Maccabi pummeled Hapoel 5-0 in the big Tel Aviv Derby as a Djordje Jovanovic and Avi Rikan scored second half braces after Hapoel midfielder Samy Elias was sent off at the end of the first half. The yellow-and-blue are now undefeated in 22 straight derbies dating back to April of 2014 when the Reds won by a 3-1 score while this was the third time that Maccabi had beaten Hapoel 5-0 with the last time coming during teh 2016/17 season.

Both sides played tentatively over the course of the opening 45 minutes but the complexion of the game took a 180 degree turn when Elias spit at Enric Saborit after the Maccabi defender committed a rough foul on the midfielder which resulted in his sending off.

The second half was all yellow-and-blue from that point on as Stipe Perica raced down the right flank and sent Djordje Jovanovic a terrific cross that the latter put behind keeper Bohdan Sarnavskyi to take a 1-0 lead in the 56th minute. Avi Rikan doubled the advantage a quarter hour later when his corner kick was fumbled by Sarnavskyi and went into the goal.

Just minutes later Rikan added his second marker of the game as he blasted the ball past a helpless Sarnavskyi from the middle of the box while Jovanovic completed his brace when he took a beautiful Rikan pass and chipped it over the Hapoel keeper for a 4-0 lead. Perica polished off the goal scoring spree with a perfectly placed header to hand Maccabi head coach Mladen Krstajic a 5-0 Derby win.

“It was a brilliant game and brilliant win,” Krsatjic said. “It was difficult over the last few days but the players showed character. I am happy for the fans who wanted this important win. We controlled the game from the beginning and I am satisfied but we have to continue this way.”

“I have some very hard feelings after this game,” a disappointed Hapoel coach Kobi Refuah said. “We were in this game until Shay Elias was sent off and then fell apart after the 60th minute. We will need to recover from this deviating loss. The guys did the maximum that they could.”

Avi Rikan, who earned Man of the Match honors spoke about yet another Derby victory, “I haven’t played much this season but I have had a long career and want that to continue. Games like today give me motivation. We had a tough week after losing twice to Beer Sheva but we responded extremely well to take this win.”

Hapoel captain, Dan Einbinder reflected on the loss, “We lost in a way that we would have never dreamed of. These are some tough moments for us and there will be even more difficulties over the course of the week. We will need to be strong in order to handle this defeat.”