Hapoel Tel-Aviv - Hapoel Haifa 0:0. ------------------------------------ Hosts: -. | Elimelekh 6; F. Halfon 6.5, Gershon 6, Kahila 6, Hillel 6; Rupenik 6, | Ben-Ami 5.5 (Tuama, 40 - 5), Marton 4.5 (Simerotic, 61), Tikwa 5, Idan | Tal 4.5; Tubi 5 (Udi, 75). ******** Guests: -. | Awwat 6; Talker 6, Ben-Shimon 6, A. Halfon 6, Grayib 5.5; OREN ZEITUNI 6.5, | Ulyanov 5.5, Rosso (RED, 13), Jovic 4.5 (Ilan Tal, 55 - 5.5); Basis 4.5 | (Hageage, 55 - 5), Nissim 4.5 (Ami Azulai, 65). ******** REFEREE: Arik Haimovich (7). AUDIENCE: 10,000, Bloomfield Stadium, Yaffa. ********
A game everybody expected to bring a huge joy to the spectators, turned out to be a real boredom. After just 13 minutes of play, Giovanni "The King" Rosso was sent off by a decisive referee Arik Haimovich after a brutal entry into Davor Rupenik's legs, and Haifa closed the way to its net and defended until the very end. However, the hosts couldn't exploit it because of an awful game of their stars - Shalom Tikwa and Idan Tal weren't themselves, and Gabor Marton was very nervous and luckily escaped the red card after cutting Ran Ben-Shimon in the midcircle. A rare sparkle of gift still enabled Tikwa to use an awful position of Dudu Awwat and to send an immense ball from 16 meters in an incredible turn - to the bar. Later on, Awwat recovered and parried well the 2 dangerous free kicks of Salim Tuama and Shimon Gershon, and Haifa achieved the result it wanted to achieve. 9 points is less than 11, but it is still a very meaningful gap hardly possible to be closed in 11 games.
Hapoel Jerusalem - BEITAR JERUSALEM 0:3 (0:2). ------------------------------------------------ Hosts: -. | Strauber 6.5; Menakhem 4.5, S. Mihei 4.5, T. Azulai 4.5, Hermon 4.5, S. | Danino 5; Gola 5 (E. Avrahami, 46 - 5), Zeladzevic 4.5, Shnorman 5 (S. | Amar, 61 - 5), Liani 4.5 (Costelnik, 39 - 4.5); Valentinic 4.5. ******** Guests: Istvan Salloi (18), Asi Domb (45), Nir Sevilla (58). | Korenfein 6; Bakhar 6 (S. Levi, 77), Shelakh 6.5, Domb 7, R. Deri 6 (Hamar, | 68); TAMAS SANDOR 7, Abuksis 6.5 (Reichman, 80), Talesnikov 6, Salloi 6.5; | Sevilla 7, O. Shitrit 5. ******** REFEREE: Eyal Tsur (6). AUDIENCE: 9,000, Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem. ********
In a total contradiction to all the declarations of Hapoel before the game, Beitar talked on the pitch - and if the humiliated Liran Strauber was a serious contender for "The Player Of The Week", this tells a lot about Beitar's undoubted superiority; Hapoel, on the other hand, should thank Strauber and especially Offer Shitrit who stood 6 (!) times in one-to-one stands with the keeper and always failed to score. The opener came after 18 minutes of play, when a ball of Sevilla was deflected by Stephan Mihei, and Istvan Salloi continued it with a flat volley from 16 meters to the left corner of the helpless keeper, 1:0. Just before the break, after Strauber has annihilated Shitrit and no goals seemed to come, it was a great action of Asi Domb who got a ball from Salloi, brought it from his right leg to his left, passed a defender and then curved the ball from 17 meters to the low corner of the diving keeper, 2:0. Only once Itzhak Korenfein had to show his own skills, parrying the dangerous ball of Joseph Costelnik (47), and on the other hand, it was a double save of immense beauty, made by Strauber from the 2 dangerous headers of Nir Sevilla (56). But after 2 minutes, Sevilla took the revenge, getting a great ball from Sandor and bouncing it over the advancing keeper, 3:0.
