MACCABEE HAIFA - Mcb. Ironi Ashdod 2:1 (2:1). [07/04/1999, from Week 21] ----------------------------------------------- Hosts: Ronen Harazi (38), Jerzy Brzeczek (40). | Vakrat 5; Zhano 6, A. Harazi 6, Benado 6, A. Keisi 5.5; Koppel 5.5 (Silbas, | 64), Nagar 6, JERZY BRZECZEK 7.5, Benayoun 6 (Romatko, 89), Doro 6.5; R. | Harazi 6 (Pacha, 73). ******** Guests: Tibor Balog (45). | Devadze 6.5; Hazut 5.5, Masouli 5, Fibakh 6, Spire 5.5; Almoshnino 5 | (Martsiano, 81), A. Sharabi 5.5 (Y. Offir, 59 - 5), Dego 6, Balog 6, Zrihen | 5.5 (Fadida, 67); Turgeman 6. ******** REFEREE: Yosef Benishti (6). AUDIENCE: 7,000, Kiryat-Eliezer Stadium, Haifa. ********
This game Maccabee Haifa could've won with a bigger margin, but wasn't very far away from conceding an equalizer as well; will the team cry because of the goal difference at the end of the season? Who knows... Ronen Harazi opened the score shortly before the break, with his 70th National League goal ever, after a goal pass of Shuki Nagar; 2 minutes later, Jerzy Brzeczek in his great game scored his 1st goal in Israel, after a mistake in Ashdod's defence. However, seconds before the break, it was Tibor Balog with a reducing header, after a mistake of Eyal Vakrat, and Haifa seemed to be quite stunned just after the break; still, Ashdod didn't use its chance to press, and then Haifa returned to be its usual self - but saw Akakiy Devadze in a cool performance with several remarkable saves. One of them, after Victor Pacha's attempt, saw an incredibly bizarre reaction from the side of the Albanian forward - frustrated with the miss, with the long time on the bench and probably with the Balkan crisis as well, the forward took his time to take his shoe off and to launch it into Devadze's head (83)! The referee took no action, as the throw wasn't directed into the keeper, and the frightened forward immediately rushed to help Devadze and to apologize; however, at least a yellow card had to be shown in this, to put it mildly, strange incident.
HAPOEL HAIFA - Hapoel Beit-Shean 4:0 (3:0). --------------------------------------------- Hosts: Liron Basis (23 pen), Offer Talker (35), Najouan Grayib (43, 54). | Awwat 6; Aziz 6 (Nissim, 78), Ben-Shimon 6.5, A. Halfon 6.5 (Ami Azulai, | 63), NAJOUAN GRAYIB 7; Zeituni 6, Ulyanov 6.5, Talker 7, Milenko 7, Basis | 6.5 (Hageage, 67); Ilan Tal 6. ******** Guests: -. | M. Cohen 6; Dudu Dahan 4, Taib 6, Elkaslassi 4, Tsuref 4 (Pancheladze, 42 - | 4.5), Hader 4; Rozosevic 4, M. Uzan 5 (Almog Hazan, 82), Cinka 4.5, H. | Irmiyahu 4 (Caplan, 63); Culakovic 5. ******** REFEREE: Eitan Tavrizi (7). AUDIENCE: 9,000, Kiryat-Eliezer Stadium, Haifa. ********
Just another easy trip of Hapoel Haifa towards the historic Championship title, while for Hapoel Beit-Shean there seems to be no hope left. Liron Basis calmly converted a penalty, after a pass of Goran Milenko and a sweeping penetration of Najouan Grayib, stopped by a foul of the booked Eli Tsuref. The National defender, most probably in Aston Villa the next year, gave another performance to satisfy his presumable new bosses, and aside of the earned penalty, scored twice himself, once after a great solo penetration and once with a flat shot, after Liron Basis' short pass; another goal was added after a number of double-passes between Oren Zeituni and Offer Talker. Haifa was playing with no presence of its suspended superstar Giovanni Rosso, and the skill of Eli Gutman's team was shown again - it's mostly the team, and not one man.
