Local Soccer: Shimshon stuns Maccabi TA in State Cup

Substitute Adam Mizrahi stuns his opposition in 120th minute after scoring past Maccabi goalkeeper Dragoslav Jevric.

By JEREMY LAST
Israel soccer 224.88 (photo credit: Asaf Kliger)
Israel soccer 224.88
(photo credit: Asaf Kliger)
The romance of the cup has struck again. Betar/Shimshon Tel Aviv of the Liga Artzit Israeli third division confounded the odds to beat Premier League big boys Maccabi Tel Aviv 1-0 in the ninth round of the State Cup on Tuesday, with the goal coming in the last minute of extra time. Betar/Shimshon, a club created from the ashes of two once great Israeli soccer institutions - Betar Tel Aviv and Shimshon Tel Aviv - played their heart out at Bnei Yehuda's Hatikva Stadium, and in the end got their just reward. Late substitute Adam Mizrahi stunned his illustrious opposition in the 120th minute after he latched on to a Oran Rotem pass and calmly scored past Maccabi goalkeeper Dragoslav Jevric. Also in the cup on Tuesday, Maccabi Haifa got a much needed win at home over fellow Premier League side Maccabi Petah Tikva with Yaniv Katan and Fentini scoring in a 2-0 win. Aside from Maccabi Tel Aviv, few other top flight teams fell foul to lower league opposition. Bnei Yehuda had no problems against Maccabi Kfar Kana, winning 2-0 and Ashdod SC lost to Ironi Kiryat Shmona 1-0 in the other all-Premier League tie. Hapoel Tel Aviv sailed through to the next round with a 3-1 win over Hapoel Upper Nazareth with Tal Hen, Dimitar Talkiyeski and Fabio Junior scoring for the Reds. But top division side Maccabi Herzliya was beaten in a thriller 4-3 by Hapoel Petah Tikva. At Hatikva, the home team made it clear from the start that they were not going to gift the game to Maccabi and created a number of early opportunities. In the 20th minute Morad Alian came close to taking a shock lead for Betar/Shimshon when he hit a parried save by Jevric, but his close range effort was palmed away and he held his head in disappointment. Maccabi came back into the game a few minutes later when Lior Jan's header from a Rudy Hadad corner flew inches wide of the left hand post. It was a close match throughout the first 90 minutes although Yannick Kamannan nearly won it for Maccabi when attempted a trademark backheel from the near post with a minute to go but defender Adam Cohen made a last gasp save. As injury time wore on the situation became ever more precarious for Maccabi. Finally the visitors broke throught with Mizrahi's goal and Betar/Shimshon recorded a famous victory, erupting in joy and celebration. In Kiryat Eliezer, Haifa was always the stronger team, although it had top notch opposition at times. Gustavo Boccoli should have put the Greens ahead 11 minutes in, but fluffed his open goal opportunity. The home team went 1-0 up 20 minutes after half time when Katan ran on to Renato's clever back heel flick on and fired in. And Roni Levy's team wrapped things up in the 90th when Biram Kiyal took a shot, Petah Tikva 'keeper Ohad Cohen could only push the ball away and Fentini knocked in the rebound.