Mac Haifa-B. Yehuda play to nil-nil; Betar takes on Mac TA

Eli Cohen set to begin his third tenure as Betar Jerusalem coach.

By ALLON SINAI
MACCABI HAIFA defender Taleb Tawatha (Top)_150 (photo credit: Asaf Kliger)
MACCABI HAIFA defender Taleb Tawatha (Top)_150
(photo credit: Asaf Kliger)
Maccabi Haifa remained one point back of Bnei Yehuda in the Premier League standings after the two teams ended Sunday night’s showdown at Bloomfield Stadium in a 0-0 deadlock.
Both sides had their chances to score, but were equally wasteful in front of goal and the battle for a top-eight finish and a place in the championship playoffs is now even tighter.
Only five points separate Bnei Yehuda in fifth and Maccabi Tel Aviv in 10th, with four more matches to be played until the league is split into two sections.
“Last week we had 17 shots on goal and tonight we hardly had any,” Haifa coach Elisha Levy said. “We need to show a lot more motivation to win on the road. We have steadied the ship in recent weeks, but it is about time we also begin to win away from home.”
On Monday, Eli Cohen begins his third tenure as Betar Jerusalem coach against Maccabi Tel Aviv at Teddy Stadium.
Betar enters the match just one point off the relegation zone after being leapfrogged by Hapoel Haifa on Saturday and Jerusalem will first and foremost be looking to end its barren spell on Monday, failing to score a goal in its last four matches in all competitions.
“The future of the club depends on every one of you,” Cohen told the players on Sunday. “Maccabi is far from its best and has its weaknesses.
“Everyone knows we are going through a rough period, but we can change this, starting with the game against Tel Aviv.”