Maccabi Tel Aviv blanked Maccabi Haifa 1-0 this week at Sammy Ofer Stadium via an Eran Zahavi first-half penalty in a marquee matchup heading down the stretch of the Israel Premier League season.
The result not only gave the yellow-and-blue the win, but also opened up an eight-point lead on the Greens atop the table with only three games remaining as Maccabi inches ever so close to the league championship which it can wrap up next week.
“I’m happy for the fans,” Maccabi Tel Aviv coach Robbie Keane said. “This game was for them. It doesn’t matter who this game was against, we won and took three points. This was huge for the fans and for the players.”
“It’s very disappointing,” Haifa coach Messay Dego said. “We began the game well and how we wanted to and we should have scored a goal in the opening quarter-hour. However, then came the penalty out of nowhere. We were in the last third of the field many times and couldn’t do anything as we had made some poor decisions.”
Meanwhile, Hapoel Tel Aviv has been relegated to the Leumit League, Israel’s second division, after falling to Ashdod SC 2-0 at Bloomfield Stadium.
The Reds had a season filled with turmoil from the outset, including a number of coaching changes, new ownership and overall poor management.
Following a goalless first half, Clarke Robertson found the back of the goal as did Stav Nachmani for the port city squad to take the win, the three points and send Hapoel Tel Aviv back down a division for the second time in less than a decade.
“Broken, I couldn’t believe that this would happen,” Hapoel Tel Aviv interim coach Saleem Tuama said following the game. “I thought we would win and accomplish our goal. However, we didn’t just get relegated because of this game; it was a snowball effect the entire season that we couldn’t stop.”
“What a great feeling,” Ashdod coach Eli Levy said. “We ended up playing this game so much better than we expected in front of a crowd that was going to be very difficult. But I had told the guys that the fans could end up helping us as they gave such a huge fight for us to stay in the top league. They deserve a ton of credit.”
Meanwhile in Jerusalem
At Teddy Stadium, Hapoel walked over Beitar 3-0 in the Jerusalem derby as the capital city was painted red in a dominant performance.
After a scoreless opening half, Ohad Almagor scored from close in the 56th minute, while Awka Ashta doubled the advantage two minutes later off a corner kick. Idan Dahan found the back of the goal from outside of the box in the 83rd minute to add the club’s third goal and close out the victory.
“A historical win?” Hapoel coach Ziv Arie was asked after the contest. “Perhaps for everyone else, as I am still thinking about how we lost last week. However, truth be told, the guys really lifted themselves up and after a really hard first half we really got into it, settled down and took the win.”
“I believe that up until we conceded the first goal we were in total control,” Beitar bench boss Barak Itzhaki commented. “Something in the second half just didn’t come together. But we also have to remember that these guys were the same players that got us out of a very difficult situation. While it’s true that this is a derby defeat, we also can’t forget what this team accomplished.”
Elsewhere, Hapoel Hadera slipped by Maccabi Netanya 2-1 as an Elad Madmon second-half penalty handed the hosts the win and the points.
Raz Twizer opened the scoring in the 40th minute, but Bar Cohen found the equalizer just ahead of halftime to head into the break all knotted up at 1-1. But it didn’t stay tied for long as Hadera was handed a spot kick after a foul in the box that Madmon slotted home to give Haim Silvas and his squad the victory.
“It’s a great feeling to get the win,” Silvas said after the match. “I came on board in January and we were in a position that we could have been relegated, but the guys put in plenty of work and played some very good games in order to keep the team in the first division. We did what we needed to, there is no one more satisfied than me in a place that appreciates me as well.”
“I can’t accept how we played in any way, shape or form,” a very disappointed Maccabi Netanya coach Marko Balbul began. “We were not good. This was an embarrassment of a game for us and I can’t say much more than that. We have to make changes here as Netanya didn’t have a good season which is clear to everyone.”
Also, Maccabi dropped Hapoel 4-1 in the Petach Tikva derby as the hosts scored all four of their goals in the first half following a red card to Roy Nawi to take the victory.
Nawi was handed a straight red card in the eighth minute that resulted in a penalty, which Mohamed Hindi slammed home to give Maccabi a 1-0 lead. Two minutes later Maor Levi doubled the advantage, but Roi Elimelech’s 26th minute marker cut the lead to 2-1.
However, Andreas Karo jumped all over a rebound to score in the 32nd minute and Levy completed a brace right before the break to give Ron Kozuk’s team a 4-1 lead and the win.
“It was very important for us to win this game,” Kozuk began. “This was a derby and it was important for the fans as well, and we also wanted to continue our good momentum. After we ensured that we would stay in the league we wanted to keep playing well up until the end of the season and I am happy that is what we did.”
“It’s very disappointing and if I could bury myself I would,” Hapoel bench boss Benny Lam said. “I understand full well that a derby is for the fans and after the win last week, we were issued an early red card and penalty and that was that.”