Only 16 goals, 3 red cards and 5 penalties, one missed not to spoil anyone's mood - this was the harvest of this last Saturday, while I was hearing the voices of German sport journalists somewhere in the Saxon Switzerland. The interesting tendency can be seen now, after 6 weeks; 2 teams at the top, 5 teams at the bottom, and a difference of just 3 points between the 3rd and the 11th place! That seems to mean the level of the League is quite equal now, but I'd not get too excited about that, as it goes down and not up. Probably, the tendency will change soon.
It was also the keepers' week... Shai Hess and Liran Strauber were fantastic, Mickey Dahan saved his team time and again, Shaul Smadja parried the penalty kick, Alexander Zhidkov was the best in the game of Holon against Beitar Jerusalem, and Bonnie Ginzburg managed to cope with a great shot of his National teammate, Tal Banin, "The Save Of The Week"... And so the clearer we could see the weakness of Alexander Uvarov who failed to preserve his net again and was sent off later on. It's a pity this happens to a great keeper Uvarov is.
Haifa's derby brought a victory to Maccabee, making it the 3rd and making life very hard for Hapoel at the bottom, quite unexpectedly. Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa and Beitar Jerusalem continued winning too, even if Beitar had to sweat hard against the great skill of Alexander Zhidkov in Holon's net. Maccabee Herzliya is left alone at the very bottom, with 1 point and no goals scored at all, as Hapoel Beit-Shean registered a wonderful away victory over Hapoel Tel-Aviv and climbed several places up. Hapoel Taibe, Hapoel Jerusalem, Hapoel Kefar-Saba - all those teams won again, quite surprisingly. But the biggest surprise was registered in Ramat-Gan, where Bnei-Yehuda (in its home game transferred to a bigger stadium) beat Maccabee Tel-Aviv with 2 goals of Alon Mizrahi.
After a great game against Beitar Jerusalem, it was hard to expect such an awful game from the Double holders - no inspiration, no dangerous moments, and most of all, a terrible defence... Amir Shelakh took the ball from Alon Mizrahi in his own box, 18 minutes from the start, but suddenly slipped, and Mizrahi took a present to score immediately, leaving Uvarov frustrated, 1:0 to Bnei-Yehuda. Maccabee could react only with a bar of Yaacov Hillel (35), and a ball of Haim Hageage (33) parried greatly by Liran Strauber. And in the 2nd half, the Oranges surprised again - Amit Levi knocked Alon Mizrahi down in the box, Mizrahi himself misled Uvarov and shot the penalty in, it was demanded by Suhil Daud to perform the kick once more, and this time Uvarov was close to the ball but couldn't reach it. 2:0.
Avi Nimni scored a reducer, also from a penalty spot after a foul of Eilon Schwegger on Offer Mizrahi, but Maccabee could do nothing more, playing for the last 10 minutes in minority, and with a defender in the net. Ronen Adlen made a foul on Amir Shelakh inside Maccabee's box, Shelakh pushed him away, Adlen fell on the ground to show us his theatrical skills, and Uvarov rushed to him and tried to get the defender up the way shop assistant carry the slain chickens. The referee was close, booking Adlen and sending the keeper off. As all Maccabee's substitutions had been performed, the defender Gal Fibakh had to put the gloves on. Luckily for Maccabee, it wasn't attacked, but on the other hand, it didn't score. Another loss.
Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa, on the other hand, continued scoring and winning, this time passing Hapoel Beer-Sheva at home. Beer-Sheva wasn't bad at all, but a great skill of Shai Hess in the hosts' net prevented the guests from scoring. A great save of Hess from Giovanni Rosso's shot (11) enabled Petakh-Tikwa to arrange a quick counterattack, and at its end Yaniv Offri headed the ball in, 1:0. Hess made several more saves, and the best one was the ball parried from under his left crossbar (53), after a great trial of Shai Holtzman. But later on (65), Gadi Hazut was sent off, and Petakh-Tikwa started to press. Kakun missed a penalty kick (75), after a great save of Smadja, but he himself managed to score later on, with a beautiful header after the goal pass of Eli Abrabanel from the right wing. Kakun is now the leading scorer of the League, and naturally, of his team.
