1) Moshe Hogeg has come to terms with Eli Tabib to become the new owner of Beitar Jerusalem and spoke about taking control of the capital city side, “This is an exciting day for me. I want to thank Eli Tabib who took part in a short negotiation and left me a healthy and strong club. On paper I may be the owner, but I believe that a football club belongs to the fans and the city. It’s a huge honor for me to help take the club to new places.”

Hogeg continued, “Football isn’t a business and there is no goal for it to be profitable. I will invest what needs to be and what I can to take it to where it needs to be and turn Beitar into a strong and competitive team just like it needs to be in Israeli football.”

2) Andi Herzog was officially presented today, Monday as the new Head Coach of the Israel National Team, “I’m really excited and honored to be the National Coach of Israel. It’s a challenge ahead of us, but I really believe in Israeli football. I’m ready to start and while I can’t promise anything I can promise that we will try our best and work really hard. I know that the Israeli supporters are looking for success and every player must be aware of that.”

“My goal is to always have offensive and direct football. But you must look at what you have. At the end as a coach you have to find the perfect balance between the defense and the attacking side of the game.”

Technical Director Willi Ruttensteiner commented on the appointment, “His career until now as a coach I think he did the right way. A former player has to learn and educate himself as a professional coach and he did it.”

3) Toto Cup
Maccabi Tel Aviv will host Hapoel Tel Aviv in the first Toto Cup Semifinal while Hapoel Haifa will welcome Maccabi Haifa for the second on Sunday August 19th and Monday August 20th respectively.

Bnei Yehuda and Ashdod draw 3:3 as Yarden Shua scored a brace and Dolev Haziza found the back of the goal for Bnei Yehuda while Amit Bitton, Roman Averan and Dan Bitton scored for Ashdod.

Kiryat Shemona defeated Hapoel Hadera 2:0 thanks to goals by Nigel Hasselbaink and Mohamed Shaker.

Maccabi Netanya and Bnei Sakhnin ended their contest in a 1:1 draw as Firas Mugrasbi scored for Sakhnin and Aviv Avraham secured a point in the 96’ for the host’s.

Hapoel Raanana defeated Maccabi Petah Tikva 1:0 on an early goal by Mirko Ormush.

4) European Championships and Athletics
Artem Dolgopyat won the silver medal in the Men’s Floor Exercise while Alexander Shatilov finished a respectable 5th.
Sagi Muki won a bronze medal at the Judo Grand Prix in Budapest in the -81kg category.
Peter Paltchik won a bronze medal at the Judo Grand Prix in Budapest in the -100kg category.
Lonah Chemtai Salpeter, who had won the gold medal in the 10,000 meter race, was disqualified from the 5,000 meters after going outside of her lane at the start of the race. Looking to take home a second medal, Salpeter had thought she had secured a silver medal but failed to realize that she was one lap short of finishing the race. Once Salpeter had understood her error she continued and finished in 4th place.

Quick Hits – Monas Dabbur scored and assisted on another goal in a 2:0 win for Red Bull Salzburg over Austria Wien…Guard James Feldeine, forward Da’Sean Butler and center Jo Lual-Acuil signed with Hapoel Jerusalem…