Hapoel Jerusalem blanked Maccabi Petach Tikva 2-0 as the capital city reds scored a pair f late markers to take the win and the 3-points. After a goalless first half, Matan Hozez scored the opening goal via a 79th minute spot kick while Jelle Duin added an insurance marker less than 10 minutes later to wrap up the victory.
“This was a tough game,” Jerusalem head coach Ziv Arie said. “Maccabi Petach Tikva is a good team who pressed high with plenty of intensity. We began the game well with a number of good chances but then we started to lose some balls. The difference between now and the start of the season is that we would have conceded and lost the game but we matured and in this game we scored and won.”
“This really complicates things for us,” a disappointed Petach Tikva bench boss Ron Kozuk said. “We created chances in the second half and they weren’t able to but the penalty changed the complexion of the game. We have to stop giving up goals every single contest.”
Hapoel Haifa defeated Maccabi Bnei Reineh 2-0 as two first half goals sealed the deal early on the carmel reds and they snatched the points and the win. Fernand Mayembo nodded home the first goal in the 16th minute while a quarter hour later Mohammed Kamara doubled the advantage from in close to polish up the win.
“Credit to the players and the fans who are continuing to put together this terrific season,” Haifa coach Roni Levy said. “I believe that we can get into third place especially in this the 100th year of the club. Bnei Reineh deserve credit as get are a very tough team but hats off to my guys for the win.”
“We began the game well until we gave up the first goal,” Bnei Reineh coach Sharon Mimer began. “But that strike gave them confidence and the game was decided in the first half. It was very tough to comeback. This wasn’t one of our best games and that can happen. We have been playing well and we will make some slight corrections.”
Ashdod and Maccabi Netanya played to a goalless draw by the port city as the two sides split the points.
“It’s great to once again coach in our league, I missed it,” Netanya’s new head coach Marko Balbul said. “We didn’t play well in the first half and we allowed Ashdod to control the pace of play but they didn’t create many chances to score. We did have a great chance but I am still learning after only being here for a week and a half.”
“We still control our own fate which is good,” Ashdod coach Eli Levi explained. “We started well in first half but this was a dogfight. We didn’t have enough chances and in the second half our pace slowed a bit. I felt that both sides were afraid to give up a goal than to score one. All in all the result reflects the game.”
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