19 goals, 2 red cards and 2 penalties, both hardly justified - this was a collection of everything that happened yesterday. The last week I was talking about an interesting trend of total unpredictability, and now the trend continued. Hapoel Jerusalem and Hapoel Kefar-Saba are at the top, Maccabee Haifa and Hapoel Haifa are deteriorating.
Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa continued gaining all the points, defeating this time Maccabee Herzliya away, 3:1; and though Herzliya finally scored its 1st goal after 611 dry minutes (!), its coach Gili Landau resigned, postponing his earlier decision about resignation for just a week. Beitar Jerusalem, on the other hand, failed to beat Bnei-Yehuda at home in an even game, which was remarkable for the brilliant saves of Itzhak Korenfein and especially of Liran Strauber, our "Man Of The Game" and "Keeper Of The Week"; and Maccabee Tel-Aviv was helped by an injury time added by Haim Lipkovich, to defeat Hapoel Taibe with a goal of Avi Nimni. Hapoel Beer-Sheva devastated Maccabee Haifa at home, 3:0, and despite two ugly decisions of Suhil Daud in favor of Hapoel Beer-Sheva, Haifa can blame only itself for the shame on the pitch. Hapoel Jerusalem and Hapoel Kefar-Saba won again, both 2:1 away, both after a comeback; and on the other hand, the losing teams, Hapoel Beit-Shean and Hapoel Haifa respectively, continued to deteriorate. Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa defeated Hapoel Tel-Aviv in a game refereed awfully by Nir Baabur, and Hapoel Rishon le-Zion beat Hapoel Tsafririm Holon, through the 2 goals of its usual substitute Nissan Capeta; both winning teams had the new coaches. And now - to the details.
Seeking still for its first goal in the National League, Maccabee Herzliya attacked Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa on and on, but the posts and the wonderful skill shown by Shai Hess left the score intact. All that changed after 36 minutes, when in a counterattack, Yaniv Offri beat Shuli Gilardi and opened the score. Enraged by the goal, Herzliya continued to attack, but Petakh-Tikwa performed a wonderful counterattack once again, with a move of Hassan - Offri - Kakun - Hassan, beating Gilardi again. Gilardi was beaten once more, with a fantastic curved shot of Eli Abrabanel with his left under the keeper's right crossbar from 16 meters, "The Goal Of The Week"; and then Herzliya scored its first goal this season, with the corner of Yair Simhon and the header of Roman Filipchuk. Too little, too late.
Petakh-Tikwa does anything depending on itself, but yesterday it also enjoyed the great day of Liran Strauber in Bnei-Yehuda's net, not conceding any goal in Jerusalem. His spectacular flight to parry the dangerous free kick of Zohar will be remembered for long, as also his saves from the shots of Ohana, Salloi, Domb and Talesnikov. Bnei-Yehuda had several chances, too, but in Beitar's net stood Itzhak Korenfein in all his greatness, and so the cool game ended scoreless.
Maccabee Tel-Aviv scored a quick goal against Hapoel Taibe, the first one of Offer Mizrahi in the League this season (nobody forgets, of course, his wonderful flying header against Tenerife away, in the UEFA Cup), and it seemed like a great win to come. However, Nassim Agbariya's header beat the unexperienced Alen Mashraki, and the game seemed to end this way. Nevertheless, 3 minutes in an injury time, Avi Nimni shot a free kick, took the rebound from the wall to pass 2 players, and scored with a sharp flat kick from 16 meters to beat Muattaz Ashkar. These were the first minutes of Ashkar this season in Taibe's net, after Mickey Dahan was injured, 15 minutes from time.