MACCABEE TEL-AVIV - Maccabee Yaffa 4:0 (2:0). ----------------------------------------------- Hosts: Moshe Glam (24), Andrzej Kubica (44 pen), Avi Nimni (54, 67). | Uvarov 5; G. Brumer 6, Emenalo 5.5, Balbul 5, Ben-Dayan 5; Kosolapov 6, D. | Revivo 5.5 (Driks, 70), AVI NIMNI 7, Edri 6.5 (I. Zohar, 82), Glam 6 (O. | Haim, 82); Kubica 5.5. ******** Guests: -. | Davidoff 5.5; G. Hershlikovich 4.5, Moyal 5, Lupo 4, Abu-Kishak 5.5; | Mahamid 5, M. Sason 4.5 (Sayag, 84), N. Cohen 5 (Rishti, 57 - 4), Djilovski | 4.5, Bukhari 4; Afek 4. ******** REFEREE: Yaacov Ben-Hemo (8). AUDIENCE: 5,000, National Stadium, Ramat-Gan. ********
Like Hapoel Haifa, Maccabee Tel-Aviv was playing vs the clear outsider, and like the leaders, the Yellows can see themselves disappointed with the relatively low margin. Rarely you can see such an one-sided game, and still, Maccabee scored only 4 times, when the veteran Alexander Uvarov was nearly boiled under the blazing sun with nothing to do. 24 minutes in the game, the score was opened, when Moshe Glam ran away from his defender after a pass of Kefir Edri and calmly beat David Davidoff, 1:0; just before the break, Kubica was knocked down inside the box, and the Polish forward himself finally made his name appear on the list with a converted penalty kick. The 2nd half added just 2 goals for Maccabee, but both wer something to watch, as the show was opened with a spectacular and mighty flying header of Avi Nimni, after Edri's preparation again. 13 minutes afterwards, Nimni got the ball from Alexei Kosolapov, turned around and sent an unstoppable killer from 25 meters under the right crossbar of Davidoff, "The Goal Of The Week". Minutes from the end, Nimni nearly scored an even better goal, but his kick from 30 meters shook a bar. By the way, it didn't seem to surprise anybody even 10 games before now, but this game stated the official relegation of Maccabee Yaffa.
BEITAR JERUSALEM - Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa 2:0 (1:0).
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Hosts: Tamas Sandor (31, 69).
| Korenfein 5.5; Bakhar 5.5, Shelakh 6 (Theodoriku, 89), Domb 5.5, R. Deri 5;
| TAMAS SANDOR 6.5, Hamar 5.5, Abuksis 6, Talesnikov 6, M. Hageage 5.5
| (Tretyak, 73); O. Shitrit 5.5 (Yaacobi, 85).
********
Guests: -.
| Hess 5; Maya 5, Kozoshvili 5, Ihiel 5.5, I. Boaron 5; Stan 4.5, Zandberg
| 4.5 (Rosen, 54 - 4.5), Makoveyev 4.5, Attar 5.5, Abrabanel 5.5; Kakun 5.
********
REFEREE: Amit Klein (7).
AUDIENCE: 6,000, National Stadium, Ramat-Gan.
[Radius game for Beitar]
********
Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa's aspirations to finish as the runners-up seemed quite illusory lastly, but this loss to Beitar Jerusalem made them seem quite unreachable. In this game, where nothing in particular was to be seen, Tamas Sandor stang twice with 2 cool headers, once after Hamar's high ball and once (a very stylish diving header) after a side free kick of Yossi Abuksis. The guests had only 2 decent opportunities to score, but the standing bar and the flying Korenfein denied Reuven Attar's mighty free kicks.
BNEI-YEHUDA TEL-AVIV - Maccabee Haifa 2:0 (2:0). -------------------------------------------------- Hosts: Yossi Madar (16 pen), Cobi Refua (38). | Smadja 7; O. Levi 6, Siton 6.5, RONEN FEIGENBAUM 7.5, Y. Avihail 6; | Schwegger 7, Mararo 6.5, Liberman 6.5, Madar 7 (S. Mizrahi, 71); Shirazi 6 | (Fibernik, 71), Refua 7.5 (Galili, 82). ******** Guests: -. | Vakrat 5; Zhano 5, Benado 5, Melamed 5, A. Keisi 4.5; Koppel 4.5 (Silbas, | 50 - 5), Nagar 5.5, Brzeczek 5, Benayoun 5 (Katan, 65), Doro 5.5; R. Harazi | 4 (Pacha, 46 - 4). ******** REFEREE: Dani Koren (8). AUDIENCE: 4,000, Shkhunat-ha'Tikwa Stadium, Tel-Aviv. ********
"The Surprise Of The Week", with no exaggeration; however, the better team took all the points, it should be admitted. After Eyal Vakrat parried the ball of Hezi Shirazi (6), he lacked only several centimeters to reach the penalty shot of Yossi Madar, 10 minutes later - and this shot was awarded for Alon Harazi's foul on the same Shirazi. Haifa optically seemed to attack later on, but the mighty answer of the hosts was given 7 minutes from the break; Shaul Smadja started a counterattack, Hezi Shirazi one-touched it gently to send Cobi Refua into a penetration, and the forward outran Guy Melamed and shot a stinging flat diagonal ball past Vakrat, 2:0. The 2nd half was fully given to Haifa, but Yossi Benayoun, Jerzy Brzeczek, Ibrahim Doro and the substitute Victor Pacha (who stayed in both shoes this time) were all unlucky to beat the keeper Shaul Smadja in his good day. Benayoun will be fined by the club for reacting to Bnei-Yehuda's fans' provocations and sending them an improper sign after his substitution.
