebounding header opened the score, and here started Kefar-Saba's end. 2 goal passes of Dmitriy Ulyanov to Giovanni Rosso resulted in a charming arched ball from 18 meters under the left crossbar of Strauss (43) and a cool flat shot to his right corner (62); then, there came the turn of Najouan Grayib to score twice from the close ranges, although the National defender missed 2 other golden chances. The final goal belonged to the header of Alexander Jovic, and now it's time to look at his promise: "Once I score, the things will become truly OK with my game". If nothing truly sensational happens for the last 2 weeks of Round 1, Hapoel Haifa becomes "The Winter Champion" for the first time in many-many years.
Maccabee Herzliya - MACCABEE HAIFA 0:1 (0:0). ----------------------------------------------- Hosts: -. | Gilardi 6.5; S. Asraf 6, Barmecher 6.5, GUY MISHAL 7, Entebbi 6; A. Levi 6, | Gat 6, Zanetti 7, Niederhaus 6 (A. Cohen, 73), Simhon 6; Dantziger 5.5 (L. | Asulin, 68). ******** Guests: Alon Mizrahi (88). | Davidovich 5.5; Zhano 6, A. Harazi 6, Benado 6, A. Keisi 6; Nagar 5.5, | Koppel 5 (Calman, 87), Benayoun 5.5, Doro 5.5 (Belianchuk, 90); Katan 4.5 | (Romatko, 60 - 5.5), A. Mizrahi 6. ******** REFEREE: Assaf Keinan (8). AUDIENCE: 6,000, Ironi Stadium, Herzliya. ********
It's hard to understand what happens lastly to Maccabee Haifa, but the team still manages to take the points fully during the very last minutes of play; this time, it was the goal pass of Ibrahim Doro and another crucial goal of Alon Mizrahi from the close range. The result was very cruel for Herzliya that definitely didn't deserve to lose - Alex Barmecher, the keeper Shuli Gilardi and especially Guy Mishal were doing a terrific job, and Amit Levi (50), Tsakhi Zanetti (60) and Vladimir Niederhaus (65) had their opportunities to score. Even the bars of Yossi Benayoun (74) and Alon Mizrahi (80) could not conceal the fact that the Greens was bad again - and lucky again.
BEITAR JERUSALEM - Maccabee Tel-Aviv 1:0 (0:0). ------------------------------------------------- Hosts: Tamas Sandor (86). | Korenfein 6 (G. Griff, 46 - 6); Bakhar 5.5, Tretyak 5.5, Shelakh 5.5, E. | Mizrahi 6; S. Levi 5.5, Abuksis 6, Hamar 5.5, TAMAS SANDOR 6.5; Salloi 5.5 | (RED, 64), Sevilla 6.5 (Theodoriku, 88). ******** Guests: -. | Uvarov 6.5 (Rafi Cohen, 70); A. Offir 6, Emenalo 5, Balbul 5, Ben-Dayan 5.5; | Tsarfati 5.5, D. Revivo 5 (Driks, 67), Nimni 6, Edri 5 (O. Haim, 87), Glam | 5; Kubica 6. ******** REFEREE: Haim Yaacov (8). AUDIENCE: 16,000, Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem. ********
The central game was full of events, not all of which were connected to soccer netto; the major surprise was the arrival of the Prime-Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the stadium during the break, when he lit the 7th Chanukka candle and then, being already on the tribune, answered shortly the questions about the Iraqi crisis and the early elections, referring to the game as well. And the game itself was mostly ruled by Haim Yaacov, in an awful refereeing performance, mostly biased in favor of Maccabee Tel-Aviv. David Revivo and Marco Balbul did not get the deserved yellow cards for some extremely dirty fouls, Moshe Glam got just booked for a killing entrance into Itzhak Korenfein, after which the moaning keeper held on for another 30 minutes and was substituted during a break; besides, the handplay of Guy Tsarfati inside Maccabee's box was overlooked (74). 2 other penalties could be awarded, one for each side, for a foul of Michael Emenalo on Yossi Abuksis (34) and of Ilan Bakhar on Eli Driks (82). And the peak of violence and loss of control by Yaacov happened after 64 minutes of play - Istvan Salloi, tired of Marco Balbul's constant provocations, sent him down with an unsportive foul and was sent off, and afterwards Maccabee's coach Avraham Grant and Beitar's President Moshe Dadash were sent off as well. The mark that the referee got, therefore, is only of the "YEDIOTH AHRONOTH" newspaper, with my total disagreement.