Another leading scorer of the League is Eli Ohana of Beitar Jerusalem - yesterday he was the first man to be on the rebound and to put it in, after the shot of Salloi was blocked by Zhidkov. It was also a winner, since Zhidkov was unpenetratable otherwise, however hard Beitar tried. "3 points is what is remembered after the game", the proverb says, but I'll also remember the magnificent save of Zhidkov from the mighty bomb of Yossi Abuksis from 25 meters. A minute in an injury time, Zhidkov also saved his net in one-to-one situation with Eli Ohana.
In Haifa's derby, Maccabee finally found the way to the victory, after 3 games without the taste of one. Ran Ben-Shimon knocked Ronnie Levi down inside the box, and Kandaurov shot the penalty in near the hand of Rafi Cohen, 1:0. After 5 minutes, Tal Banin shot a magnificent curved free kick, but Ginzburg flew greatly to register "The Save Of The Week". Later on, a great pass of Alon Harazi and a clever move of Kandaurov enabled Hezi Shirazi to shoot a mighty curved ball without stopping, 2:0. Hapoel couldn't do anything, even though Maccabee played with 10 men for the last 8 minutes, after the red card shown to Offir Koppel. All the Reds managed to do was a wonderful reducer of Tal Banin from a 25-meters-ranged free kick.
However, it wasn't even "The Goal Of The Week" - this was scored in Jerusalem, by Hapoel Jerusalem's veteran Michel Dayan. A magnificent free kick from 20 meters went sharply and diagonally, cutting the hair of the standing in the wall, under the right crossbar of Sagi Strauss. Rishon le-Zion opened the score with the header of Moshe Sebeg, but still in the 1st half, the hosts managed to equalize, with a precise shot of Eyal Avrahami from 20 meters. And then, the great winner came.
Another great goal was scored in Bloomfield by Golan Deri - the young defender of Hapoel Beit-Shean passed Sharon Mimer and Alon Hazan and shot a great ball from 25 meters that Shavit Elimelekh could just touch. Tibor Shallai finished the story of Hapoel Tel-Aviv later on, after a great combination of Beit-Shean. A first victory of this team away, and Hapoel Tel-Aviv seems to be in trouble.
Hapoel Taibe managed to beat Maccabee Herzliya at home, 1:0, with the goal of its Argentinian forward, Mario Vilga; Herzliya fired its manager, Gili Landau, immediately after the game. And Hapoel Kefar-Saba managed to beat Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa, with a penalty kick scored by Gabor Marton.
NEXT WEEK: The game of the two edges, between Maccabee Herzliya (16) and Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa (1). An interesting game in Beer-Sheva, where Hapoel hosts Maccabee Haifa. Maccabee Tel-Aviv, without Uvarov, hosts Hapoel Taibe, and Beitar Jerusalem will host Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv.
HAPOEL PETAKH-TIKWA - Hapoel Beer-Sheva 2:0 (1:0).
----------------------------------------------------
Hosts: Yaniv Offri (12), Moti Kakun (83).
Guests: -.
RED: Gadi Hazut, defender, Hapoel Beer-Sheva.
THE BEST: Shai Hess, keeper, Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa.
On the 75th minute Moti Kakun (Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa) missed a penalty kick -
Shaul Smadja saved.
Hapoel Tsafririm Holon - BEITAR JERUSALEM 0:1 (0:1).
------------------------------------------------------
Hosts: -.
Guests: Eli Ohana (22).
THE BEST: Alexander Zhidkov, keeper, Hapoel Tsafririm Holon.
MACCABEE HAIFA - Hapoel Haifa 2:1 (2:0).
-----------------------------------------
Hosts: Sergei Kandaurov (19 pen), Hezi Shirazi (37).
Guests: Tal Banin (90).
RED: Offir Koppel, midfielder, Maccabee Haifa, 82.
THE BEST: Adoram Keisi, defender, Maccabee Haifa.
BNEI-YEHUDA TEL-AVIV - Maccabee Tel-Aviv 2:1 (1:0).
-----------------------------------------------------
Hosts: Alon Mizrahi (18, 50 pen).
Guests: Avi Nimni (78 pen).
RED: Alexander Uvarov, keeper, Maccabee Tel-Aviv, 80.
THE BEST: Alon Mizrahi, forward, Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv.
HAPOEL KEFAR-SABA - Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa 1:0 (0:0).
------------------------------------------------------
Hosts: Gabor Marton (83 pen).
Guests: -.
THE BEST: Tamir Ben-Haim, midfielder, Hapoel Kefar-Saba.
