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| Main Page | Soccer Page | 1997-98, History | Next, 1/8 Finals |
67 goals in 16 games, 6 penalties performed and 4 scored, and 4 red cards - this was the harvest of the first Cup round worth mentioning of this year. 2 National League teams, Maccabee Herzliya and Hapoel Ashkelon, lost to the rivals from the lower Leagues in quite a surprising way, and Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa in another pale performance needed an extra-time to defeat Maccabee Kefar-Kanna. In the rest of the games, the National representatives conceded just 7 goals and scored 53! Against the poor-skilled rivals, it was a good chance for the National teams to make a first trial of their newcomers: Ronen Harazi, Sebastian Simerotic, Itzhak Zohar, Vladimir Niederhaus, Marco Di Constanza, etc.
Beitar Jerusalem didn't make any breathtaking purchases during the recess and wasn't too impressive in its game, lacking Shmuel Levi, Istvan Pisont and Eli Ohana; however, yesterday it was the time of Istvan Salloi, returning from the long hand injury, and Eitan Mizrahi to give a daily performance. A great shot of Eitan Mizrahi (20) at half a height from 20 meters, after a preparation of Salloi, left Yair Daniel no chance and opened the score; in another 10 minutes, Nir Reichman shot a mighty volley from 18 meters and doubled the result. In the 2nd half the teams scored a goal each - Salloi's preparation found the finishing leg of Shai Holtzman (59), and Avi Ben-Ezra (86) reduced the score from the penalty spot after David Amsalem's foul on Shakhaf Heiman. Kiryat-Ono registered a decent performance, but the class difference was so great that Beitar needed just several occasional sparkles to win.
Hapoel Tel-Aviv, playing at Bloomfield against Maccabee Yaffa, had a much harder time - it was the game of two Eli Cohens as coaches, and Eli Cohen of Yaffa proved the team's position near the top of the Country League is pretty justified. After the scoreless 1st half, Shalom Tikwa substituted Demian Geiser in Hapoel, and helped the legionaries Georgi Daraselia and Sebastian Simerotic to find their regular skill. Despite a surprising opener of Oren Kokhavi of Maccabee Yaffa (59), Tikwa equalized immediately (60) from Daraselia's goal pass. And then it was the same Hapoel Tel-Aviv we used to know this season, in its attacking remake - 2 goal passes of Tikwa and another one of Daraselia, 2 goals of Simerotic and one of Offer Shitrit. Substituting Krasimierz Muskal, the Slovenian forward Simerotic seems to be a good decision of Eli Cohen and a good solution for the dry attack of the runners-up.
The media festival around the meeting of Hapoel Mahane-Yehuda and Hapoel Haifa, with the difference of several Leagues, was ended the way Barcelona had finished all the ambitions of Hapoel Beer-Sheva several years ago. Indeed, in the 1st half the game was scoreless until the 43rd minute, when Sharon Avitan scored his first official goal in Hapoel Haifa; in 2 minutes, Cobi Danino of Haifa and Eyal Rosenberg of Mahane-Yehuda were sent off. This played definitely in favor of the guests, and 6 unanswered goals were scored in the 2nd half - even Ronen Harazi finally managed to score after the long Spanish exile, and Najouan Grayib was the best in Haifa, making 3 goal passes.
Maccabee Haifa was quite impressive, too, playing at home against Maccabee Netanya and leaving the guests no chance at all after just several minutes of play. It was definitely the day of Itzhak Zohar - his bright penetration (3) opened the score, and his 2 deadly free kicks made the score 3:0, one going to the post (with Vladimir Niederhaus on the rebound, 12 minutes from the start) and the other going in directly (37). Aside of the newcomers, those were the forwards Alon Mizrahi (45, from Zohar's goal pass) and Hezi Shirazi who scored the rest. Haifa looked quite impressive, but then again, the rival was quite weak, too.
Unlike the 4 abovementioned teams, Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa failed to impress and registered just a minimal victory over Beitar Tel-Aviv away - Eran Prizant scored a winner after 36 minutes of play. The hosts had several opportunities to equalize, but failed to cope with the awful pitch conditions.
