Local Soccer: Betar bags its first win of the season

Maccabi Netanya consolidates position at the top of the table with a narrow away win against Bnei Sakhnin.

By JONNY HADI
Betar 224.88 (photo credit: Asaf Kliger)
Betar 224.88
(photo credit: Asaf Kliger)
Betar Jerusalem breathed a collective sigh of relief on Saturday after beating Hakoach Amidar Ramat Gan 4-2 at Winter Stadium to record its first win of the season. Nevertheless, the champions started the match poorly and fell behind after seven minutes thanks to a dreadful mistake by goalkeeper Tvrtko Kale. The Croat dropped a weak Gal Levy cross straight at the feet of Omer Rapps, who easily rolled the ball into an empty net. Betar equalized in the 21st minute with its first purposeful move of the game. Aviram Baruchyan found Cristian Álvarez down the right and the Chilean's low cross was fired into the top right-hand corner of the net by striker Barak Yitzhaki. However, Betar continued to look nervous and was made to pay when Hakoach was awarded a 36th-minute penalty after Michael Zandberg was judged to have pulled back Michael Tukura in the area. Barak Badash found the left corner of the net with his second successful spot kick in successive weeks. In the second half, Betar prodded and prodded, and finally got its reward after some penalty-box pinball in the 64th minute. The ball eventually broke to Yitzhaki, who crossed for Shimon Gershon to head it high into the net at the far post and make amends for last week's penalty miss against Maccabi Tel Aviv. Betar took the lead after 70 minutes when Moshe Ohayon, who had just replaced Derek Boateng, curled a fantastic free-kick into the top corner of the net after Baruchyan was scythed down at the edge of the box. Betar put the icing on the cake in injury time. A cross from the left by super-sub Ohayon was only partially cleared and Yitzhaki smashed the ball in from inside the area. Maccabi Tel Aviv 0, Maccabi Petah Tikva 0 After last week's war of words with the officials at Betar, Maccabi Tel Aviv coach Ran Ben-Shimon was extra careful to keep his mouth shut in Saturday's lively goalless draw at Bloomfield Stadium, which had the occasional contentious refereeing decision. Maccabi Petah Tikva started the match strongly and Tel Aviv needed a great tackle by captain Moshe Mishaelof to deny Dani Prada a clear run on goal in the seventh minute. Moments later, the excellent Pablo Bastianini shot tamely at Tel Aviv keeper Dragoslav Jevric´, following a defensive howler by Igor Tomasic. The home side dominated the second period and had a penalty shout turned down by referee Allon Yefet when Ilya Yavruyan was bundled over in the area by Petah Tikva defender Morad Megamadov. In the 57th minute, Tel Aviv had a clear goal disallowed when Yossi Shivhon was unfairly ruled offside after finding the net following a Maor Buzaglo through-ball. After having the lion's share of possession, Tel Aviv had Jevric to thank for saving it from an injury-time defeat with a wonderful save to deny Tal Ben-Haim the winner. Bnei Sakhnin 0, Maccabi Netanya 1 Maccabi Netanya consolidated its position at the top of the table on Saturday with a narrow away win against Bnei Sakhnin. Ivorian George Ba gave Lothar Matthäus's side the only goal of the game, expertly hooking in a Dedi Ben-Dayan center in the 64th minute. Sakhnin's Paty Yeye Lenkebe received his marching orders in the 83rd minute after a second yellow for a foul on Itai Shechter, but Netanya failed to capitalize on its numerical advantage. Hapoel Petah Tikva 2, Ashdod SC 1 Hapoel took the lead five minutes before the interval when an Ori Uzan cross was turned in by midfielder Shimon Abuhatzera. The home side doubled its advantage on 52 minutes when M'peti Nimba headed in a Yossi Rozen corner. Ten minutes later, Ashdod pulled a goal back when David Revivo found Baruch Dago, whose cross was fired into the net by Idan Shriki from three meters out.