TA clubs move to 3-0; Mac Haifa earns point

Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv made it three wins out of three in the Premier League on Saturday, while Maccabi Haifa picked up its first point of the season with a 1-1 draw at Hapoel Beersheba.

Eliran Atar scored his first career hat-trick to give Maccabi Tel Aviv a 3-1 victory over Hapoel Haifa at Kiryat Eliezer Stadium.

Oscar’s team all but clinched the win by the 14th minute, with Roberto Colautti providing the assists for Atar’s first two goals (11, 14).

Yuval Avidor scored Hapoel Haifa’s first goal of the season when he slotted in his penalty kick in the 45th minute, but the hosts couldn’t net an equalizer in the second half and Atar completed his hattrick in the 87th minute with an easy tap-in.

The most emotional moment of the weekend arrived at Bloomfield Stadium when Nitzan Shirazi returned to the Hapoel Tel Aviv bench to raucous applauds from fans and players alike after recovering from serious head surgery he underwent two weeks ago.

Shirazi’s assistant Shavit Elimelech, who prepared the team for the match, did the shouting from the bench and took care of media commitments, but the head coach will be hoping to return to full capacity very soon.

Hapoel players ensured Shirazi ended the match with a beaming smile, defeating Bnei Yehuda 2-0.

Toto Tamuz scored the opener in the 39th minute, with Omer Damari clinching the win four minutes from time.

After losing its first two matches of the season, Haifa found itself in deep trouble in Beersheba after Tomer Swisa gave the hosts the lead from the penalty spot in the 16th minute.

However, Shlomi Azulai leveled the score eight minutes from the break and Haifa was happy to settle for a single point after defender Edin Cocalic was sent off in the 49th minute with a second yellow card.

Champion Ironi Kiryat Shmona dropped to its first defeat of the campaign on Saturday, suffering a 1-0 home loss to Maccabi Netanya, with Ahmed Saba scoring the only goal of the match in the 60th minute.

Hapoel Acre scored five goals in the top flight for the first time in club history on Saturday, thrashing Bnei Sakhnin 5-1.

Ohad Kadusi netted a hattrick for the hosts (41, 57, 61), with Tamir Kahlon (7) and Leonardo Passos Alves (75) also scoring for Acre, while Idan Veizman (54) scored Sakhnin’s consolation goal.

Also Saturday, Hapoel Ramat Gan picked up its first point of the season, drawing 1-1 with Hapoel Ramat Hashaeon.

David Manga scored for Ramat Gan in the sixth minute, with Asi Baldut (78) equalizing for Ramat Hasharon.

RESULTS
Saturday’s results:

Hapoel Haifa 1, Maccabi Tel Aviv 3;
Hapoel Tel Aviv 2, Bnei Yehuda 0;
Ironi Kiryat Shmona 0, Maccabi Netanya 1;
Hapoel Acre 5, Bnei Sakhnin 1;
Hapoel Ramat Gan 1, Hapoel Ramat Hasharon 1;
Hapoel Beersheba 1, Maccabi Haifa 1.