Maccabi Tel Aviv blanked Hapoel Haifa 1-0 as Idan Nachmias headed home the first half injury time winner to take the points for the table leaders.

“We have to start taking advantage of our opportunities,” Maccabi coach Robbie Keane said. “It’s not always going to be 1-0 and w have to be more accurate. We have to score more goals and we are playing well but we are having trouble finishing. When you have so many good chances you have to be better.”

“I expected that we would play better and that we wouldn’t lose,” Haifa coach Roni Levy explained. “We conceded goal on a set piece right before the great and the guys need to know that this critical minutes are ones that they need to manage properly. We had a chance to get back into the game but we didn’t take advantage of it.”

Beitar Jerusalem downed Maccabi Petach Tikva 3-2 in a terrific end to end action packed game at Teddy Stadium. The hosts got on the board first as Timoti Muzi slammed home a 4th minute rebound to give the yellow-and-black a 1-0 lead but Yarden Cohen drew the visitors even 20 minutes later. However, goals by Grigori Morozov and Yarden Shua sent Yossi Abuksis’s side into the break holding a 3-1 advantage. Anas Mahamid pulled to within 3-2 by the 71st minute but that’s as close as Benny Lam’s team would get as Beitar took the victory.

“This was the best first half that the team has had since I have been here,” Beitar bench boss Yossi Abuksis said. “Anas Mahamid’s goal really put us under pressure and we tried to score a few more goals but we just had some really big misses. It should have been an 8-2 game but the ball just wouldn’t go into the goal.”

“Every game somehow is decided in the opening four minutes,” Petach Tikva coach Benny Lam began. We had to really be careful but we conceded and we were not in the game. We wanted to play in the second half and we had some great chances in the last half hour.”

Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Tel Aviv played to a goalless draw as the two teams split the points.

“This is a draw but it feels like a loss because we were always chasing after the other team,” Greens head coach Messay Dego said. “There’s nothing we can do, it was just a bad game by us, Our attacking game was very slow and our decisions weren’t good enough. I’m very disappointed, but we have to wake up as we have another game in just a few days.”

“We’re content as we played well and we were worthy to take 3-points,” Reds head coach Borja Lema said. “We made our fans happy and many of our players really performed well. It was great to have so many fans here with us. We worked hard and we can be proud of our play.”