Winner League playoff soccer got underway on Saturday, with a total of 5 games for the fans to enjoy before next week’s international break.

Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Hapoel Haifa 3-0 on Saturday night in their first game of the Upper Playoff bracket.

Former hostages, Maccabi fan Emily Damari and Hapoel Haifa fan Romi Gonen, joined the players on the pitch in an emotional pregame ceremony.

Once the game got underway, Osher Davida opened the scoring for the Yellow & Blue in the 8th minute after Yoav Gerafi was unable to effectively clear the ball after saving an Issouf Sissokho shot on target. Maccabi continued to dominate the flow of the game and the lead doubled in the 35th minute, with Roy Revivo heading the ball into the back of the net from a perfect corner ball from Gabi Kanichowsky. Things then went from bad to worse for the visitors just before the end of the half, with Thiemoko Diarra being handed a red card after he elbowed Maccabi captain Eran Zahavi in the face while trying to dribble past him – the Reds from Haifa down 2-0 and a man after 45 minutes.

Shortly after play resumed, Hapoel Haifa was down to 9 men after Dramane Salou was also handed a red card for an illegal tackle. Maccabi continued to pepper the goals and Ido Shachar – minutes after replacing Joris Van Overeem – scored courtesy of a Dor Turgeman assist in the 60th minute. The rest of the game continued to be played on Maccabi’s terms, but were unable to add more goals.

While happy with the result, Maccabi coach Žarko Lazetic was not happy that his team was unable to convincingly put away their undermanned opponents.

“In the second half I was not satisfied, we didn’t play like killers, but rather for show – not how I would like to see the team.”

“We did not start the game well,” Hapoel Haifa coach Ronny Levy summed up the game. “To then go down both scores and players, it’s not how we wanted to start the playoffs. Let’s say that we are already waiting for the next game to correct today’s game. We cannot afford to break, it’s dangerous. It’s very disappointing.”

In the Upper Playoff’s other game earlier on Saturday, Hapoel Beer Sheva maintained its lead at the top of the standings with a 2-0 win over Maccabi Netanya at Turner Stadium, courtesy of a first-half injury time goal to Miguel Ângelo Leonardo Vítor from a corner set play and a 68th minute goal to Eliel Peretz.

Like in Tel Aviv, there was also an emotional ceremony prior to the game, with the ceremony in Beer Sheva in honor of released hostage Iair Horn.

“Another emotional ceremony, another action,” Beer Sheva coach Ran Kozuch said after the game. “Our club deserves a lot of credit for what it does and all the time puts the issue of hostages on the agenda. I was very emotional, I think the players were too. But we very quickly saw that they know what needed to be done today in order to leave with the points.”

“I’m not satisfied,” Netanya coach Yossi Abukasis said after the loss. “Our start was typical of the whole game. We started terrible with lots of turnovers. We weren’t able to hold the ball and that allowed Beer Sheva to attach us.”

In the Lower Payoff bracket, Ironi Tiberias and Hapoel Hadera played a 1-1 draw at Green Stadium, with Adeniyi Segun James’s 85th goal the visitors cancelling out Waheb Habiballah’s 63rd minute goal.

“Hadera were better if we’re honest,” Tiberias coach Eliran Hudeda said after the game. “At this stage of the season, you have to know to play for the result. It was not as good a game for us in terms of football, the point is very important at the moment.”

“We also had countless chances in the first half,” Hadera coach Kostika spoke of the game. “I knew that even if Tiberias won, it would be a sting out of nowhere. I’m glad that at least we got the equalizer, it’s a shame we didn’t take advantage of the chances and win.”

Hapoel Kiryat Shmona defeated Maccabi Petah Tikvah 2-1 at Netanya Stadium, Tamir Glazer’s second-half goal for Petah Tikvah not enough for the visitors to negate Esmiraldo Sá da Silva’s and Alfredo Horacio Stephens Francis’s earlier goals.

“We are enjoying ourselves and in the first half especially this was seen,” Kiryat Shmona coach Shai Barda said after the game. “It’s our third victory over them this season, the players deserve the credit.”

“With the ability we showed in the second half it’s possible to remain in the Winner League,” Petah Tikvah coach Tamir Luzon said after the game. “We need to show this in many more stages of the game.”

Hapoel Jerusalem defeated Bnei Sakhnin 4-1 at Jerusalem’s Teddy Stadium, with each of Matan Hozez and Ohad Almagor scoring a brace for the home team, while Barnes Osei scored the visitors’ sole goal.

“Before everything let’s speak about the important things,” Hapoel Jerusalem coach Ziv Arie started the press conference. “We met Hersh Goldberg-Polan’s parents at hostage Square, they urged us to keep fighting for the return of all hostages. Football? Everything pales in comparison to what Is happening here in the country. We send strength to everyone’s families.”

“I knew that the situation was not simple,” Sakhnin coach Meni Koretski said after the loss. “There’s been a change of coaches [after he replaced Slobodan Drapić], the players lack confidence – but to the tell the truth, it was too easy for Hapoel Jerusalem.”