Maccabi Haifa continued to make noise that they are a force to reckoned with as the Greens defeated Hapoel Haifa 3-0 in the Haifa Derby at Sammy Ofer Stadium. After a goalless first half, Marko Balbul’s squad scored in bundles as Nikita Rukavystya scored a pair of goals in the win. Sintayehu Sallalich came on as a second half substitute and impacted the game in his first minute on the pitch when he sent a magnificent pass to Yuval Ashkenazi who beat Reds keeper Jasmin Buric for a 1-0 lead. In the 53rd minute Neta Lavi got the ball to Rukavytsya who gave Maccabi Haifa a 2-0 advantage and two minutes later the same Rukavytsya completed a perfect give and go with Sallalich as he put the ball past Buric for a 3-0 victory. The Greens head to Kiryat Shemona on Saturday while the Reds host Beitar Jerusalem on Sunday.

Maccabi Tel Aviv got back onto the winning track with a 3-0 win over Bnei Yehuda on the road at Blomfield Stadium. The defending champions recorded the dominating win after crashing out of the Israel State Cup competition earlier in the week against Uhm El Fahem. Head Coach Vladimir Ivic reinserted Yonatan Cohen into his starting lineup and the move paid immediate dividends as the 23-year old had a hand in all of the goals while Omer Atzily scored a brace. Cohen found Atzily off a corner kick as the midfielder blasted the ball into the upper left hand corner of the goal past a helpless Bnei Yehuda keeper Emilias Zoubas for a 1-0 lead in the 22nd minute. Just six minutes later, Cohen crossed the ball to Eyal Golasa as the latter found the back of the goal from 10 meters out to double the advantage. The yellow-and-blue sealed the deal in the 81st minute when Cohen and Atzily teamed up once again, this time for the third marker as Zoubas made the initial save off of Atzily’s shot, but the ball trickled behind the shot stopper as Maccabi wrapped up an easy 3-0 win. Next up for the first place club is a date with Hapoel Kfar Saba on Saturday afternoon while Bnei Yehuda visits Maccabi Netanya on Sunday.

Hapoel Beer Sheva slipped by Hapoel Hadera 1-0 on the road at the Netanya Stadium as Josue scored the lone goal of the contest in the second half to give Barak Bachar’s squad the three points. Beer Sheva hosts Ashdod while Hadera visits Hapoel Raanana on Saturday.

Kiryat Shemona dropped Hapoel Kfar Saba 3-0 at the Moshava Stadium to take the three points. James Adeniyi opened the scoring via a 19th minute while Yoel Abuhatzeira added a second strike early on in the second half for a 2-0 lead. Eden Kartzev put the icing on the cake deep into injury time as his goal gave the northerners the 3-0 victory.

Beitar Jerusalem easily got by Hapoel Raanana 2-0 at Teddy Stadium in the capital city. Freddy Plumain blasted a beautiful strike in the first half to give the hosts a 1-0 while Gadi Kinda doubled the score in the 88th minute from right outside of the box to give Roni Levy’s squad a tidy 2-0 win.

Hapoel Tel Aviv and Ashdod played to a dull goalless draw at Bloomfield Stadium as the two sides split the points.

Sektzia Ness Tziona surprised Maccabi Netanya 1-0 thanks to a 24th minute goal by Raz Stain as Amir Turgeman’s side took all three points at the Moshava Stadium.