Mac TA knocked out by underdog Ashdod

Yellow-and-blue loses in extra-time while Beersheba, Kiryat Shmona and Petah Tikva all advance.

By ALLON SINAI
Maccabi Tel Aviv midfielder Tal Ben-Haim couldn’t help his team avoid a State Cup exit at the hands of Ashdod SC. (photo credit: ADI AVISHAI)
Maccabi Tel Aviv midfielder Tal Ben-Haim couldn’t help his team avoid a State Cup exit at the hands of Ashdod SC.
(photo credit: ADI AVISHAI)
Maccabi Tel Aviv was sent packing from the State Cup at the first hurdle on Tuesday night, losing 2-1 to Ashdod SC in extra time.
The top-flight clubs opened their State Cup campaigns on Tuesday, with four all-Premier League ties, including Maccabi’s visit to Ashdod, already taking place in the round of 32.
Maccabi, which currently holds a threepoint gap over Hapoel Beersheba at the top of the league standings, was hoping to take a first step towards claiming its first league and cup double since 1996.
The yellow-and-blue forced extra-time after Eran Zahavi’s 88th-minute goal canceled out Roei Bakal’s (45) penalty.
However, Maccabi lost Yoav Ziv to a red card in the 106th minute and Bakal netted the winner from the penalty spot in the 113th minute to secure a memorable victory for the hosts and ensure the yellow-andblue was knocked out before the quarterfinals for a ninth year in a row.
Hapoel Beersheba cruised past Maccabi Sha’arayim of the third division at Vasermil Stadium on Tuesday, claiming an easy 4-0 win. The in-form Beersheba, which is unbeaten in 13 league matches, was without suspended captain Elyaniv Barda and top-scorer Dovev Gabai, but ended Sha’arayim’s dream of recording an upset as early as the sixth minute, with Nicolas Falczuk making the most of a rare start to fire the hosts into the lead. Siraj Nasar (25) doubled the advantage before Falczuk (28) netted his second goal of the night and Tomer Swisa (66) capped the rout in the second half.
In the day’s second all-Premier League encounter, Ironi Kiryat Shmona beat Hapoel Acre 3-0. Ofir Mizrahi (34), Rodgers Kola (70) and Klemi Saban’s own goal (90) gave the hosts a straightforward victory.
Diya Saba was the hero for Maccabi Petah Tikva in its 4-1 victory over Maccabi Yanve of the National League, scoring a hat-trick (40, 58, 88). Lidor Cohen netted Petah Tikva’s fourth in stoppage time, with Yossi Ofir (82) scoring Yavne’s consolation goal.
Ma’alot-Tarshiha will be the lone fourth-division representative in the round of 16 after beating fellow Liga Bet team Hapoel Baqa al-Gharbiyye 4-2. Former Hapoel Haifa player, Ilan Tal (10, 69, 89), scored a hat-trick for the hosts.
Maccabi Netanya, which has already built a seven-point cushion at the top of the National League standings, knocked out cup-holder Hapoel Ramat Gan with a 3-1 extra-time victory on Tuesday.
An additional 30 minutes were required after Ramat Gan’s Ran Ben-Shimon (42) canceled out Ido Exbard’s (23) opener, with Ramat Gan going down to 10-men in the 86th minute following Omer Hazum’s sending off. Yarin Hasan put Netanya back in front in the 104th minute and Eran Levy (109) secured its progress with an accurate penalty.
Hapoel Kfar Saba of the third division was the only team to defeat an opponent from a superior division on Tuesday, overcoming Ahi Nazareth of the National League 4-3 in a penalty shootout after extra-time ended in a 1-1 draw.
Also Tuesday: Hapoel Ramat Hasharon 4, Maccabi Umm al-Fahm 0; Hapoel Katamon 0, Hapoel Rishon Lezion 1; Beitar Tel Aviv/Ramle 0, Hapoel Upper Nazareth 1; Bnei Lod 3, Hapoel Afula 2.
Two more all-Premier League encounters will take place on Wednesday, with Maccabi Haifa visiting Hapoel Ra’anana and Hapoel Tel Aviv hosting Hapoel Haifa.
Also Wednesday: Beitar Jerusalem (PL) vs. Ironi Bat Yam (third division); Hapoel Petah Tikva (NL) vs. Bnei Yehuda (PL) and Kafr Qasim (third division) vs. Bnei Sakhnin (PL).