Hapoel Beer Sheva 3:0 Hapoel Kfar Saba

Beer Sheva playing at home in the brand new Toto Turner Stadium defeated the visiting Kfar Saba and moved into first place ahead of Maccabi Tel Aviv who have a game in hand. Goals by Ma’aran Radi on a gorgeous first half free kick just before halftime, Shir Tzedek off a corner kick and captain Elyaniv Barda’s header did the visiting Greens in.

Maccabi Petach Tikva 2:0 Beitar Jerusalem

With over 11K fans in attendance with the vast majority supporting Jerusalem, Petach Tikva played a wonderful match and picked up an important 3-points against a red hot Jerusalem side. With Beitar controlling the first half pace it would be Petach Tikva surprising the visitors scoring at the 45 minute mark on a marvelous Idan Shemesh strike to take a slim 1:0 lead into the lockerrooms. Xavier Tomas took advantage of a 10-man Beitar team to add an insurance goal in the 89th minute and help the home side to a valuable win for coach Ran Ben Shimon. Beitar Jerusalem midfielder David Klejtens will miss the next match after picking up his second yellow card good for red in the second half.

Maccabi Haifa 1:0 Maccabi Netanya

Greens Captain Yossi Benayoun silenced his critics after scoring the match’s lone goal in the 86th minute after having just Coke on for the home team minutes earlier. Benayoun had been under heavy criticism from the fans over the past weeks in a very public spat. However, number 15 was able to get all of the fans back on his side by taking Taleb Tawatha’s goal line pass and pounced on it for the match winner sending Netanya coach Reuven Atar to his second straight defeat.

Hapoel Raanana 2:2 Hapoel Haifa

With Raanana taking a 2:0 first half lead on goals by Snir Shuker off a terrific pass by Evans Kangwa and Rene Mihelic from a free kick it would end up being Haifa who would stun the hosts with two secodm half goals by Maaran Lala. The Haifa striker’s first goal came off of a Tomer Suissa corner kick that Hanan Maman smartly headed right to Lala who put it behind the Raanana keeper. Lala headed in his second goal in the 73rd minute to split the points.

Hapoel Akko 0:1 Hapoel Tel Aviv

Akko came into the match licking their wounds after a last minute loss to Beitar Jerusalem on Matchday 11 and certainly were not looking for a repeat performance against a struggling Reds side. Unfortunately for Akko their worst nightmare played out in real time yet again as they gave up another late goal. To add insult to injury the goal was scored by former Akko player Adi Gutlieb as Hapoel Tel Aviv gave new coach Guy Levy his first win and the valuable 3-points.

Kiryat Shemona 0:2 Bnei Sakhnin

The visiting Sakhnin side sent Kiryat Shemona to its fifth match in a row without a win on goals by Weam Amasha and Shlomi Azulay saving Eli Cohen’s job for now.