Maccabee Haifa - MACCABEE TEL-AVIV 1:2 (0:1). ----------------------------------------------- Hosts: Yossi Benayoun (80). | Davidovich 6; Zhano 5, A. Harazi 5, Benado 5, A. Keisi 4.5; Nagar 5 (Doro, | 69), Brzeczek 6, Romatko 4 (Koppel, 46 - 5.5), Benayoun 5.5, Katan 6; Pacha | 4 (R. Harazi, 46 - 6). ******** Guests: Avi Nimni (14), Andrzej Kubica (59). | Uvarov 5.5; A. Offir 6, Emenalo 6.5, Balbul 6, Ben-Dayan 6; Kosolapov 6, | Tsarfati 5.5 (Glam, 76), D. Revivo 7 (Driks, 89), Edri 6.5, AVI NIMNI 7.5; | Kubica 7 (G. Brumer, 81). ******** REFEREE: Haim Lipkovich (6). AUDIENCE: 15,000, Kiryat-Eliezer Stadium, Haifa. ********
Maccabee Tel-Aviv went on with its usual skill during the last months, and on the other hand, Maccabee Haifa gave Lokomotiv Moscow's coach Yuriy Syomin a real reason for joy - the Greens of a post-Mizrahi era still can't find the thread of play and can hardly present any rival to the disciplined Russians. After two early misses of Yaniv Katan at the start, it was a stupid loss of ball by Adoram Keisi to David Revivo - the young brother of Haim advanced and raised the ball into the box, Kubica volleyed it home, Nimni changed the direction, and although the abandoned Nir Davidovich saved the first effort, nobody interfered with Nimni when he sent the rebound in, 1:0. Haifa of the 1st half sucked like nothing ever sucked before, and just 2 incredible saves of the National keeper in one-to-one with Kubica left the score intact; however, even Davidovich could do nothing against the lethal counterattack of Offir - Edri - Nimni - Kubica, 2:0. This goal came in the middle of Haifa's pressure and therefore totally broke the team. A very beautiful goal header of Nimni was disallowed, because the corner kick of Alon Offir passed the goal-line before reaching Nimni's head, and a sparkle of Jerzy Brzeczek left Yossi Benayoun in one-to-one with Alexander Uvarov, 2:1 that wasn't enough.
Maccabee Herzliya - Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa 2:2 (0:1). ---------------------------------------------------- Hosts: Lior Asulin (82), Vassili Ivanov (87). | SHULI GILARDI 6.5; A. Levi 6, Ivanov 5.5, Barmecher 5.5, Mishal 5.5, | Entebbi 5.5; Gat 6, Naduda 4.5 (RED, 33), Simhon 5 (L. Asulin, 64), | Mchitarian 5 (Shabo, 74); Vilner 5 (Filipchuk, 46 - 6). ******** Guests: Moti Kakun (2), Assif Ben-Ishai (83). | Hess 5; Maya 5, Kolosevic 5, Ihiel 5, I. Boaron 5.5; Shamir 5, Abrabanel | 5.5 (Rosen, 83), Badir 6, Attar 5 (Ben-Ishai, 59 - 5.5); Makoveyev 6, Kakun | 6. ******** REFEREE: Yosef Benishti (7). AUDIENCE: 800, Ironi Stadium, Herzliya. ********
The game, being quite boring during the first 80 minutes, suddenly gave us one of the biggest dramas this season at the end. After just 2 minutes of play, the young Ukrainean forward Igor Makoveyev gave a great pass to Moti Kakun, who passed Vassili Ivanov and bombed it home under the left crossbar of Shuli Gilardi. In half an hour, Oleg Naduda was sent off, after stepping on Kakun without a ball, and the game seemed to be finished - in addition, Petakh-Tikwa went on pressing, and only a very good game of Shuli Gilardi prevented the score from being multiplied. 8 minutes from time, however, it was a high ball of Guy Gat to the flying header of Roman Filipchuk, and the young substitute Lior Asulin used it to score a goal for a 2nd consecutive week, this time passing the keeper Shai Hess and rolling the ball past the heels of Viadin Kolosevic, 1:1. But this was only the beginning, as in the first attack of the stunned guests, the National midfielder Walid Badir released a beautiful shot from 25 meters, deflecting from the hosts' defender's leg; Gilardi could still react and parried the ball to the legs of the substitute Assif Ben-Ishai, who bombed it to the bar and in, 2:1 to the guests! And still, the team of Shiya Feigenbaum said the last word - Vassili Ivanov played a double-pass with the substitute Haim Shabo and bombed the ball from 17 meters under the right crossbar of Shai Hess with a brilliant equalizer. The team of Shiya goes unbeaten for the last 5 games, and still it's not enough to escape from the dangerous zone; on the other hand, Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa sucks lastly very profoundly and is still in a touch of the 2nd place.