MACCABEE PETAKH-TIKWA - Hapoel Tel-Aviv 3:1 (0:1). ---------------------------------------------------- Hosts: Sharon Avitan (60, 83), Guy Itzhak (67). | Goresh 6; I. Amar 5.5, Magamedov 6, S. Tsofin 5.5, Ben-Yosef 6, Partieli 6; | Muslem 5 (Shemariyahu, 43 - 7), Lusek 7, G. Itzhak 6.5, Malihi 5.5 (SHARON | AVITAN, 46 - 7.5) (R. Sharabi, 88); Bransi 6. On the 70th minute Rajid Bransi missed a penalty - Shavit Elimelekh saved. ******** Guests: Assaf Tubi (15). | Shallo 4.5 (RED, 70); R. Nakhman (RED, 62), Gershon 5, M. Ohayon 5, Hillel | 5; Rupenik 5, Avi Azulai 4.5, Marton 6, Idan Tal 5.5 (I. Cohen, 69); | Simerotic 4.5 (Udi, 69), Tubi 5 (Elimelekh, 70). ******** REFEREE: Eyal Tsur (8). AUDIENCE: 2,000, Ironi Stadium, Petakh-Tikwa. ********
An incredible comeback of Eyal Lakhman's team, levelling the face-to-face games between the two this season - and who could've thought about this after 15 minutes of play, when Assaf Tubi opened the score for the guests? However, Tel-Aviv missed all of its numerous chances to enlarge the score, and the 2nd half started with 2 Petakh-Tikwa's substitutes, Tsakhi Shemariyahu and Sharon Avitan. Avitan, in an unforgettable performance, equalized 15 minutes later on, and in another 7 minutes prepared a goal to Guy Itzhak. 3 minutes passed, and Avitan used an unfortunate mistake of the keeper Cobi Shallo in clearing the ball away and forced the keeper to commit a last hope foul on him and to be sent off; already reduced to 10 men by then, after a redundant 2nd yellow card for Ron Nakhman for fouling Rajid Bransi and with a penalty kick to face, Tel-Aviv looked pretty desperate, but at least Shavit Elimelekh could still see the pitch - and when Rajid Bransi fluffed the penalty kick by shooting it straight into the keeper, the Reds had some hopes appearing again. Not for very long, though, as Sharon Avitan got a great ball from Shemariyahu, passed Elimelekh (who was very cautious not to knock the forward down) and rolled the ball into an empty net from a very hard angle, 3:1. Petakh-Tikwa seems to be sure in the National League for the next season, and Hapoel Tel-Aviv will seek its luck in the Cup.
HAPOEL RISHON LE-ZION - Hapoel Jerusalem 5:1 (2:1). ----------------------------------------------------- Hosts: Nir Shikwa (22, 29, 66), Nissan Capeta (48), Rafi Cohen (86). | Y. Mizrahi 6; G. Deri 6, Rothem 6, T. Eliyahu 6, Albert 6; A. Brumer 6, | Sebeg 6.5, Pitusi 6.5 (E. Cohen, 80), Kabudi 6, Capeta 6 (Y. Amar, 80); NIR | SHIKWA 8 (R. Cohen, 77). ******** Guests: Shlomi Danino (18). | Strauber 5.5; S. Amar 4 (Menakhem, 49 - 4), T. Azulai 4, Hermon 4, Oka 4; | Gola 4, E. Avrahami 4, Shnorman 4 (Valentinic, 59 - 4), M. Salman 4.5, | Zeladzevic 4 (Y. Avrahami, 70); S. Danino 5. ******** REFEREE: Arik Haimovich (7). AUDIENCE: 1,500, Superland Stadium, Rishon le-Zion. ********
The outcome is possibly normal, but not the result - Hapoel Rishon le-Zion just humiliated Hapoel Jerusalem beyond any recognition, and this after being a goal down! Nir Shikwa, "The Player Of The Week", is mostly responsible for that. The score was opened with a beautiful flying header of Shlomi Danino, after a high ball of a young Itzhak Oka, but Rishon levelled after just 3 minutes, when Nir Shikwa overplayed Liran Strauber from a close range, after a preparation of Dani Albert. 7 minutes later on, Avi Pitusi found Shikwa inside the box again, and the comeback was completed, 2:1. The devastation of the capital team went on after the break as well, as first Shikwa overplayed the miserable Strauber and gave a ball to Capeta, who had no problems to score in front of an empty net, 3:1. Shikwa scored another goal, after a sweeping penetration (66), and when he was substituted to be cheered by the audience, the guests still had no reasons to calm down - the substitute Rafi Cohen is the best scorer of Rishon and was delighted to return with a goal after a long and serious injury, 5:1. This is the 2nd loss of Jerusalem with such a humiliating result in a week.
