The Israeli Premier League resumed once again after another lockdown break.
Until the last moment, there was a doubt whether the matches would be played. After the government decided to extend the lockdown for 10 more days, the option of cancelling the games was under discussion. A few days before the kickoff, the government agreed to resume only the top tier, ignoring the second division.
The Race To The Title
Maccabi Haifa, the league leaders before the break, has maintained their 8-point gap in the top. They hosted Bnei Sakhnin, which apparently suffered from more positive cases outbreak in the club. Beram Kayal was among these players, and he got permission to play as he recovered only on the same day. Maccabi Haifa easily won 3-0, with goals by San Menachem, Nikita Rukavytsya, and Dolev Haziza. Rukavytsya scored his 14th league goal this season, but according to recent reports, he may leave Israel soon for a new challenge in China or Saudi Arabia.
The reigning champions, Maccabi Tel Aviv, also won. They defeated Maccabi Netanya 3-1 with goals by Yonatan Cohen, Dor Peretz, and Eduardo Guerrero. Kevaughn Frater scored Netanya's only goal, the first Jamaican player to score in the Israeli first division since Peter Cargill in 1990. Maccabi Netanya wasn't good enough on the offensive side after Yonas Malede has left to Gent.
On Wednesday, Maccabi Tel Aviv will host Maccabi Haifa for a do-or-die match. Maccabi Tel Aviv begins a tough sequence of matches, including playing twice in a row against Hapoel Be'er Sheva, in the league and the cup. Maccabi Haifa will look for an opportunity to make it a double-digit difference on the top and maybe getting closer to the title.
Big Names, Big Problems
On Saturday, Beitar Jerusalem felt that they had a decent comeback. A 2-0 away win against Ironi Kiryat Shmona, with one of the goals scored by Yarden Shua, a player that is still looking for getting in shape. Since that day, Beitar Jerusalem has faced problems and controversies, as their potential deal with Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa was put in doubt.
Another team that is under crisis is Hapoel Tel Aviv. One of the team's big problems was their lack of goals, but they finally managed to find the net in their last match against Hapoel Haifa. They were awarded two penalties in the first half, and Omri Altman scored them both. With an early lead, Hapoel Tel Aviv was closer to win after a long time. Before half time, Hanan Maman scored for Hapoel Haifa, and in the 78th minute, Raz Stein equalized with a long-range strike. Hapoel Tel Aviv is still in the last place, aiming to avoid relegation.
In the mid-week round, Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Tel Aviv will play in Teddy Stadium. The rivalry between the clubs has a long tradition of conflict between the right and the left wing. In days of a crisis and the scheduled elections in March, the match could easily be the main event for politicians. Without the fans in the stands, the tension will be high, but only in sporting matters.
The Return Home
Hapoel Be'er Sheva has waited a long time to play a home match again in Turner Stadium. The stadium was closed in August after structural problems were found in the roof. The construction wasn't complete yet, but Hapoel Be'er Sheva got the approval to host matches. Their first match was against Hapoel Hadera.
A year has passed since the last time that Hapoel Be'er Sheva player scored a goal in their home stadium. They waited 75 minutes, almost without shooting to the goal, but David Keltjens had done it. The narrow 1-0 win is keeping the shaky season of Hapoel Be'er Sheva. They are not playing an impressive football in most of the matches, but they are still in the 3rd place with another win.
Thumbnail photo by Maccabi Haifa official Facebook page.