The most unbelievable thing happened in Beer-Sheva, where Hapoel devastated Maccabee Haifa, 3:0! It started with 2 terrible mistakes of Suhil Daud - first, he awarded a penalty to Beer-Sheva, for the ball which hit unintentiously the hand of Alon Harazi, outside the box, after the active forward of Beer-Sheva Shai Holtzman was in a clear offside, and then he sent Arik Benado off for a foul hardly worth booking. Nevertheless, Haifa was very disappointing, having more than an hour to change the way of the game and not doing that; instead, it conceded two more goals - first, after the combination of Holtzman - Rosso - Riff - Basis, and later on after a bright penetration of Siad Halilovic. Haifa should do something, and the quicker, the better!
This can be said also about Hapoel Haifa, leading at home and still giving all the points to Hapoel Kefar-Saba, its ancient rival. Oren Flash scored quickly, but Gabor Marton equalized still in the 1st half, and Yaniv Avvargeal managed to pass a defender in Haifa's box and to beat Rafi Cohen. After the game, it was announced that Reuven Attar and Amir Turgeman would leave the team, and the Croatian coach Ivan Katalinic would stay in order to bring the things into order.
Hapoel Jerusalem managed to do the same in Beit-Shean - being down there, it took twice the efforts of Moti Menakhem to save his team and to give it all the points again. First, the substitute forward shot a wonderful ball from 20 meters to the bar and in, and later on, he scored from a close range. Another victory to the 2nd team from the capital, and it seems the derby of Jerusalem will be really interesting...
Another player to score two goals was Nissan Capeta of Hapoel Rishon le-Zion, doing it several minutes from the break against Hapoel Tsafririm Holon. And Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa defeated Hapoel Tel-Aviv at home, from a dubious penalty scored by Offer Shitrit. Both the winning teams changed their coaches recently.
NEXT ROUND (in a week): the top game of Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa (1) against Maccabee Tel-Aviv (3), and a highly political game between Hapoel Taibe (10) and Beitar Jerusalem (2). Maccabee Haifa (8) hosts Maccabee Herzliya (16), the 2 teams being in a deep trouble. 2 top games are held between Hapoel Kefar-Saba (4) and Hapoel Beer-Sheva (6), and also between Hapoel Jerusalem (5) and Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa (7); who would've thought?.. And one of the bottom games will be held between Hapoel Tel-Aviv (11) and Hapoel Haifa (14); who would've thought, either?..
Maccabee Herzliya - HAPOEL PETAKH-TIKWA 1:3 (0:1).
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Hosts: Roman Filipchuk (71).
Guests: Yaniv Offri (36), Manor Hassan (65), Eli Abrabanel (70).
THE BEST: Manor Hassan, midfielder, Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa.
Beitar Jerusalem - Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv 0:0.
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Hosts: -.
Guests: -.
THE BEST: Liran Strauber, keeper, Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv.
MACCABEE TEL-AVIV - Hapoel Taibe 2:1 (1:1).
---------------------------------------------
Hosts: Offer Mizrahi (4), Avi Nimni (90).
Guests: Nassim Agbariya (37).
THE BEST: Avi Nimni, midfielder, Maccabee Tel-Aviv.
Hapoel Haifa - HAPOEL KEFAR-SABA 1:2 (1:1).
---------------------------------------------
Hosts: Oren Flash (16).
Guests: Gabor Marton (38), Yaniv Avvargeal (62).
THE BEST: Gabor Marton, midfielder, Hapoel Kefar-Saba.
Hapoel Beit-Shean - HAPOEL JERUSALEM 1:2 (1:1).
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Hosts: Sergen Culakovic (35).
Guests: Moti Menakhem (45, 83).
THE BEST: Moti Menakhem, forward, Hapoel Jerusalem.
HAPOEL BEER-SHEVA - Maccabee Haifa 3:0 (1:0).
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Hosts: Shai Holtzman (16 pen), Liron Basis (50), Siad Halilovic (76).
Guests: -.
RED: Arik Benado, defender, Maccabee Haifa, 22.
THE BEST: Giovanni Rosso, midfielder, Hapoel Beer-Sheva.
MACCABEE PETAKH-TIKWA - Hapoel Tel-Aviv 1:0 (0:0).