It was also the only game I remember ever, in which both keepers were substituted because of injuries - 21 minutes from time, Alexander Uvarov, being the most important figure by then and parrying fabulously the balls of Eitan Mizrahi (26), Yossi Abuksis (50) and Tamas Sandor (55), had to leave the pitch after colliding 10 minutes earlier with Ilan Bakhar; his substitute, the former National keeper Rafi Cohen, became again the miserable figure of the game, though now it was none of his fault. Avi Nimni found the crossbar of Guy Griff (46), Eli Driks (67) and Moshe Glam (78) missed their great chances, and Griff parried the cannon ball of Alon Offir (81) - but 4 minutes from time, there was a victorious goal of Beitar to please the Prime-Minister. A long ball of Griff found the sliding header of Nir Sevilla, and Tamas Sandor overran the sliding Balbul and rushed 20 meters towards the net. He entered the box, passed the keeper who was very careful not to earn the penalty kick (see Bulgaria, Cyprus and Maccabee Ironi Ashdod), and rolled the ball into an empty net. It might be still early to write eulogies to Beitar, if this is the way they play.
Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa - Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa 1:1 (1:1). -------------------------------------------------------- Hosts: Manor Hassan (43). | Hess 5.5; Hermesh 4, Marton 6, Kozoshvili 5, I. Boaron 5; Stan 4.5, Shamir | 6, Abrabanel 5 (Angelkovic, 73), Hassan 5.5 (RED, 65), Attar 4.5; Kakun 5. ******** Guests: Idan Malihi (5). | O. Cohen 5; I. Amar 6 (RED, 35), S. Tsofin 6, Ben-Yosef 5.5, KEFIR PARTIELI | 6; Malihi 6, Idan Tal 6, Lusek 6 (Muslem, 46 - 5), Shemariyahu 5.5 | (Petrosian, 84); S. Avitan 5.5 (Bialla, 85), Bransi 5.5. ******** REFEREE: Yaacov Ben-Hemo (5). AUDIENCE: 7,000, Ironi Stadium, Petakh-Tikwa. ********
A start belonged to Maccabee - Ilie Stan and Beni Kozoshvili headed away the balls from the line, and there followed the fabulous save of Shai Hess from the shot of Idan Tal; however, in a minute Tal gave the ball to the young Idan Malihi, and the latter opened the score with a flat shot from 14 meters. 2 minutes before the break, Stan found Manor Hassan entering the box, and the latter passed Malihi with the utter elegance and overplayed Ohad Cohen, 1:1; Kefir Partieli was later on with his own saving header, from the guests' line this time. That was, however, everything about soccer in this derby of Petakh-Tikwa, and the rest belonged to violence. Ismail Amar, not bad before that moment, was sent off, 11 minutes before the break, after one of the most awful and disgusting fouls seen in the last years, on Manor Hassan; Hassan himself was sent off later on with a 2nd yellow card, for the foul on the newcomer Saami Muslem. At least 2 other red cards had to be given - to Kefir Partieli (unsportive foul on Eli Abrabanel; Michel Salgado of Celta Vigo got his red card the last week for a much lesser offence) and to Reuven Attar (awful unsportive foul on Saami Muslem). And while Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa catches a secure place at the midtable, the great expectations of Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa start seeming like a dream.
Hapoel Tel-Aviv - Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv 1:1 (1:1). --------------------------------------------------- Hosts: Sebastian Simerotic (45 pen). | Elimelekh 5; F. Halfon 6.5 (R. Nakhman, 86), Gershon 6, S. Cohen 5 (Tubi, | 46 - 5), Ben-Ami 6; Avi Azulai 6, Rupenik 5, Tikwa 5, Tuama 5; Udi 5 (Z. | Kabeda, 68), Simerotic 5. ******** Guests: Cobi Refua (9). | Smadja 6; Y. Avihail 6, Siton 6 (Y. Gordana, 73), RONEN FEIGENBAUM 6.5, | Ballas 6, Caplan 5.5; Y. Abuksis 5.5, Liberman 5 (RED, 45), Madar 5.5 (S. | Mizrahi, 79), Fibernik 5; Refua 5.5 (Y. Alpiya, 87). ******** REFEREE: Eitan Tavrizi (6). AUDIENCE: 4,500, Bloomfield Stadium, Yaffa. ********
A great free kick of Yossi Madar from the right wing was with by a header of Cobi Refua, misleading Shavit Elimelekh and opening the score surprisingly; Hapoel Tel-Aviv could just equalize seconds before the break, when Sebastian Simerotic coolly converted a penalty kick given for Alon Caplan's foul on Felix Halfon. Even the red card (the 3rd this season!), shown to David Liberman of Bnei-Yehuda several seconds afterwards for an unsportive foul on Kefir Udi, couldn't change the score - Bnei-Yehuda played very defensively, and Hapoel's impotence in everything concerning the good attacks was just remarkable.