HAPOEL JERUSALEM - Hapoel Rishon le-Zion 2:1 (1:1).
-----------------------------------------------------
Hosts: Eyal Avrahami (27), Michel Dayan (54).
Guests: Moshe Sebeg (19).
THE BEST: Stephan Mihei, defender, Hapoel Jerusalem.
HAPOEL TAIBE - Maccabee Herzliya 1:0 (1:0).
---------------------------------------------
Hosts: Mario Vilga (42).
Guests: -.
THE BEST: Mickey Dahan, keeper, Hapoel Taibe.
Hapoel Tel-Aviv - HAPOEL BEIT-SHEAN 0:2 (0:0).
------------------------------------------------
Hosts: -.
Guests: Golan Deri (69), Tibor Shallai (75).
THE BEST: Golan Deri, defender, Hapoel Beit-Shean.
THE WEEK'S TEAM:
----------------
Shai Hess
(Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa)
Golan Deri Yuval Naim Stephan Mihei Adoram Keisi
(Beit-Shean) (Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv) (Hapoel Jerusalem) (Maccabee Haifa)
Istvan Pisont Tamir Ben-Haim Yehuda Amar Michel Dayan
(Beitar Jerusalem) (Hapoel Kefar-Saba) (Beit-Shean) (Hapoel Jerusalem)
Yaniv Offri Alon Mizrahi
(Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa) (Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv)
Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa, Hapoel Jerusalem,
Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv, Hapoel Beit-Shean - 2.
Beitar Jerusalem, Maccabee Haifa, Hapoel Kefar-Saba - 1.
PLACE TEAM G W T L Goals Points
1 (1) Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa 06 6 0 0 14- 3 18
2 (2) Beitar Jerusalem 06 5 1 0 14- 5 16
3 (6) Maccabee Haifa 06 3 2 1 9- 6 11
4 (3) Maccabee Tel-Aviv 06 3 1 2 11-10 10
5 (8) Hapoel Kefar-Saba 06 3 1 2 5- 4 10
6 (9) Hapoel Jerusalem 06 3 1 2 7- 7 10
7 (10) Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv 06 3 1 2 7- 9 10
8 (4) Hapoel Beer-Sheva 06 3 0 3 8- 7 9
9 (5) Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa 06 3 0 3 6- 6 9
10 (11) Hapoel Taibe 06 3 0 3 6- 8 9
11 (7) Hapoel Tel-Aviv 06 2 2 2 6- 7 8
12 (15) Hapoel Beit-Shean 06 1 1 4 4- 6 4
13 (12) Hapoel Tsafririm Holon 06 1 1 4 5- 8 4
14 (13) Hapoel Haifa 06 1 1 4 9-13 4
15 (14) Hapoel Rishon le-Zion 06 1 1 4 8-14 4
16 (16) Maccabee Herzliya 06 0 1 5 0- 6 1
IN BRACKETS - the places of the teams before this week.
BEST PLAYER: Alon Mizrahi, forward, Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv.
TOP SCORERS: Eli Ohana (Beitar Jerusalem) 6(0) 1
Moti Kakun (Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa) 6(2) 1
*********************************************************
Yaniv Offri (Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa) 5(0) 1
Avi Nimni (Maccabee Tel-Aviv) 5(2) 1(1)
*********************************************************
Offer Shitrit (Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa) 4(1)
*********************************************************
Hezi Shirazi (Maccabee Haifa) 3(0) 1
Itzhak Zohar (Beitar Jerusalem) 3(1)
Yair Asayag (Hapoel Jerusalem) 3(1)
Ronen Harazi (Beitar Jerusalem) 3(1)
Alon Mizrahi (Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv) 3(2) 2(1)
Sergei Kandaurov (Maccabee Haifa) 3(2) 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 week):
| Hosts | Guests |
| Maccabee Herzliya (16) | Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa (1) |
| Beitar Jerusalem (2) | Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv (7) |
| Hapoel Beer-Sheva (8) | Maccabee Haifa (3) |
| Maccabee Tel-Aviv (4) | Hapoel Taibe (10) |
| Hapoel Haifa (14) | Hapoel Kefar-Saba (5) |
| Hapoel Beit-Shean (12) | Hapoel Jerusalem (6) |
| Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa (9) | Hapoel Tel-Aviv (11) |
| Hapoel Rishon le-Zion (15) | Hapoel Tsafririm Holon (13) |
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