Maccabi Haifa defeated Hapoel Hadera 3-1 thanks to a trio of second half goals to take the win and the points. Hadera took a shock lead in the 33rd minute via their captain Menashe Zalka who scored on the host’s first chance on goal to go into the halftime break holding a 1-0 lead. However, Dia Saba headed home a Dolev Haziza cross to draw the Greens even early on in the second half while Abdoulaye Seck nodded in the game winner off of a Saba corner kick in the 85th minute to grab a 2-1 lead. Dead David polished off the victory deep into stoppage time to give Haifa the points.

Amir Nussbaum, Haifa’s assistant coach who was on the sidelines due to Barak Bachar’s ban spoke about the win, “3-points is the most important thing there is plus we can take a lot of character out of this game. Coming back from a deficit in the last minutes of the game in what was such a frustrating matchup isn’t easy. We are very proud of our players.”

Hapoel Hadera coach, Nimrod Kostika also reflected on the clash, “Overall, we had a pretty good game especially the first half. In the second half, we went backwards a bit and at the end of the day we conceded a goal from a corner and then another goal at the end of the game. This game was against one of best teams in the country and we played well so if we continue like this when we play the teams that are at our level, we can stay in the league.”

Maccabi Bnei Reineh slipped by Hapoel Beer Sheva 1-0 thanks to a late Muhammed Shaker goal to surprise the table leaders up in the Galilee. Following a goalless first half, Helder Lopes had a chance to give the southern Reds a lead from the penalty spot but his kick hit the bar which eventually allowed the hosts to take the win via Shaker’s strike in the 78th minute.

Bnei Reineh Head Coach Sharon Mimer spoke about the game but began with the hostages beginning to come back home, “I’m very happy, first of all thanks to the return of the hostages and we hope that more will return home soon. As for the game itself, we are a team that has picked up wins over Beitar Jerusalem, Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Beer Sheva over the past three weeks and that is no coincidence. There are some of the best players that I have coached here. We are fully convinced that we can play good games like this on any pitch and against any team and that’s why we’re enjoying the victory.”

Ran Kozuk alos reflected on the game, “To put it mildly, our attack was not good enough. In moments when we were patient, we created chances, but it didn’t happen enough. Apart from that, there is also the defensive part. Even in games that were difficult for us, we knew how not to concede and here we exactly that.”

Maccabi Petach Tikva and Ashdod played to an entertaining 2-2 draw in a game that was a tale of two halves after Mohammed Knaan was sent off as the match hit halftime as each side earned a point for their efforts. Knaan opened the scoring for the port city squad in the 35th minute while youngster Ori Azo doubled the advantage 8 minutes later for a 2-0 lead. However, Knaan was handed a straight red card due to a reckless tackle that left Ashdod with just ten men for the entire second half. Mohammed Hindi quickly cut the lead early on in the second half and Ido Cohen found the equalizer in the 65th minute as the match ended in a draw with each squad taking home a point.

“I’m a little disappointed,” Ashdod bench boss Klemi Saban began. “We scored to give us a 2-0 lead in what was an excellent first half with terrific football and good quality play from everyone. But the red card was unfortunate and in the second half we went backwards as Petach Tikva scored the first goal quite quickly and when they added the second goal, it was important for us to at least finish with a draw.”

“I leave this game with mixed feelings,” Petach Tikva coach Tamir Luzon said. “On one hand it’s a loss of points because after we tied up the game there were many more opportunities to take the lead. But on the other hand we have to remember that in the first half we really weren’t good and allowed Ashdod to easily score. I told the guys at halftime that we need to play like we know how, to emphasize the tactical parts of our attack and to be close together on defense.”

Hapoel Jerusalem walloped Ironi Tiberias 4-0 to the delight of the home fans as the visitors lost Eliyahu Belilti to a red card early on in the first half as the reds took the 3-points and the win in fine fashion. Belilti was sent off in the 22nd minute with his second yellow card which opened up the flood gates soon thereafter as Guy Badash gave Ziv Arie’s squad a 1-0 lead in the 30th minute thanks to a scorcher from outside of the box. Yanai Distelfeld doubled the advantage in the 48th minute while Matan Hozez added yet another marker ten minutes later while Eylon Almog put the cherry on top of the win with a penalty.

“We showed a little bit of our potential that has existed all year long in this game,” Arie said following the win. “We will remain humble and we are already looking towards Netanya with the aim of creating continuity in our ability and results.”

“This is our worst game of the season,” Tiberias bench boss Eliran Hodeida said. “It does not characterize us in terms of commitment or attitude or tactical discipline. I cannot name one player who came into the game and brought his and our character to the pitch, which is why this game looked the way it did.

Maccabi Netanya defeated Hapoel Haifa 3-1 as Igor Zlatanovic scored a brace to help the diamond city side take the win. Maor Levi opened the scoring for Netanya from inside of the box while Zlatanovic doubled the advantage by the 22nd minute. Theimoko Diarra pulled a goal back ahead of the break but Zlatanovic’s second marker of the game sealed the win.

“This was a very, very important victory in the standings,” Netanya Head Coach Yossi Abuksis began. “Following the results in the other games we knew that only a win would bring us back into the top six and I’m happy that the players did it in a big way. This was an exceptional game, I’m proud of the players, the team and we are making progress and continuing on.”

“I think this was a very weak game from us in all parameters,” a disappointed Haifa coach Roni Levy said. “We were very, very soft, I had a feeling on the field that Maccabi Netanya wanted it more and that is how the game played out. The basis of football is first and foremost passion and desire, to give everything and work hard and I think we didn’t. Maccabi Netanya were much more aggressive and intense and it was expressed in the game that they were better than us.”

Kiryat Shemona blanked Bnei Sakhnin 1-0 as Sekou Bangoura’s 41st minute goal gave the northerners the points.