Two goals of Amir Turgeman (75, 89) made Maccabee Ironi Ashdod breath lightly. The surprising National team of Round 1 scored 3 goals before and just after the break, but those were immediately answered by 2 goals of Hapoel Bat-Yam, and the hosts' fans started being nervous. In Ashdod, a young midfielder Eyal Almoshnino should be mentioned, both for his skill and for his rare in its beauty goal, bouncing the ball from 35 meters over the helpless keeper Mickey Dahan. Ashdod played without Akakiy Devadze in its net, Yossi Madar in its midline and Naor Galili in its attack.
Hapoel Lod couldn't be an equal rival at home to Hapoel Kefar-Saba, and everything was decided yet before the break. Laszlo Komodi (17) and Yaniv Avvargeal (30, from the penalty spot) made the trend clear, and 9 minutes before the break, Tamir Ben-Haim scored from the rebound after the shot of Bakhva Ambidze from 20 meters to the post. Lod had one opportunity to reduce the score, but it wouldn't have changed much even had the ball gone in.
Hapoel Jerusalem, playing at home against Maccabee Kiryat-Gat, opened the score after just 6 minutes of play, with an incredible volley of its veteran Michel Dayan. Udi Shitrit equalized temporarily for Kiryat-Gat (23), but the guys of Yossi Mizrahi, led by their captain and "spiritual" leader Dayan, managed to close the story yet in the 1st half. Assaf Tubi (27), Laszlo Czeh (34) and Dudi Stolper (44) finished the scorers' list for the half, and also for the game. Hapoel Jerusalem continues to be the pleasant surprise.
The first of the serious surprises fell in Holon, where Hapoel Tsafririm Holon, the leader of the Country League, hosted Maccabee Herzliya which became much weaker during the recess. The first 15 minutes of Holon were terrifying, and Shuli Gilardi was really busy, parrying 2 deadly shots of the hosts and helplessly watching the post of Moti Fleeter; however, twice even Gilardi could do nothing against the shots of Oren Nissim (6, 13). During the 2nd half, Herzliya was attacking vigorously, but fruitlessly, and Holon scored another goal on a rare counterattack, by Ziv Kabeda. It seems that Holon is on the right track both in the League and in the Cup; as for Herzliya, it should recover quickly before the bottom opens its hungry jaws once again.
2 years ago, Hapoel Rishon le-Zion needed the last minute goal of Dani Albert to defeat Maccabee Yavne away in the 1/16 Cup final; at the end of the season, however, Rishon made it to the Cup Winners' Cup. This time, the victory over Yavne was quite a simple matter of 5 unanswered goals. Meir Azran opened the first minute of play with a converted penalty kick, and then Nissan Capeta made his usual goal pass (to Moshe Sebeg, 24) and scored himself (32). The game was actually finished then, but the 2 final goals were added during the last minutes, by Rafi Cohen (85) and the recovering Shadi Abu-Dib (88). It was a good start in Rishon for the former Yellow player, Noam Shoham.
Another result of 5:0 was registered at the National Stadium of Ramat-Gan, where Maccabee Tel-Aviv hosted Hapoel Ramat-Gan. Playing without lots of its former key players and still suffering from selling Avi Nimni to Atletico Madrid, the Yellows were satisfied with their youngsters' performance, supported by Alexander Uvarov in the net and Elek Nyilas in the midline. 2 goals of Nyilas (36, 59) were added by another two of Dedi Ben-Dayan (27, 65), as Ben Luz scored an intermediate goal, 4 minutes into the 2nd half. Ramat-Gan was too weak and couldn't present any answer to the aspiring youngsters, but in the League it's going to be much more difficult for Maccabee to win.
Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa played its usual dull game against Maccabee Kefar-Kanna at home, and only the young forward Shai Aharon tried to do something - his shot (29) went to a post, and his goal (35) was disallowed because of an offside. During the last minute of play, Golan Malul in Petakh-Tikwa's net needed all his skill to parry the ball of Jackie Sourjoun, and the teams went into an extra-time. 12 minutes in it, Aharon finally found the net after a goal pass of Haim Silbas, transferred to Petakh-Tikwa from Maccabee Haifa. 1:0, with a victory and a lot of things for Moshe Sinai to think about.
The huge surprise fell in Nazareth, where Hapoel Ashkelon met the hosts from League C. A good shot of Georgi Anchavadze (12) gave Ashkelon an expected lead, but Asraf Suleiman from Ahi Nazareth equalized in another 13 minutes. From that moment on, the game was compromiseless and saw attacks going both sides; Moti Azulai of Nazareth managed to stop the forwards of Ashkelon, and the attacks of the hosts, led by the former National League player Yossi Alpiya, seemed to be more dangerous. When Uzi Ohayon of Ashkelon was sent off 12 minutes from time, the feeling of a surprise went into the air; and indeed, in 2 minutes Asi Rakhamim made a huge mistake in his net, and Moshe Vaanunu scored a winner. Good luck, a new Cinderella from Nazareth!
Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv had indeed some unpleasant moments at home against Hapoel Hadera from League C, but in this game it needed just one man to bring it a victory. Cobi Refua scored ALL the 4 goals, leading Bnei-Yehuda to a 3:0 lead lost to a 3:2 thriller, and also setting the final result of 4:2. Rafi Cohen in Bnei-Yehuda's net wasn't bad, too, and it was quite a nice debut for the former Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa's forward, Yaniv Offri.
Meeting Beitar Kefar-Saba away, Hapoel Beit-Shean was pressed and couldn't develop its normal game; however, the 4 of its foreigners saved the team from the embarrassment, taking turns. An unforgettable hat-trick of Primoz Gliha earned Slovenia the only point during the last WC preliminaries and sent Croatia to the difficult play-off games against Ukraine; yesterday, Gliha earned his new team a penalty kick, and Zadko Adic, the successful Croatian forward of Beit-Shean, converted it into an opener. 14 minutes from time, after 3 substitutions of the guests had been already made and the keeper Sahar Rakhamim was sent off, it was the Georgian midfielder Gala Pancheladze who wore the gloves and preserved his net clean until the very end. And finally, in one of the last counterattacks, Beit-Shean scored the last and the most decisive goal; the scorer was Meir Melika, and the assist maker was the new transfer from Hapoel Haifa, Sergen Culakovic.
Last but not the least, it was Hapoel Beer-Sheva's victory away, 5:0 over the disappointing squad of Hapoel Bnei-Sakhnin. The hosts, having such the experienced players as Yaacov Asayag, Tsabar Daniel and Alexander Polukarov, could match in nothing at all the refreshed squad of the Southerners. Yair Simhon scored a couple of goals in the 1st half, while Marco Di Constanza, a really pleasant surprise of Beer-Sheva, added a great goal of his own after 17 minutes of play. 2 goals were added in the 2nd half, by David Perets and the young Eliezer Levi. Will the Cup success mark the return of Beer-Sheva to the right way? The time will show, let's wait and see...
The 1/8 finals will be held at March 7.
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In brackets you can see the League of the team and its current place there.
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BEITAR JERUSALEM (A,1) - Hapoel Kiryat-Ono (C-South,13) 3:1 (2:0).
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Hosts: Eitan Mizrahi (20), Nir Reichman (30), Shai Holtzman (59).
Guests: Avi Ben-Ezra (86 pen).
THE BEST: Eitan Mizrahi, defender, Beitar Jerusalem.
HAPOEL TEL-AVIV (A,2) - Maccabee Yaffa (B,3) 4:1 (0:0).
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Hosts: Shalom Tikwa (60), Sebastian Simerotic (62, 73),
Offer Shitrit (79).
Guests: Oren Kokhavi (59).
THE BEST: Sebastian Simerotic, forward, Hapoel Tel-Aviv.
Hapoel Makhane-Yehuda (E,1) - HAPOEL HAIFA (A,3) 0:7 (0:1).