Hapoel Tsafririm Holon - HAPOEL BEIT-SHEAN 0:1 (0:0). ------------------------------------------------------- Hosts: -. | Pashko 6; Khen 5, Fur 5, Sokher 5, B. Hadad 5; Flash 5, S. Dahan 5, | Ben-Barukh 5 (Fleeter, 68), Zaric 4.5 (Buzaglo, 84), Daraselia 6; | Siasiah 4.5. ******** Guests: Eitan Taib (90 pen). | M. Cohen 5.5; Tsuref 5.5, EITAN TAIB 6, Dudu Dahan 6, Sapir 5 (Caplan, 67); | Hader 5.5, Cinka 5.5, Pancheladze 5, Rozosevic 5, M. Uzan 5.5; Culakovic 4.5 | (H. Irmiyahu, 67). ******** REFEREE: Amit Klein (6). AUDIENCE: 400, Ironi Stadium, Holon. ********
Probably, the surprise of this round. A very dull game resulted only in the bar of Georgi Daraselia (2) and the post of the same great Georgian player (78), as on the other side it was a fantastic save of Martin Pashko from the far-ranger of Alon Caplan. The last minute brought a huge unjustice, as Marius Cinka penetrated into the box, screwed himself between Tal Khen and Nir Sokher, and suddenly threw himself on the ground like Polonius killed by Hamlet's sword. The referee Amit Klein, a poor reminder of his famous father, awarded a penalty kick, coolly converted by Eitan Taib. Well, Holon is no Beitar Jerusalem, here you can't miss the crucial penalty...
Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa - MACCABEE IRONI ASHDOD 0:1 (0:1). ---------------------------------------------------------- Hosts: -. | O. Cohen 4.5; Muslem 4.5, Magamedov 6, Ben-Yosef 5 (S. Tsofin, 54 - 5), | Partieli 4 (Petrosian, 37 - 5.5); I. Amar 5, Lusek 6, G. Itzhak 5, | Shemariyahu 5.5; Bransi 4 (RED, 85), S. Avitan 4.5 (R. Sharabi, 72). ******** Guests: Hananya Fadida (12). | Zelig 6; Hazut 5, GEZA MASOULI 6.5, Y. Malka 6, Tobol 5; Balog 6, | Almoshnino 5.5 (Y. Offir, 80), A. Sharabi 5, Dego 6 (Spire, 88); Turgeman | 5, Fadida 5.5 (Naveda, 63). ******** REFEREE: Shmuel Steiff (6). AUDIENCE: 400, Ironi Stadium, Petakh-Tikwa. ********
A game which disappointed lots of Toto fans - the first away victory of Ashdod this season came quite unexpected. The winner of Hananya Fadida came 12 minutes in the game, after a wide pass of Barukh Dego and the continuation of Amir Turgeman, and later on, Ashdod had the better opportunities than the hosts; in addition, Rajid Bransi was sent off after a wild foul on Tibor Balog. For the team of Eyal Lakhman, it was a 5th consecutive loss, and if the first 3 came vs the leaders, the losses to Kefar-Saba and Ashdod should make the team alert. Ashdod, or so it seems, goes the right way.
