Maccabi Haifa blasted Bnei Reineh 5-1 as both Frantzdy Pierrot and Dean David scored braces on the road to stay in the Israeli league championship race. Freddy Vargas stunned the Greens when he slotted home Shlomi Azoulay’s free kick in the 2nd minute, however, from that moment on it was Maccabi Haifa as they scored five unanswered goals. Pierrot drew the visitors even ten minutes later thanks to heavy pressure from his side while Dean David also scored his first of two in the 14th minute to give the Greens a 2-1 lead. David added his second of the matchup in the 61st minute which was followed up by a Lior Refaelov strike soon thereafter off a Pierrot assist as the completed his brace in the 72nd minute to wrap up the big win.

“This was an excellent game from us,” Maccabi Haifa head coach Messay Dego said following his team’s win. “We did concede an early goal off a set piece but we really knew how to respond. We need to put ourselves in the position that we can determine our own fate and this was a very crucial win for us.”

“Up until the 60th minute we saw a Bnei Reineh team that was able to go toe-to-toe with Maccabi Haifa,” Reineh bench boss Sharon Mimer said. “We didn’t see them take control of the game and we were in it. We were trying to see if we would be able to shift the game in our favor but once we gave up the third goal we fell apart.”

Hapoel Tel Aviv slipped by Maccabi Netanya 1-0 as Omri Altman scored the lone goal of the game in the 36th minute giving the Reds the 3-points and the win as they battle against relegation.

“We went through a very tough week,” Hapoel Tel Aviv’s new head coach Salim Tuama began. “I tried to pick up the guys all week long and I barely slept. Nothing is done just yet and I want to make sure the players will battle all the way to the end of the season and I have to tip my cap to them after this win.”

“I believe draw would have better reflected this game,” Netanya coach Marko Balbul said. “We could have been much better in the last third of the pitch but the ball just didn’t want to go in. We weren’t sharp enough and we paid for that with a loss.”

Hapoel Haifa blanked Hapoel Beer Sheva 2-0 as the Carmel Reds scored a pair of early goals to wrap up the win and take the points. Noam Ben Harush opened the scoring in the 10th minute while Guy Melamed headed home the insurance marker just 5 minutes later.”

“Beer Sheva is a strong team and had we played any different we would not have won the game,” Haifa coach Roni Levy began. “The guys here are putting together a fantastic season both on a personal and team level. We knew how to control the ball under pressure and do what we have been working on all year long.”

“This was a strange game and I told the team that this was a very important game but I guess it just wasn’t, that’s the way I felt,” Beer Sheva bench boss Eliyaniv Barda said. “At the start of the game we were just not working well and were soft which were things that we haven’t seen for the most part this season. We only focused on playing after we gave up the second goal.”

Hapoel Petach Tikva surprised Hapoel Jerusalem 1-0 as Roi Elimelech scored the decisive goal in the second half to give the hosts the win.

“I told the guys before the game that we had to play for our pride and finish off our time in the Premier League properly,” Petach Tikva coach Benny Lam said as his team has already been relegated to the Leumit League for the next season. “I felt that the players showed a certain responsibility as a very high level. Many players who hadn’t featured in a while received the chance to play and they did a great job.”