Maccabi Haifa downed Maccabi Petah Tikva 2-1 as the Greens stayed a top the table for yet another week and opened up a 4-point lead over Maccabi Tel Aviv as the season entered the final month of play. Barak Bachar’s squad struck first as Neta Lavi scored off a nice corner kick play while the hosts had a chance draw even soon thereafter on a penalty but Josh Cohen stopped Naor Sabag’s spot kick to keep the visitors ahead 1-0 at the break. Central defender Bogdan Planic headed home Haifa’s second goal in the 49th minute off of Omer Atzili’s second assist of the match. A Sun Menachem own goal in the 89th minute cut the gap but it was too little too late as Haifa took the victory.

Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Beer Sheva played to a 1-1 draw as the Yellow & Blue fell 4 points behind table leaders Maccabi Haifa with only four games remaining in the season. Yonatan Cohen scored from the penalty spot to give Maccabi a 1-0 lead at Turner Stadium, but a goal of the season candidate by Marwan Kabha split the points to and put the visitors in a precarious situation as they play the Greens on Sunday.

Bnei Yehuda fell 2-1 to Maccabi Netanya and were officially relegated to the second division. Muhamed Ghadir gave Bnei Yehuda and early 1-0 lead as coach Yossi Abuksis held onto a glimmer of hope but a Gaby Kanichowsky second half goal along with a late Allyson Dos Santos own goal sealed the club’s fate as they went down to the Leumit League for the first time since 2014.

Kiryat Shemona and Ashdod drew 1-1 in the northern capital as the port city side moved closer to a European qualifying place. Eugene Ansah broke the deadlock in the 37th minute when he beat keeper Roie Mishpati from in close but a second half goal by Ramzi Safuri drew Ran Ben Shimon’s squad even to split the points.

Hapoel Tel Aviv and Hapoel Kfar Saba drew 2-2 to split the points. Emanuel Boateng and Dan Einbinder found the back of the goal for the Reds to go up 2-0 but and Omer Fadida Barcelona handed the relegated squad a point.

Hapoel Haifa downed Beitar Jerusalem 3-1 in a one sided affair at Sammy Ofer Stadium. Matheusinho gave visiting Beitar a 1-0 lead in the 9th minute but there unanswered goals by Alon Turgeman, Niso Capiloto and Liran Sardel to give Elisha Levy’s team the 3-points.

Hapoel Hadera slipped by Bnei Sakhnin 1-0 on a Gustavo Marmentini 14th minute goal as Menachem Koretzky’s squad grabbed the 3-points.