The second round in the upper and lower houses of the Premier League in handball will start tomorrow (Friday), and the main game in which it will meet the two leaders – Hapoel Rishon Lezion and AS Ramat Hasharon (15:00, live broadcast at 5 PLUS).
Ramat Hasharon (0:12) is in its best season so far, it scores 34 goals on average per game, and absorbs less than 28. On the other hand, Hapoel Rishon LeZion (2:11) won second in Herzliya 35:38, while Raz Ben David The youngster was the good surprise – with six goals and excellent game management in the center position, when he replaced the injured Yuval Guerra.
Hapoel Rishon LeZion will want to inflict its first loss on Ramat Hasharon and at least temporarily equal it in the battle for the home advantage throughout the playoff series. The previous meeting of the season ended at 26:30 in favor of Ramat Hasharon in the fifth round.
Upper house
Bnei Herzliya – Hapoel Ashdod (15:00)
The only game between the two in the ninth round provided tremendous drama and ended in a dramatic 31:31 and a decisive second-ending. In the opening of the Upper House, Herzliya was defeated by Hapoel Rishon LeZion, and conceded a lot – 38 goals (Herzliya has the largest amount of absorption among the upper house teams – 32.1 compared to a great valley average of 33.2). Ashdod achieved a great victory over Maccabi Rishon LeZion 25: 31, and hope to continue the momentum and maybe even return to second place, or reduce the lag from the summit. Ashdod stabilizes great defensively (conceded an average of 25 goals).
MK Yuvalim Holon – Maccabi Rishon LeZion (15:00)
Holon smiled last night, when it won the last ticket to the top house, and from here it will also try to make a move towards the playoffs. But before that, forget that five goals, five minutes to go, was not enough for her victory in Dimona last Friday. On the other hand, Maccabi Rishon LeZion opened the top house in a loss in Ashdod. In the first round, the meeting in the fifth round provided a fun game that went all the way, but Maccabi Rishon Lezion’s transcendence overwhelmed it – 31:34.
Lower house
MK Beer Sheva – Urban Rehovot (14:00)
This extremism of BS, an impressive victory in Kiryat Motzkin, and then a scorching loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv, also resulted from the departure of Stefan Chiric, who returned to Serbia due to a family problem, along with the expulsion of Georgia Golovic. BS knows that a loss will greatly complicate it in the fight against relegation, while Rehovot will try to get the first two points of the season, and reduce the gap from 11th place, which already stands at seven points. Zero.
Maccabi Kiryat Motzkin – Maccabi Tel Aviv (15:00)
Motzkin achieved a significant victory in Dimona, which allows it to focus on the battle for a place in the top playoffs – much thanks to the excellent ability of goalkeeper Ran Gutterman (12 stops) and pivot Lidor Pinto (6 goals). Maccabi Tel Aviv with an equally important victory, against Beer Sheva 26:34, which compared its points to those of Dimona – and as mentioned opened the struggle for survival. One of the most important figures for her – Davor Teskovich entered great shape (9 goals in 82%) , And together with I Ovina (10 goals) and Itai Turknitz (6) and Ofir Simon (4) – Maccabi’s attack flowed great, and Tal Eliukhin provided a good game in goal – 11 stops.
Hapoel Kiryat Ono – AK Nes Ziona (Saturday, 18:45)
After the two met last night and Ness Ziona won 28:29, this is a significant game for the two in the battle for tickets to the top playoffs.
On Monday, the third round will be held in the upper and lower houses, after which the league will go on a national break (and the games against Lithuania and Iceland in the European Championship qualifiers) until March 19: Hapoel Ashdod will host AS Ramat Hasharon (19:00), Maccabi Rishon LeZion Bnei Herzliya (19:30) and Hapoel Rishon LeZion Holon (19:30). In the lower house (20:00 first hour) – Maccabi Kiryat Motzkin – Urban Rehovot. Maccabi Dimona – Maccabi Tel Aviv. AK Ness Ziona – MK Beer Sheva.