Bnei Yehuda spreads panic among bottom league clubs with winning streak
By Moshe Boker
Bnei Yehuda continued its astonishing comeback from almost certain relegation yesterday, winning its seventh match in a row. The Tel Aviv team's triumph has put Hapoel Kfar Sava, Maccabi Herzliya and SC Ashdod in increased peril of being relegated.
Bnei Yehuda yesterday played against relegation candidate Kfar Sava at the Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv. In the 17th minute, Bnei Yehuda's Cedric Bardon connected with Tamir Kahlon and sent a shot just over the crossbar. Then, Moshe Biton, whose shot on goal was deflected by the goalie only two minutes earlier, sent a good pass onto Kahlon, who was just late for the ball.
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The first hand was scoreless but when the orange team came back, it scored after only two minutes: Eli Abarbanel lobbed the ball to Biton. This time, Biton was precise and sent the ball past the goalie, 1-0 to Bnei Yehuda. Biton, again, caused trouble for Kfar Sava's defense leading to a free kick from which Hrvoje Kovacevic managed to score.
Bnei Yehuda went on the offensive after Kfar Sava remained with 10 players and it was Biton who scored another goal for his team after a one-on-one situation with the goalie, 3-0 in the end. Bnei Yehuda fans en route from Bloomfield to Tel Aviv's Tikva neighborhood from which the team heralds honked their horns to celebrate their victory.
Nimni says goodbye
Later yesterday, Maccabi Tel Aviv dramatically defeated Maccabi Petah Tikva 2-1. The match was the last played by Maccabi Tel Aviv legend and current manager Avi Nimni (read adjacent box for more on Nimni's participation in the match).
Lior Jan gave Tel Aviv the lead with a header in the 15th minute, but Petah Tikva fought back tying the match 1-1 in the 36th minute. Rudy Haddad danced around Petah Tivka's players in the 87th minute, then set up Yannick Kamanan with a one-on-one against the goalie.
Kamanan sent a thundering ball past the goalie to the right corner.
SC Ashdod won a critical match yesterday against Kiryat Shmona that helped it maintain its hopes to stay in the premier league next season. Ashdod, in its first match under the tutelage of newly appointed coach Eli Cohen, scored two early goals in the first half and held on to its lead against Kiryat Shmona, which did not put up much of a fight.
Meanwhile, one of Ashdod's main opponents in the struggle against relegation, Maccabi Herzaloya, lost 2-0 to Bnei Sakhnin. Ilya Yavruyan scored the first goal for Beni Sakhnin and Hamed Genaim added the second in the second half.
Tonight Maccabi Haifa will play against Hapoel Tel Aviv in the last match of the premier league round. Hapoel Tel Aviv needs to win to avoid chances of being relegated at the end of the season.
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