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Hosts: -.
Guests: Sharon Avitan (43, 58), Ronen Harazi (64), Kefir Leibovich (68),
Ran Ben-Shimon (76), Offer Talker (78), Ilan Tal (81).
RED: Cobi Danino, defender, Hapoel Haifa, 45.
Eyal Rosenberg, midfield, Hapoel Makhane-Yehuda, 45.
THE BEST: Najouan Grayib, defender, Hapoel Haifa.
MACCABEE HAIFA (A,4) - Maccabee Netanya (B,5) 5:0 (4:0).
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Hosts: Itzhak Zohar (3, 37), Vladimir Niederhaus (12), Alon Mizrahi (45),
Hezi Shirazi (82).
Guests: -.
THE BEST: Itzhak Zohar, midfielder, Maccabee Haifa.
Beitar Tel-Aviv (B,6) - HAPOEL PETAKH-TIKWA (A,5) 0:1 (0:1).
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Hosts: -.
Guests: Eran Prizant (36).
THE BEST: Eran Prizant, forward, Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa.
MACCABEE IRONI ASHDOD (A,6) - Hapoel Bat-Yam (B,11) 5:2 (1:0).
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Hosts: Yossi Offir (43), Lior Sudmi (53), Eyal Almoshnino (55),
Amir Turgeman (75, 89).
Guests: Tal Schwartzenbaum (60), Dani Niron (63).
THE BEST: Eyal Almoshnino, midfielder, Maccabee Ironi Ashdod.
Hapoel Lod (B,12) - HAPOEL KEFAR-SABA (A,7) 0:3 (0:3).
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Hosts: -.
Guests: Laszlo Komodi (17), Yaniv Avvargeal (30 pen), Tamir Ben-Haim (36).
THE BEST: Bakhva Ambidze, midfielder, Hapoel Kefar-Saba.
HAPOEL JERUSALEM (A,8) - Maccabee Kiryat-Gat (B,8) 4:1 (4:1).
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Hosts: Michel Dayan (6), Assaf Tubi (27), Laszlo Czeh (34),
Dudi Stolper (44).
Guests: Udi Shitrit (23).
THE BEST: Michel Dayan, midfielder, Hapoel Jerusalem.
HAPOEL TSAFRIRIM HOLON (B,1) - Maccabee Herzliya (A,9) 3:0 (2:0).
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Hosts: Oren Nissim (6, 13), Ziv Kabeda (84).
Guests: -.
THE BEST: Oren Nissim, forward, Hapoel Tsafririm Holon.
Maccabee Yavne (B,16) - HAPOEL RISHON LE-ZION (A,10) 0:5 (0:3).
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Hosts: -.
Guests: Meir Azran (1 pen), Moshe Sebeg (24), Nissan Capeta (32),
Rafi Cohen (85), Shadi Abu-Dib (88).
THE BEST: Nissan Capeta, midfielder, Hapoel Rishon le-Zion.
MACCABEE TEL-AVIV (A,11) - Hapoel Ramat-Gan (B,14) 5:0 (2:0).
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Hosts: Dedi Ben-Dayan (27, 65), Elek Nyilas (36, 59), Ben Luz (49).
Guests: -.
THE BEST: Elek Nyilas, midfielder, Maccabee Tel-Aviv.
MACCABEE PETAKH-TIKWA (A,12) - Maccabee Kefar-Kanna (B,7)
1:0 AET (0:0, 0:0, 1:0).
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Hosts: Shai Aharon (102).
Guests: -.
THE BEST: Morad Magamedov, defender, Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa.
MACCABEE AHI NAZARETH (C-North,1) - Hapoel Ashkelon (A,13) 2:1 (1:1).
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Hosts: Asraf Suleiman (25), Moshe Vaanunu (80).
Guests: Georgi Anchavadze (12).
RED: Uzi Ohayon, defender, Hapoel Ashkelon, 78.
THE BEST: Yossi Alpiya, forward, Maccabee Ahi Nazareth.