HAPOEL KEFAR-SABA - Maccabee Herzliya 1:0 (0:0). -------------------------------------------------- Hosts: Adrian Ungur (59). | Strauss 6.5; I. Koren 5.5, Ben-Haim 6, Netser 5.5, Chichian 5 (Masterovic, | 46 - 5.5); ADRIAN UNGUR 6.5, Shem-Tov 6, A. Itzhak 6, Shum 5.5; Niv Tal 5.5 | (A. Cohen, 89), Avvargeal 5 (S. Danan, 85). ******** Guests: -. | Gilardi 6.5; Arbel 5.5, Barmecher 5.5, Mishal 6, Entebbi 5.5; Gat 5.5, A. | Levi 5 (RED, 44), Zanetti 5 (E. Levi, 55) (Filipchuk, 74), Naduda 5.5; | Simhon (Mchitarian, 51 - 5.5 - RED, 82), L. Asulin 4.5. ******** REFEREE: Haim Lipkovich (8). AUDIENCE: 3,000, Ironi Stadium, Kefar-Saba. ********
Herzliya, which started so brightly under the new coach, suffered its 3rd consecutive League loss of 0:1 - and if the first two came to Beitar Jerusalem and Maccabee Tel-Aviv, this loss was painful, giving all the points to the team from Herzliya's real league. Wasting two great 1st half chances (Sagi Strauss blocked the shots of Amit Levi and Igal Entebbi), Herzliya also suffered from a red card, shown to Amit Levi by a redundanty strict Haim Lipkovich. The winner came 14 minutes after the break, as the substitute Mario Masterovic sent a great ball to Adrian Ungur, who stopped the ball on the chest, overplayed Igal Entebbi and beat Shuli Gilardi. The keepers had to make several cool saves after that, and Herzliya stayed in 9 men, after a red card shown to its Armenian midfielder Hamlet Mchitarian.
Maccabee Ironi Ashdod - Hapoel Tsafririm Holon 2:2 (1:1). ----------------------------------------------------------- Hosts: Gadi Hazut (14), Amir Turgeman (67 pen). | Devadze 6; Hazut 5.5, Masouli 5, Fibakh (Y. Malka, 25 - 5), Spire 5 (Tobol, | 80); Almoshnino 5 (RED, 82), Y. Offir 5 (IGAL ZRIHEN, 61 - 6), A. Sharabi | 5, Dego 5.5; Fadida 5, Turgeman 5.5. ******** Guests: Samson Siasiah (34), Georgi Daraselia (58). | Pashko 5.5; Fleeter 5.5 (RED, 77), Fur 5.5 (RED, 67), Sokher 6, Avigdor | 5.5; Zaric 5, B. Hadad 5, Daraselia 6, Flash 6; Siasiah 5.5, Tsafrir 5 | (Postacci, 70). ******** REFEREE: Meir Levi (8). AUDIENCE: 3,000, Yud-Alef Stadium, Ashdod. ********
Sometimes the games between the bottom teams give us a great chance to watch something eventful, and this was the case this time. Ashdod opened the score after 14 minutes of play, as Martin Pashko and his wall failed to react properly to the free kick sent by Gadi Hazut; however, 20 minutes later, Beni Hadad raised a ball headed in by an elegant Samson Siasiah. 13 minutes after the break, the stadium of Ashdod suddenly looked like Villa Park - as like the Welsh magician Ryan Giggs a couple of days before, it was Georgi Daraselia to take the ball at his half and to start the unstoppable slalom of his; when he elegantly passed between 3 defenders, shortly nodded to Samson Siasiah who opened him the way, and then calmly beat his countrymate Akakiy Devadze, even the home fans couldn't help admiring the skill. However, 9 minutes later on, Ashdod escaped the defeat with a penalty kick converted by Amir Turgeman and a red card shown to Rafi Fur. Moti Fleeter of Holon was sent off 10 minutes afterwards, and then came the turn of Eyal Almoshnino from Ashdod. A 2:2 draw, which in the light of Bnei-Yehuda's victory isn't particularly good to either team.
