The Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Hapoel Haifa game that ended in a 4-3 win for the Yellow & Blue was absolute insanity! In Maccabi coach Giorgos Donis’s words, it may have been amazing for the fans but it took years off of his life watching his defense or lack thereof. But who’s going to complain about 7 goals in am insane game with models of them over the last ten minutes or so? But the truth of the matter is, Donis perhaps has to be very, very concerned about his defense for a number of reasons which was self inflicted. Shachar Piven got the start and committed a foul that led to the first goal, a penalty by Haifa. Piven made his Israeli league debut and has barely sniffed the grass on the pitch this season in other competitions, so who can be surprised? Add to the fact that Donis recently went from 5 in the back to 4 in the back and it’s going to take time for any team to adjust. So none of the defensive woes shouldn’t have been unexpected.

GOALAZO!!!!! Manor Solomon gives Shakhtar Donetsk a 2-0 lead over Real Madrid!!!! WOW!!! 🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱🇮🇱 pic.twitter.com/xhx9kKtZEG

— Sports Rabbi (@thesportsrabbi) December 1, 2020

Manor Solomon will be coming to Israel with Shakhtar Donetsk to face Maccabi Tel Aviv in the Europa League Round of 32 in February and that’s going to be great! Sure there were some attractive teams in the draw from Manchester United and Arsenal to Milan and Napoli but why not bring on one of Israel’s brightest stars playing abroad with a team that defeated Real Madrid twice in Champions League action and also scored against one of the world’s greatest teams. Yellow & Blue coach Giorgos Donis had this to say about the draw, “One can never say in the Europa League round of 32 that there is a comfortable draw. Shakhtar is an excellent side which should their good ability in the Champions League against Real Madrid and Inter (Milan). They have excellent players and Manor Solomon is only one of them. They have a team which in recent years competed in European competitions on a regular basis.”

Gotta love Netanya and Petah Tikva and the incredible effort both sides put in for an entertaining and crazy game. Netanya goes up by two goals, Petah Tikva comes back to tie the game up and then Hen Ezra scores the winner. WOW. Israeli soccer has produced some terrific games this season (along with some stinkers) but this one ranks right up there. Both teams like to attack and play open football and that’s great for the fans. Lights, camera, action! But the credit goes to the two coaches Raymond Atteveld and Guy Luzon for playing the style they do. Keep it up!

Anthony Varenne took advantage of the opportunity to start for Beer Sheva and scored a brace to pay back Yossi Abuksis for placing his trust in him. For those who have watched Varenne for years including while he was in the Leumit League should not be surprised one iota. The Frenchman who made is a naturalized Israeli has always scored and always has found the back often goal wherever he has been. Those two goals were huge for Beer Sheva as the club needs wins and points and Varenne did that singlehandedly.

Amir Turgeman is a good man. He’s also a good coach, but after a 1-0 loss to Ashdod he saw his time end with the Greens as he was let go by Yitzhak Shum. Sports are all about results and Kfar Saba wasn’t getting enough good ones which saw “Turgi” sent packing. But was it his fault? It’s so difficult to play with the bottom of the table teams as the coach tries to get a react from week to week with tons of presser on them with a subpar squad. It’s not easy. But I don’t think that Kfar Saba needed to a make a change just yet. However, patience in the Israeli league just doesn’t exist.