HAPOEL TSAFRIRIM HOLON - Hapoel Jerusalem 3:1 (1:1). ------------------------------------------------------ Hosts: Georgi Daraselia (26), Beni Hadad (56, 62). | Pashko 6.5; MOTI FLEETER 7, Sokher 6.5, Fur 6, Avigdor 6 (D. Kabeda, 79); | B. Hadad 7, Ben-Barukh 6 (Zaric, 81), Shlomi Dahan 6, Daraselia 6, Flash 6 | (Khen, 89); Siasiah 5.5. ******** Guests: Moti Menakhem (27). | Strauber 5; Dado Dahan 4.5 (Setti, 59 - 5), A. Sason 4 (RED, 41), T. Azulai | 5.5, S. Danino 5; Shnorman 5, E. Avrahami 4.5, Costelnik 5.5 (Y. Asayag, | 75), M. Salman 4.5 (Hermon, 51 - 5); Menakhem 5, Pacha 5.5. ******** REFEREE: Dani Koren (7). AUDIENCE: 1,000, Ironi Stadium, Holon. ********
Another stupid red card was shown to the player of Hapoel Jerusalem, this time Arik Sason, for his unsportive foul of Georgi Daraselia; this urged the club's President Victor Yona to say that the one to be sent off for the unsportive foul the next time wouldn't be paid a salary for the next 2 months. After that card Jerusalem, by then levelling with a great shot of Moti Menakhem (27) a double effort of Daraselia (26), was totally broken. Beni Hadad caught the prime then, first with a header after Daraselia's corner, and later on with a cool finish, after a quick Daraselia - Siasiah - Daraselia - Hadad combination. Holon looks positive towards the continuation, and Jerusalem should check itself once again.
Hapoel Beit-Shean - Maccabee Ironi Ashdod 1:1 (1:0). ------------------------------------------------------ Hosts: Gala Pancheladze (44). | M. Cohen 5.5; O. Asulin 5.5 (Roi Sagi, 66), Dudu Dahan 6.5, EITAN TAIB 7, | Sapir 6; A. Danan (RED, 7), Y. Biton 6, Pancheladze 6.5, M. Uzan 5 (M. | Ben-Hemo, 82), Gili Levi 5.5 (Almog Hazan, 54 - 5.5); Culakovic 6. ******** Guests: Barukh Dego (79). | Devadze 5; Masouli 6, Fibakh 6, Spire 6.5, S. Ben-Hemo 5 (Zrihen, 60 - 5); | Hazut 5.5, Naveda 5 (Fadida, 71), Balog 6, Sharabi 6, Dego 7; Turgeman 5.5. ******** REFEREE: Shmuel Steiff (8). AUDIENCE: 1,500, Ironi Stadium, Beit-Shean. ********
Playing with 10 men for most of the game, after a very early red card shown to Avi Danan, the hosts still managed to score first, the 1st goal this season of Gala Pancheladze, after a header preparation of Sergen Culakovic. Pancheladze missed another great opportunity to score (83), but after all, it was Ashdod all over; however, the incredible miss of Naveda (2), the wasted chances of Balog (18) and Ben-Hemo (19), the fantastic save of Meir Cohen from the shot of Gadi Hazut (26) and a brilliant volley shot of Eliezer Spire from 22 meters, nearly breaking the bar (31), weren't enough. When Beit-Shean was sure it would finally collect all the points, there came a tremendous shot of the young Barukh Dego from 25 meters under the bar of Meir Cohen, 1:1. Ashdod behaves in a way like the League's Robin Hood - it takes points from the rich (Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa, Hapoel Tel-Aviv, Maccabee Haifa) and gives them to the poor (Maccabee Yaffa, Hapoel Beit-Shean).
Maccabee Yaffa - HAPOEL RISHON LE-ZION 1:4 (0:2). --------------------------------------------------- Hosts: Ran Rishti (78). | Zoidze 4.5; Zeladzevic 4.5, Mahamid 5, Lupo 4.5, Abu-Kishak 5, Vaaknin 4.5; | G. Nakhman 4, Djilovski 4 (Bukhari, 73), Rishti 5, Kokhavi 4.5 (Shakruka, | 46 - 4.5); Valentinic 5. ******** Guests: Rafi Cohen (31), Nissan Capeta (39 pen, 65), Udi Kabudi (80). | Y. Mizrahi 5.5; G. Deri 6, T. Eliyahu 5.5, Agassi 5.5, Albert 6; Pitusi 6, | Markicevic 5.5 (E. Cohen, 81), Nussbaum 6, NISSAN CAPETA 6.5 (Y. Amar, 76); | Kabudi 6, Rafi Cohen 6 (Shikwa, 79). ******** REFEREE: David Barak (9). AUDIENCE: 700, Gaon Stadium, Yaffa. ********
Yaffa indeed tried hard, but Rishon was just mocking at this talentless and unorganized team with deadly counterattacks. It all started with the shot of Nenad Markicevic, which was very imprecise but found a volley continuation of Rafi Cohen leaving Zoidze dumbfounded, 1:0. A beautiful goal of Nissan Capeta (39) and his penalty, after Zeev Lupo's foul on Rafi Cohen (65), were actually the end of the story. Yaffa still reduced the score, through a great far-ranger of Ran Rishti, but then its defenders overlooked the meteoric penetration of Rafi Cohen to seal the score, 4:1.
