Hapoel Haifa - Maccabee Haifa 0:0. [09/09/1998, from Week 02] ----------------------------------- Hosts: -. | Awwat 5.5; Talker 6, Ben-Shimon 6.5, A. Halfon 5.5, Grayib 5.5 (Ilan Tal, | 84); Zeituni 6.5, Milenko 6.5, GIOVANNI ROSSO 7, Ulyanov 6.5; Basis 5, | Holtzman 4 (Ben-Margi, 57 - 5). ******** Guests: -. | Davidovich 5.5; Belianchuk 5.5, A. Harazi 6, Benado 6, Elkayam 5.5, Nagar | 5.5; Zhano 4.5 (Silbas, 79), Koppel 4, Benayoun 5; Romatko 5 (Doro, 84), A. | Mizrahi 5. ******** REFEREE: Dani Koren (8). AUDIENCE: 12,000, Kiryat-Eliezer Stadium, Haifa. ********
A free kick bomb of Ran Ben-Shimon (20) and some good saves by both Awwat and Davidovich - those were the only remarkable moments of this disappointing top game. Maccabee looked a pale shadow of its usual self, and Hapoel impressed very much with its foreign midline; however, it desperately lacks a scorer, as Liron Basis isn't in shape, and Shai Holtzman simply sucks.
Hapoel Jerusalem - HAPOEL HAIFA 0:1 (0:0). -------------------------------------------- Hosts: -. | Strauber 7.5; S. Amar 5, S. Mihei 5, T. Azulai 5.5, S. Danino 5; Y. Avrahami | 5 (Aharon, 74), Gola 5.5, E. Avrahami 5.5 (Gili Levi, 46 - 6), Costelnik 5.5 | (RED, after the game), Mogieri 5 (Menakhem, 63); Pacha 5. ******** Guests: Giovanni Rosso (72 pen). | Awwat 5.5; Talker 6, Ben-Shimon 6.5, A. Halfon 5.5, Grayib 6.5; Zeituni 6, | GIOVANNI ROSSO 7.5, Ulyanov 6, Milenko 5.5 (Ami Azulai, 77); Basis 7 | (Leibovich, 88), Holtzman 6 (Ilan Tal, 61). ******** REFEREE: Meir Levi (8). AUDIENCE: 5,000, Teddy Stadium, Jerusalem. ********
Hapoel Jerusalem, the leader before this week, had hardly one opportunity during the whole game, while the guests, led by the fabulous Giovanni Rosso, created one chance after another, to be frustrated time after time by the fantastic performance of Liran Strauber. Finally, the dubious foul on Liron Basis let the 11 meters separate between the 2 heroes. Strauber threw himself into another typical dive, but could just touch the ball. Hapoel Haifa seized the top exclusively for the first time in 24 years (!).
Maccabee Haifa - BEITAR JERUSALEM 2:4 (1:2). ---------------------------------------------- Hosts: OG (Asi Domb, 24), Adoram Keisi (81). | Davidovich 5.5; Belianchuk 4.5, A. Harazi 5.5, Elkayam 4 (A. Keisi, 54 - | 5.5), Benado 5, Nagar 5; Benayoun 5, Doro (RED, 20), Koppel 4.5, Silbas 6 | (Katan, 63); A. Mizrahi 5. ******** Guests: Asi Domb (10), Tamas Sandor (41), Offer Shitrit (50, 53). | Korenfein 5; Bakhar 5 (Y. Reuven, 85), Shelakh 6, Domb 5, R. Deri 7; | Talesnikov 6, Abuksis 7 (Reichman, 76), ISTVAN HAMAR 7.5, T. Sandor 6.5, | Salloi 5 (S. Levi, 68); O. Shitrit 7. ******** REFEREE: Eyal Tsur (5). AUDIENCE: 12,000, Kiryat-Eliezer Stadium, Haifa. ********
The face-to-face meeting of the 2 remaining Israeli representatives in Europe gave a beautiful mood to Paris Saint-Germain and lots of worries to Glasgow Rangers. Beitar left Haifa no chance, and if not for Nir Davidovich during the first minutes, the score could've been humiliating. Istvan Hamar was extraordinary, Tamas Sandor scored his 1st goal in the National League, and the 2nd goal of Offer Shitrit was a magnificent half-scissors volley; in Haifa, on the other hand, Yossi Benayoun was mediocre, and Alon Mizrahi showed his skills just once, in a wonderful turn between the 2 defenders that finally resulted in Asi Domb's own goal. The referee Eyal Tsur was very one-sided, sent Ibrahim Doro off for verbal abuses, noticed no serious foul on Benayoun, etc.; still, that can't explain the weak skill of Dusan Uhrin's team.
