With Coronavirus and lockdown, the Israeli Premier League didn't stop and brought another week of a close race.
Maccabi Haifa could be in a better position, but their 2-1 defeat against Maccabi Tel Aviv changed the plans. With a 5-point lead, they hosted Hapoel Kfar Saba. In the previous match between the clubs, Hapoel Kfar Saba has shocked Maccabi Haifa with a 3-2 win, and they hoped for another upset.
The league leaders found the net first. In the 35th minute, Dolev Haziza scored the first goal. It wasn't the last time he was part of scoring a goal, as he assisted to Nikita Rukavytsya at the 53rd minute. The Australian striker scored another brace with a second goal in the 62nd minute. Rukavytsya is leading the top scorers list with 16 goals, far away from second place.
For Maccabi Haifa, the situation is not stable enough, and their next games can be challenging. In their next three games, they will play against FC Ashdod, Hapoel Haifa and Beitar Jerusalem, and every match could be crucial.
Things are Changing
With the momentum from the last win, Maccabi Tel Aviv had to keep their gap from Maccabi Haifa. They played away against Hapoel Be'er Sheva, which faced a sequence of unusual events. Two days before the match, the manager Yossi Abukasis announced that he leaves the team. While he signed for Bnei Yehuda, the caretaker was Elyaniv Barda, the assistant manager, and the former captain.
There was no doubt that Maccabi Tel Aviv is a clear favourite in this match, but it took time until they also scored. Tal Ben Haim, who recently returned from an unsuccessful spell in Sparta Praha, scored his second goal this season. Maccabi Tel Aviv failed to score the second, but they could be satisfied with being still close in the championship race.
If Hapoel Be'er Sheva didn't have enough problems, also Josué added his own crazy decision. At the last minute, he allegedly spits on Maccabi Tel Aviv's player, Avi Rikan. After a check by the VAR, the referee decided not to send him off. Some footages can prove the incident, and now there is a doubt whether the FA Disciplinary Committee will punish him.
Crash to The Last Place
Hapoel Tel Aviv can describe this season as one of its worst seasons ever. After a long time of failing to score, now Hapoel Tel Aviv is struggling to win. On Sunday, they played at home against Ironi Kiryat Shmona.
Hapoel Tel Aviv took the lead in the 61st minute with a goal of Ofek Biton. Now, they had to make something different than their recent form. They scored first in their previous four matches but managed to win only once. It was more of the same this time when Abdallah Halihal scored the equalizer for Kiryat Shmona.
Now they are facing another matchday, finishing in the last place. While Hapoel Hadera defeated Bnei Sakhnin 2-0 and Bnei Yehuda is getting ready for a new era with Yossi Abukasis, Hapoel Tel Aviv's season is more complicated.
COVID-19 isn't Over Yet
Israel is still facing a problematic situation with the pandemic.
Beitar Jerusalem had 22 positive cases in the club, and their last two matches were delayed. The country is still under a nationwide lockdown that was extended by four days until Friday morning.
This decision also affected Israel's football scene, as the return of the second and the third division was delayed. The Israeli Cup matchday that was scheduled to be played this weekend was postponed by two weeks.
With a high number of positive cases, Israel is far from being in a good position. Still, there is a chance that things will return quicker than in other countries, as more people were already vaccinated.
Would Israel be the first in Europe to present a new era in football? Only time will tell.
Thumbnail photo by Hapoel Be’er Sheva official Facebook page.