THE WEEK'S TEAM:
----------------
Alexander Uvarov
(Maccabee Tel-Aviv)
Moti Fleeter Eitan Taib Guy Mishal Najouan Grayib
(Hapoel Tsafririm Holon) (Hap. Beit-Shean) (Maccabee Herzliya) (Hapoel Haifa)
Giovanni Rosso Beni Hadad Barukh Dego Dmitriy Ulyanov
(Hapoel Haifa) (Hapoel Tsafririm Holon) (Mcb. Ironi Ashdod) (Hapoel Haifa)
Nir Sevilla Alexander Jovic
(Beitar Jerusalem) (Hapoel Haifa)
Hapoel Haifa - 4.
Hapoel Tsafririm Holon - 2.
Beitar Jerusalem, Maccabee Tel-Aviv,
Maccabee Ironi Ashdod, Maccabee Herzliya, Hapoel Beit-Shean - 1.
PLACE TEAM G W T L Goals Points
1 (1) Hapoel Haifa 13 11 2 0 26- 3 35
2 (2) Maccabee Haifa 13 9 2 2 31-10 29
3 (4) Beitar Jerusalem 13 8 1 4 36-16 25
4 (3) Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa 13 8 1 4 28-17 25
5 (5) Maccabee Tel-Aviv 13 6 3 4 24-18 21
6 (6) Hapoel Tel-Aviv 13 6 3 4 21-16 21
7 (7) Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa 13 5 5 3 23-16 20
8 (11) Hapoel Tsafririm Holon 13 5 3 5 19-12 18
9 (10) Maccabee Ironi Ashdod 13 4 5 4 20-20 17
10 (8) Hapoel Jerusalem 13 5 2 6 21-25 17
11 (9) Hapoel Kefar-Saba 13 5 2 6 18-28 17
12 (12) Hapoel Rishon le-Zion 13 4 4 5 23-29 16
13 (13) Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv 13 3 3 7 17-26 12
14 (14) Maccabee Herzliya 13 3 1 9 13-23 10
15 (16) Hapoel Beit-Shean 13 1 2 10 7-40 5
16 (15) Maccabee Yaffa 13 1 1 11 8-36 4
IN BRACKETS - the places of the teams after the last week.
BEST PLAYER: Giovanni Rosso, midfielder, Hapoel Haifa.
TOP SCORERS: Moti Kakun (Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa) 13(1)
**********************************************************
Alon Mizrahi (Maccabee Haifa) 11(2) 1(0)
**********************************************************
Offer Shitrit (Beitar Jerusalem) 10(0)
Amir Turgeman (Maccabee Ironi Ashdod) 10(4)
*********************************************************
Victor Pacha (Hapoel Jerusalem) 8(0)
**********************************************************
Udi Kabudi (Hapoel Rishon le-Zion) 7(0) 1(0)
Yossi Benayoun (Maccabee Haifa) 7(0)
Giovanni Rosso (Hapoel Haifa) 7(2) 2(0)
Andrzej Kubica (Maccabee Tel-Aviv) 7(3)
**********************************************************
Rafi Cohen (Hapoel Rishon le-Zion) 6(0) 1(0)
Nir Sevilla (Beitar Jerusalem) 6(0) 2(0)
Cobi Refua (Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv) 6(0) 1(0)
Adrian Ungur (Hapoel Kefar-Saba) 6(0)
Avi Nimni (Maccabee Tel-Aviv) 6(2)
Rajid Bransi (Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa) 6(2)
Nissan Capeta (Hapoel Rishon le-Zion) 6(3) 2(1)
Yaniv Avvargeal (Hapoel Kefar-Saba) 6(3)
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 |
| Maccabee Ironi Ashdod (9) | Hapoel Haifa (1) |
| Maccabee Haifa (2) | Maccabee Yaffa (16) |
| Hapoel Kefar-Saba (11) | Beitar Jerusalem (3) |
| Hapoel Rishon le-Zion (12) | Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa (4) |
| Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv (13) | Maccabee Tel-Aviv (5) |
| Hapoel Tel-Aviv (6) | Hapoel Tsafririm Holon (8) |
| Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa (7) | Hapoel Beit-Shean (15) |
| Hapoel Jerusalem (10) | Maccabee Herzliya (14) |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| Previous, Week 12 | Main Page | Soccer Page | 1998-99, History | Next, Week 14 |