HAPOEL RISHON LE-ZION - Hapoel Kefar-Saba 2:1 (0:0). ------------------------------------------------------ Hosts: Nir Shikwa (66), OG (Tamir Netser, 80). | Y. Mizrahi 6; G. Deri 5 (Sebeg, 60 - 6), OREN ROTHEM 7, T. Eliyahu 6, | Albert 5.5; A. Brumer 6, Markicevic 6, Pitusi 5 (Shikwa, 65), Capeta 5 (E. | Cohen, 82), Kabudi 5; Rafi Cohen 5. ******** Guests: Yaniv Avvargeal (53 pen). | Rosenberg 6.5; I. Koren 5.5 (A. Sandor, 77), Catalyn 5, Netser 5, Ganon 5; | Masterovic 5, Ben-Haim 5 (S. Danan, 82), Shem-Tov 5.5, A. Itzhak 5 | (Avvargeal, 46 - 5.5), Niv Tal 5.5 (RED, 33); Ungur 6. ******** REFEREE: Dani Koren (7). AUDIENCE: 1,300, Superland Stadium, Rishon le-Zion. ********
Hapoel Kefar-Saba, staying in 10 men 10 minutes before the break, after a 2nd yellow card shown to Niv Tal, surprisingly managed to take the lead - Yaniv Avvargeal was knocked down inside the box in a counterattack and converted the penalty himself, 1:0. However, Rishon le-Zion didn't seem to be ready to give up, and after 13 minutes could finally beat the great Ami Rosenberg; Oren Rothem's header was parried by the keeper to the bar, but the substitute Nir Shikwa was on the rebound with his header and equalized with his 1st touch of the ball in this game, 1:1. 10 minutes from time, Rishon didn't even need to struggle hard in order to score a winner - it was the wide ball of the same Nir Shikwa, and the guests' defender Tamir Netser sent the ball to his net; Rosenberg managed to react and to touch the ball in a desperate dive, but still couldn't spoil the unpleasant surprise, 2:1 to Rishon.
Maccabee Yaffa - BNEI-YEHUDA TEL-AVIV 0:3 (0:1). -------------------------------------------------- Hosts: -. | Zoidze 5; Vaaknin 4.5 (Rishti, 46 - 4.5), Nidal 4.5, Rabinovich 4.5 (RED, | 83), Moyal 4.5, Abu-Kishak 5.5; G. Hershlikovich 5.5, U. Ohayon 5.5 (G. | Nakhman, 46 - 4.5), Elmakeis 4.5; Afek 4, Bukhari 4 (Kokhavi, 76). ******** Guests: Cobi Refua (42, 90), Yossi Madar (83 pen). | Smadja 5; O. Levi 5.5, Abuksis 5 (Fletcher, 61), Siton 5, Y. Avihail 6 | (Ballas, 86); Fibernik 5.5, Liberman 6, Mararo 5 (Schwegger, 46 - 5.5), | Madar 6.5; Shirazi 6.5, COBI REFUA 7. ******** REFEREE: Yaacov Ben-Hemo (5). AUDIENCE: 600, Gaon Stadium, Yaffa. ********
What can be a better starting point to gain points than Maccabee Yaffa this season, home or away? The game between the 2 bottom teams was still pretty equal until the 42nd minute, when Cobi Refua used a good pass of Yossi Madar and overplayed Irakliy Zoidze within the box, 1:0. The 2nd goal of Bnei-Yehuda (the other opportunities are hardly worth mentioning at all, as they were virtually non-existent from both sides) came after a shot of Cobi Refua past the keeper, parried by Raz Rabinovich with a hand; the result was a red card to Rabinovich and a penalty kick, converted by Yossi Madar. The last minute effort of Refua in the mud of Yaffa left 3 defenders and the keeper behind before the flat shot into an empty net; Bnei-Yehuda of the 2nd round has already achieved 9 points out of 12, and Cobi Refua suddenly finds himself in a good company with a double-digit number of goals. The bottom struggles promise to be interesting until the very end, but one thing is sure - not for Maccabee Yaffa.