Hapoel Tsafririm Holon - HAPOEL PETAKH-TIKWA 1:2 (1:1). --------------------------------------------------------- Hosts: Samson Siasiah (39). | Zhidkov 6; Fleeter 5.5, Fur 6, Sokher 5.5, B. Hadad 5.5 (D. Kabeda, 90); | Shlomi Dahan 5.5, Ben-Barukh 4.5 (RED, 90), Zaric 6 (Buzaglo, 85), Flash 5; | Siasiah 5 (A. Irmiyahu, 58 - 4.5), Nissim (RED, 16). ******** Guests: Moti Kakun (26), Eli Abrabanel (72). | Hess 6; Maya 6, Kolosevic 5.5, Kozoshvili 5.5, I. Boaron 6; Badir 5.5, Stan | 6.5, Marton 6 (Abrabanel, 66), Attar 5 (Angelkovic, 61), Ben-Ishai 5 (MANOR | HASSAN, 46 - 6.5); Kakun 6. ******** REFEREE: Haim Lipkovich (7). AUDIENCE: 3,000, Ironi Stadium, Holon. ********
The 4th goal this season of Moti Kakun was neutralized by a stylish finish of Samson Siasiah, still in the 1st half. Hapoel Tsafririm Holon indeed lost its first points this season, but left quite a positive impression, standing in 10 men (after a stupidity of Oren Nissim, getting the redundant 2nd yellow card after 16 minutes of play) quite equally vs the stars of Petakh-Tikwa. Eli Abrabanel, coming as a substitute, made the difference with a charming free kick from 20 meters, to the right post of Zhidkov and in.
MACCABEE PETAKH-TIKWA - Hapoel Kefar-Saba 3:1 (1:1). ------------------------------------------------------ Hosts: Guy Itzhak (34), Ismail Amar (84), Bastic Prenga (89). | O. Cohen 5; I. Amar 6, Magamedov 6.5, S. Tsofin 4.5 (Prenga, 57 - 5.5), | Ben-Yosef 5.5; E. Levi 5, G. Itzhak 5 (Shabo, 75), MIROSLAV LUSEK 6.5, | Idan Tal 6, Shemariyahu 6; Bransi 5 (Bialla, 75). ******** Guests: Yaniv Avvargeal (31). | Strauss 4; A. Sandor 5.5 (Yonai, 61), Kahila 6, Catalyn 55, Caplan (RED, | 29); Shum 5, Masterovic 4.5, Ungur 5 (Anchavadze, 72), I. Koren 6; Niv Tal | 5.5, Avvargeal 6. ******** REFEREE: Nir Baabour (8). AUDIENCE: 1,500, Ironi Stadium, Petakh-Tikwa. ********
After an early 2nd yellow card shown to Alon Caplan, Kefar-Saba still opened the score after a good action of Yaniv Avvargeal; the hosts reacted quickly, with a header of Guy Itzhak after the corner and due to Sagi Strauss' hesitance. Since that moment, Kefar-Saba sealed itself in a bunker that collapsed 6 minutes from time - it wasn't the day of Strauss who conceded the misleading far-ranger of Ismail Amar and the weak shot of Bastic Frenga.
MACCABEE HERZLIYA - Maccabee Yaffa 3:0 (0:0). ----------------------------------------------- Hosts: Oren Dantziger (57), Lior Asulin (80), Erez Messika (86). | Gilardi 6; S. Asraf 5.5, Y. Koretski 5.5, Barmecher 5.5, Entebbi 5.5; Gat | 6, Ivanov 6.5, Simhon 6 (A. Levi, 70), Naduda 6.5, Niederhaus 5 (L. Asulin, | 35 - 6); OREN DANTZIGER 7 (E. Messika, 81). ******** Guests: -. | Zoidze 6; Lupo (RED, 17), Mahamid 5, Rabinovich 4.5 (RED, 78), G. Nakhman 5 | (Djilovski, 81); U. Ohayon 4 (Rozolio, 62), Biankovski 4, A. Zohar 4.5, N. | Cohen 5.5, Stolper 5; Offri 4 (A. Mihei, 59 - 4). ******** REFEREE: Yosef Benishti (8). AUDIENCE: 1,200, Ironi Stadium, Herzliya. ********
Despite an early injury of Vladimir Niederhaus, his Russian counterparts Oleg Naduda and Vassili Ivanov went on pushing the team forward, with a wonderful young Oren Dantziger in the attacking line. When Yaffa stayed in 10 men, it was Irakliy Zoidze alone to hold his team alive until the 57th minute, when Dantziger was on the rebound from Ivanov's shot. When Raz Rabinovich showed a total lack of responsibility and was expelled as well, Yaffa collapsed, conceding another 2 goals. What does this team search for in the National League?
