Greens still alive thanks to emotional Benayoun winner

Beitar Jerusalem owner Eli Tabib was sentenced to six months of community service after being convicted last June of assaulting a minor and of disruption of justice.

MARCH 3, 2015 08:03

Eli Tabib (photo credit: DANI MARON/MAARIV) — Eli Tabib

(photo credit: DANI MARON/MAARIV)

Maccabi Haifa remained in contention for a place in the Premier League championship playoffs on Monday night, after coming from behind to beat Maccabi Netanya 2-1 at Sammy Ofer Stadium.

Haifa closed within three points of Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Ra’anana, which are in fifth and sixth places, respectively, with only the top six to qualify for the championship playoffs in two weeks.

An awful Elad Gabay mistake gifted Netanya’s Eran Levy the opener in the 26th minute. However, Eliran Atar equalized with his fourth goal in the past three matches in the 57th minute before Yossi Benayoun won the match for Haifa eight minutes later, weeping with joy after finding the back of the net.

Haifa, which leapfrogged Netanya into seventh place with the victory, visits Ironi Kiryat Shmona next week before ending the regular season with a derby against Hapoel Haifa.

Meanwhile, Beitar Jerusalem owner Eli Tabib was sentenced to six months of community service by the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court on Monday, a little more than a day after being shot and lightly wounded outside his home in Kfar Shmaryahu, in what appeared to be another botched attempt on his life.

Tabib insisted that the shooting was linked to soccer, although Police aren’t as sure of the motive.

Tabib was convicted last June of assaulting a minor and of disruption of justice, being found guilty of attacking a Hapoel Tel Aviv fan with his bodyguard outside his home in March 2012 and erasing the footage of the incident from his computer after it was captured by his security cameras.

Tabib owned Hapoel Tel Aviv until July 2012, leaving the club after protests by the supporters.

Tabib plans to appeal the conviction and the sentence.