THE WEEK'S TEAM:
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Shuli Gilardi
(Maccabee Herzliya)
Felix Halfon Oren Rothem Asi Domb Raanan Deri
(Hapoel Tel-Aviv) (Hap. Rishon le-Zion) (Beitar Jerusalem) (Beitar Jerusalem)
David Revivo Avi Nimni Oren Zeituni Tamas Sandor
(Maccabee Tel-Aviv) (Maccabee Tel-Aviv) (Hapoel Haifa) (Beitar Jerusalem)
Cobi Refua Andrzej Kubica
(Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv) (Maccabee Tel-Aviv)
Beitar Jerusalem, Maccabee Tel-Aviv - 3.
Hapoel Haifa, Hapoel Tel-Aviv, Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv,
Hapoel Rishon le-Zion, Maccabee Herzliya - 1.
PLACE TEAM G W T L Goals Points
1 (1) Hapoel Haifa 19 15 3 1 38- 6 48
2 (2) Beitar Jerusalem 19 12 3 4 50-22 39
3 (3) Maccabee Tel-Aviv 19 12 3 4 46-20 39
4 (4) Maccabee Haifa 19 11 3 5 39-17 36
5 (5) Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa 19 10 3 6 36-26 33
6 (6) Hapoel Tel-Aviv 19 9 6 4 29-19 33
7 (7) Hapoel Jerusalem 19 8 2 9 26-33 26
8 (8) Hapoel Tsafririm Holon 19 6 7 6 24-16 25
9 (10) Maccabee Ironi Ashdod 19 6 6 7 27-32 24
10 (9) Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa 19 6 5 8 29-29 23
11 (13) Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv 19 6 3 10 27-38 21
12 (11) Hapoel Kefar-Saba 19 6 3 10 25-44 21
13 (14) Hapoel Rishon le-Zion 19 5 5 9 29-42 20
14 (12) Maccabee Herzliya 19 5 4 10 21-30 19
15 (15) Hapoel Beit-Shean 19 4 2 13 17-53 14
16 (16) Maccabee Yaffa 19 1 2 16 10-46 5
IN BRACKETS - the places of the teams after the last week.
BEST PLAYER: Avi Nimni, midfielder, Maccabee Tel-Aviv.
TOP SCORERS: Offer Shitrit (Beitar Jerusalem) 16(1)
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Moti Kakun (Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa) 15(1) 1(0)
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Alon Mizrahi (Maccabee Haifa) 14(2)
Andrzej Kubica (Maccabee Tel-Aviv) 14(3) 1(0)
Amir Turgeman (Maccabee Ironi Ashdod) 14(6)
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Avi Nimni (Maccabee Tel-Aviv) 12(4) 1(0)
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Cobi Refua (Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv) 11(0) 2(0)
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Nir Sevilla (Beitar Jerusalem) 10(0) 1(0)
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Yossi Benayoun (Maccabee Haifa) 9(0) 1(0)
Adrian Ungur (Hapoel Kefar-Saba) 9(0)
Victor Pacha (Maccabee Haifa) 9(0)
(9 goals in Hapoel Jerusalem)
Giovanni Rosso (Hapoel Haifa) 9(3)
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Samson Siasiah (Hapoel Tsafririm Holon) 8(0)
Rafi Cohen (Hapoel Rishon le-Zion) 8(0)
Rajid Bransi (Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa) 8(3)
Yaniv Avvargeal (Hapoel Kefar-Saba) 8(5) 1(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 fortnight):
| Hosts | Guests |
| Hapoel Haifa (1) | Hapoel Tsafririm Holon (8) |
| Beitar Jerusalem (2) | Hapoel Tel-Aviv (6) |
| Maccabee Tel-Aviv (3) | Hapoel Jerusalem (7) |
| Hapoel Kefar-Saba (12) | Maccabee Haifa (4) |
| Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa (5) | Maccabee Yaffa (16) |
| Maccabee Ironi Ashdod (9) | Hapoel Rishon le-Zion (13) |
| Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv (11) | Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa (10) |
| Hapoel Beit-Shean (15) | Maccabee Herzliya (14) |
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