HAPOEL TEL-AVIV - Hapoel Beit-Shean 1:0 (0:0). ------------------------------------------------ Hosts: Israel Cohen (70). | Elimelekh 5.5; Udi 5 (Tuama, 35 - 6.5), Gershon 6.5, Israel Cohen 6.5, | S. Cohen 6, Ben-Ami 6.5; Tezetski 4.5 (Z. Kabeda, 69), Rupenik 6, Tikwa 6.5 | (Walnerman, 80); Tubi 5, Simerotic 4.5. ******** Guests: -. | MEIR COHEN 7.5; A. Danan 5.5, Taib 5.5, Hader 5.5, Ganon 5; Elkaslassi 5, | M. Ben-Hemo 5 (Arameh, 80), Roi Sagi 4 (Sandrussi, 54 - 4), Y. Biton 4 | (Roi Elbaz, 46 - 4.5), Vincent 4; Culakovic 4.5. ******** REFEREE: Haim Yaacov (7). AUDIENCE: 7,000, Bloomfield Stadium, Yaffa. ********
The disgusting eruption of Hapoel Tel-Aviv's so-called "fans"' rage towards Beit-Shean happened after the game outside the stadium. [To remind you - it was that controversial game between the lazy Beit-Shean and Beitar Jerusalem, with the scandalous last 8 minutes from the beautiful and coincidental equalizer of Beit-Shean till the winner of Istvan Pisont, that denied Hapoel Tel-Aviv the Championship and gave it to Beitar]. As for the game itself, Beit-Shean finally put its nearly optimal squad onto the pitch, but hardly managed to make any attacking move; on the other hand, it was Meir Cohen in its net with a magnificent show. Still, he conceded once, when Israel Cohen bombed the right upper corner of the keeper with an unstoppable header. Hapoel Beit-Shean failed to impress as usual, but so did the hosts.
MACCABEE IRONI ASHDOD - Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv 3:0 (0:0). --------------------------------------------------------- Hosts: Amir Turgeman (70 pen, 83), Eyal Almoshnino (90). | Devadze 6; Martsiano 5.5, Masouli 5.5, Y. Malka 5.5, Spire 5; S. Ben-Hemo 5 | (Fadida, 61), Almoshnino 6.5, Balog 6, Naveda 6 (Y. Offir, 80), A. Sharabi | 6; AMIR TURGEMAN 7 (Galili, 88). ******** Guests: -. | Smadja 5; Y. Alpiya 5, Fletcher 4.5, Siton 4.5, Y. Avihail 5; Ballas 5 | (RED, 90), Liberman 5 (RED, 55), Madar 5.5, Y. Gordana 5, S. Mizrahi 5.5 | (RED, 82); Refua 5. ******** REFEREE: Sabi Elnekawe (5). AUDIENCE: 2,000, Yud-Alef Stadium, Ashdod. ********
The most wonderful moment of this game happened 20 minutes after the break - the ball left the foot of Akakiy Devadze and touched the ground only after touching the left post of Shaul Smadja; in between, it was the substitute Hananya Fadida who stopped the ball on his chest and in a turn sent an arching ball from 40 meters (!). The most disgusting moment was the foul of Yossi Ballas that brought him a red card - he kicked Naor Galili off his feet without the ball with a hit no karate kid could be ashamed of. In between, those were also 3 goals of Ashdod and another 2 red cards to Bnei-Yehuda's players, and another stand-up performance of the referee Sabi Elnekawe as well. A good debut for the Argentinian Alberto Naveda, who caused a red card shown to David Liberman and earned a penalty converted by Amir Turgeman.