BNEI-YEHUDA TEL-AVIV (A,14) - Hapoel Hadera (C-North,10) 4:2 (2:0).
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Hosts: Cobi Refua (24, 45, 54, 83).
Guests: Gilad Tuval (55), Shimon Jean (73).
THE BEST: Cobi Refua, forward, Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv.
On the 55th minute Moshe Gabai (Hapoel Hadera) missed a penalty kick - Rafi
Cohen saved. Gilad Tuval was the first to put the rebound in.
Beitar Kefar-Saba (D-South-A,3) - HAPOEL BEIT-SHEAN (A,15) 0:2 (0:1).
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Hosts: -.
Guests: Zadko Adic (39 pen), Meir Melika (88).
RED: Sahar Rakhamim, keeper, Hapoel Beit-Shean, 76.
THE BEST: Dani Swissa, midfielder, Beitar Kefar-Saba.
Bnei-Sakhnin (B,10) - HAPOEL BEER-SHEVA (A,16) 0:5 (0:3).
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Hosts: -.
Guests: Yair Simhon (10, 45), Marco Di Constanza (17), David Perets (65),
Eliezer Levi (85).
THE BEST: Marco Di Constanza, midfielder, Hapoel Beer-Sheva.
On the 85th minute Oren Sagron (Hapoel Beer-Sheva) missed a penalty kick -
Yaacov Asayag saved. Eliezer Levi was the first to put the rebound in.
THE 11 OF THE ROUND
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Moti Azulai
(Maccabee Ahi Nazareth)
Eitan Mizrahi Tal Hen Asraf Suleiman Najouan Grayib
(Beitar Jerusalem) (Tsafririm Holon) (Maccabee Ahi Nazareth) (Hap. Haifa)
Sebastian Simerotic Michel Dayan Elek Nyilas Itzhak Zohar
(Hapoel Tel-Aviv) (Hapoel Jerusalem) (Maccabee Tel-Aviv) (Maccabee Haifa)
Cobi Refua Yossi Alpiya
(Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv) (Maccabee Ahi Nazareth)
3: Maccabee Ahi Nazareth (League C-North)
1: Beitar Jerusalem (League A)
1: Hapoel Tel-Aviv (League A)
1: Hapoel Haifa (League A)
1: Maccabee Haifa (League A)
1: Hapoel Jerusalem (League A)
1: Maccabee Tel-Aviv (League A)
1: Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv (League A)
1: Hapoel Tsafririm Holon (League B)
THE BEST OF THE ROUND: Yossi Alpiya, forward, Maccabee Ahi Nazareth.
THE BEST CUP SCORERS:
Cobi Refua (Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv) 4 4
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Sebastian Simerotic (Hapoel Tel-Aviv) 2 2
Sharon Avitan (Hapoel Haifa) 2 2
Itzhak Zohar (Maccabee Haifa) 2 2
Amir Turgeman (Maccabee Ironi Ashdod) 2 2
Elek Nyilas (Maccabee Tel-Aviv) 2 2
Ben Luz (Maccabee Tel-Aviv) 2 2
Yair Simhon (Hapoel Beer-Sheva) 2 2
Oren Nissim (Hapoel Tsafririm Holon) 2 2
PASSING INTO THE NEXT ROUND:
Beitar Jerusalem (A, 1) *
Hapoel Tel-Aviv (A, 2) *
Hapoel Haifa (A, 3) *
Maccabee Haifa (A, 4) *
Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa (A, 5) *
Maccabee Ironi Ashdod (A, 6)
Hapoel Kefar-Saba (A, 7) *
Hapoel Jerusalem (A, 8) *
Hapoel Rishon le-Zion (A, 10)
Maccabee Tel-Aviv (A, 11) *
Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa (A, 12) *
Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv (A, 14) *
Hapoel Beit-Shean (A, 15) *
Hapoel Beer-Sheva (A, 16) *
Hapoel Tsafririm Holon (B, 1) *
Maccabee Ahi Nazareth (C-North, 1)
* - the teams which had also participated in the 1/8 finals a year ago.
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