THE WEEK'S TEAM:
----------------
Shaul Smadja
(Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv)
Golan Deri Aharon Siton Ronen Feigenbaum Najouan Grayib
(Rishon le-Zion) (Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv) (Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv) (Hapoel Haifa)
Offer Talker Yossi Madar Tsakhi Shemariyahu Avi Nimni
(Hapoel Haifa) (Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv) (Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa) (Mcb. Tel-Aviv)
Nir Shikwa Sharon Avitan
(Hapoel Rishon le-Zion) (Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa)
Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv - 4.
Hapoel Haifa, Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa, Hapoel Rishon le-Zion - 2.
Maccabee Tel-Aviv - 1.
PLACE TEAM G W T L Goals Points
1 (1) Hapoel Haifa 24 19 3 2 51-10 60
2 (2) Maccabee Tel-Aviv 24 16 3 5 59-22 51
3 (4) Beitar Jerusalem 24 15 4 5 54-23 49
4 (3) Maccabee Haifa 24 15 3 6 52-22 48
5 (5) Hapoel Tel-Aviv 24 12 7 5 34-22 43
6 (6) Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa 24 12 4 8 44-33 40
7 (8) Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa 24 8 6 10 36-37 30
8 (9) Hapoel Rishon le-Zion 24 8 6 10 41-48 30
9 (7) Hapoel Jerusalem 24 9 3 12 30-45 30
10 (11) Hapoel Kefar-Saba 24 8 5 11 31-51 29
11 (10) Hapoel Tsafririm Holon 24 6 9 9 29-28 27
12 (14) Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv 24 7 5 12 32-44 26
13 (12) Maccabee Herzliya 24 7 4 13 24-34 25
14 (13) Maccabee Ironi Ashdod 24 6 7 11 30-41 25
15 (15) Hapoel Beit-Shean 24 5 3 16 22-63 18
16 (16) Maccabee Yaffa 24 1 4 19 11-57 7 Relegated
IN BRACKETS - the places of the teams after the last week.
BEST PLAYER: Nir Shikwa, forward, Hapoel Rishon le-Zion.
TOP SCORERS: Moti Kakun (Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa) 18(2)
**********************************************************
Andrzej Kubica (Maccabee Tel-Aviv) 17(4) 1(1)
**********************************************************
Offer Shitrit (Beitar Jerusalem) 16(1)
Avi Nimni (Maccabee Tel-Aviv) 16(4) 2(0)
**********************************************************
Amir Turgeman (Maccabee Ironi Ashdod) 15(7) 1(1)
**********************************************************
Alon Mizrahi (Maccabee Haifa) 14(2)
**********************************************************
Cobi Refua (Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv) 12(0) 1(0)
Yossi Benayoun (Maccabee Haifa) 12(0)
Victor Pacha (Maccabee Haifa) 12(0)
(9 goals in Hapoel Jerusalem)
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Samson Siasiah (Hapoel Tsafririm Holon) 11(0) 1(0)
Nir Sevilla (Beitar Jerusalem) 11(0)
**********************************************************
Rafi Cohen (Hapoel Rishon le-Zion) 10(0) 1(0)
Adrian Ungur (Hapoel Kefar-Saba) 10(0) 1(0)
Giovanni Rosso (Hapoel Haifa) 10(3)
**********************************************************
Assaf Tubi (Hapoel Tel-Aviv) 9(0) 1(0)
Rajid Bransi (Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa) 9(4)
Yaniv Avvargeal (Hapoel Kefar-Saba) 9(6)
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 Haifa (1) | Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv (12) |
| Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa (6) | Maccabee Tel-Aviv (2) |
| Hapoel Beit-Shean (15) | Beitar Jerusalem (3) |
| Hapoel Jerusalem (9) | Maccabee Haifa (4) |
| Hapoel Tel-Aviv (5) | Hapoel Rishon le-Zion (8) |
| Hapoel Tsafririm Holon (11) | Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa (7) |
| Maccabee Yaffa (16) | Hapoel Kefar-Saba (10) |
| Maccabee Herzliya (13) | Maccabee Ironi Ashdod (14) |
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