HAPOEL RISHON LE-ZION - Maccabee Tel-Aviv 3:2 (3:1). ------------------------------------------------------ Hosts: Udi Kabudi (6), Nir Shikwa (14), Nissan Capeta (39). | YANIV MIZRAHI 7.5; G. Deri 5.5, Sebeg 7, Y. Amar 6, Albert 6; T. Eliyahu | 5.5, Pitusi 5.5, Shikwa 6 (Agassi, 51 - 5.5), Capeta 6; Kabudi 6 (R. Ohana, | 80), Rafi Cohen 5.5 (E. Cohen, 42 - 5.5). ******** Guests: Andrzej Kubica (40), Dedi Ben-Dayan (62). | Rafi Cohen 4.5; A. Offir 5, G. Brumer 5, Ishai 4.5, Glam 4.5 (Tsafrir, 80); | A. Brumer 4.5, Luz 5 (O. Haim, 46 - 6), Tsarfati 6, Nimni 6, Hageage 5.5 | (Ben-Dayan, 46 - 6); Kubica 6.5. ******** REFEREE: Yaacov Ben-Hemo (8). AUDIENCE: 5,000, Superland Stadium, Rishon le-Zion. ********
A well-predictable game turned out to be the surprising one. Again, Maccabee made several extraordinary in their stupidity defensive blunders (Rafi Cohen? Gadi Brumer? Moshe Glam? The National Team former or current players?..), and was down 0:3 after 39 minutes of play (!). Following, there were the 2 reducers, a wonderful scissors kick of Dedi Ben-Dayan to the bar, and, once again, Yaniv Mizrahi all over. Avi Nimni's debut in his old new team wasn't bad, but the absence of the injured Eli Driks was felt as well. The enraged crowd demanded the resignation of the famous and respected coach Avraham Grant.
THE WEEK'S TEAM:
----------------
Yaniv Mizrahi
(Hapoel Rishon le-Zion)
Salim Tuama Moshe Sebeg Morad Magamedov Raanan Deri
(Hapoel Tel-Aviv) (Hap. Rishon le-Zion) (M. Petakh-Tikwa) (Beitar Jerusalem)
Istvan Hamar Yossi Abuksis Manor Hassan Giovanni Rosso
(Beitar Jerusalem) (Beitar Jerusalem) (Hap. Petakh-Tikwa) (Hapoel Haifa)
Amir Turgeman Oren Dantziger
(Maccabee Ironi Ashdod) (Maccabee Herzliya)
Beitar Jerusalem - 3.
Hapoel Rishon le-Zion - 2.
Hapoel Haifa, Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa, Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa,
Maccabee Herzliya, Hapoel Tel-Aviv, Maccabee Ironi Ashdod - 1.
PLACE TEAM G W T L Goals Points
1 (5-6) Hapoel Haifa 03 2 1 0 5- 0 7
2 (3) Beitar Jerusalem 03 2 1 0 8- 5 7
3 (1) Hapoel Jerusalem 03 2 0 1 7- 2 6
- (2) Hapoel Tsafririm Holon 03 2 0 1 7- 2 6
5 (7) Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa 03 2 0 1 7- 3 6
6 (8) Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa 03 2 0 1 5- 3 6
7 (10) Maccabee Herzliya 03 2 0 1 4- 3 6
8 (9) Hapoel Tel-Aviv 03 2 0 1 2- 2 6
9 (5-6) Maccabee Haifa 03 1 1 1 6- 4 4
-- (11) Maccabee Ironi Ashdod 03 1 1 1 6- 4 4
11 (4) Hapoel Kefar-Saba 03 1 1 1 3- 4 4
12 (14) Hapoel Rishon le-Zion 03 1 1 1 5- 8 4
13 (13) Maccabee Tel-Aviv 03 0 1 2 5- 9 1
14 (12) Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv 03 0 1 2 1- 5 1
15 (15) Maccabee Yaffa 03 0 0 3 0- 7 0
16 (16) Hapoel Beit-Shean 03 0 0 3 0-10 0
IN BRACKETS - the places of the teams after the last week.
BEST PLAYER: Istvan Hamar, midfielder, Beitar Jerusalem.
TOP SCORERS: Offer Shitrit (Beitar Jerusalem) 4(0) 2(0)
Moti Kakun (Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa) 4(0) 1(0)
Amir Turgeman (Maccabee Ironi Ashdod) 4(2) 2(1)
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Rajid Bransi (Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa) 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 fortnight):
| Hosts | Guests |
| Hapoel Haifa (1) | Hapoel Tel-Aviv (8) |
| Beitar Jerusalem (2) | Hapoel Jerusalem (3-4) |
| Hapoel Beit-Shean (16) | Hapoel Tsafririm Holon (3-4) |
| Maccabee Ironi Ashdod (9-10) | Maccabee Petakh-Tikwa (5) |
| Hapoel Petakh-Tikwa (6) | Maccabee Herzliya (7) |
| Maccabee Tel-Aviv (13) | Maccabee Haifa (9-10) |
| Hapoel Kefar-Saba (11) | Hapoel Rishon le-Zion (12) |
| Bnei-Yehuda Tel-Aviv (14) | Maccabee Yaffa (15) |
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