----------------------------------------------------
Hosts: Offer Shitrit (48 pen).
Guests: -.
RED: Yossi Madar, midfielder, Hapoel Tel-Aviv, 50.
THE BEST: Guy Itzhak, midfielder, Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa.
HAPOEL RISHON LE-ZION - Hapoel Tsafririm Holon 2:0 (2:0).
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Hosts: Nissan Capeta (43, 45).
Guests: -.
THE BEST: Nissan Capeta, forward, Hapoel Rishon le-Zion.
THE WEEK'S TEAM:
----------------
Liran Strauber
(Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv)
Offer Levi Oleg Molokov Bajiat Uda Shimon Biton
(Bnei-Yehuda) (Rishon le-Zion) (Hapoel Taibe) (Hapoel Beer-Sheva)
Idan Tal Manor Hassan Giovanni Rosso Guy Itzhak
(Maccabee P.-T.) (Hapoel P.-T.) (Hapoel Beer-Sheva) (Maccabee P.-T.)
Moti Menakhem Nissan Capeta
(Hapoel Jerusalem) (Hapoel Rishon le-Zion)
Hapoel Beer-Sheva, Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa,
Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv, Hapoel Rishon le-Zion - 2.
Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa, Hapoel Jerusalem, Hapoel Taibe - 1.
PLACE TEAM G W T L Goals Points
1 (1) Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa 07 7 0 0 17- 4 21
2 (2) Beitar Jerusalem 07 5 2 0 14- 5 17
3 (4) Maccabee Tel-Aviv 07 4 1 2 13-11 13
4 (5) Hapoel Kefar-Saba 07 4 1 2 7- 5 13
5 (6) Hapoel Jerusalem 07 4 1 2 9- 8 13
6 (8) Hapoel Beer-Sheva 07 4 0 3 11- 7 12
7 (9) Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa 07 4 0 3 7- 6 12
8 (3) Maccabee Haifa 07 3 2 2 9- 9 11
9 (7) Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv 07 3 2 2 7- 9 11
10 (10) Hapoel Taibe 07 3 0 4 7-10 9
11 (11) Hapoel Tel-Aviv 07 2 2 3 6- 8 8
12 (15) Hapoel Rishon le-Zion 07 2 1 4 10-14 7
13 (12) Hapoel Beit-Shean 07 1 1 5 5- 8 4
14 (14) Hapoel Haifa 07 1 1 5 10-15 4
15 (13) Hapoel Tsafririm Holon 07 1 1 5 5-10 4
16 (16) Maccabee Herzliya 07 0 1 6 1- 9 1
IN BRACKETS - the places of the teams before this week.
BEST PLAYER: Giovanni Rosso, midfielder, Hapoel Beer-Sheva.
TOP SCORERS: Yaniv Offri (Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa) 6(0) 1
Eli Ohana (Beitar Jerusalem) 6(0)
Avi Nimni (Maccabee Tel-Aviv) 6(2) 1
Moti Kakun (Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa) 6(2)
*********************************************************
Offer Shitrit (Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa) 5(2) 1(1)
*********************************************************
Moti Menakhem (Hapoel Jerusalem) 3(0) 2
Liron Basis (Hapoel Beer-Sheva) 3(0) 1
Hezi Shirazi (Maccabee Haifa) 3(0)
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)
Sergei Kandaurov (Maccabee Haifa) 3(2)
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 Petakh-Tikwa (1) | Maccabee Tel-Aviv (3) |
| Hapoel Taibe (10) | Beitar Jerusalem (2) |
| Haoel Kefar-Saba (4) | Hapoel Beer-Sheva (6) |
| Hapoel Jerusalem (5) | Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa (7) |
| Maccabee Haifa (8) | Maccabee Herzliya (16) |
| Hapoel Tsafririm Holon (15) | Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv (9) |
| Hapoel Tel-Aviv (11) | Hapoel Haifa (14) |
| Hapoel Rishon le-Zion (12) | Hapoel Beit-Shean (13) |
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