Back to the big league. Tonight (Monday), Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated MS Ashdod 1: 3 and again narrowed the gap from Maccabi Haifa, which leads to only two points. This is the Yellows’ seventh consecutive victory in the league, and although there were moments of pressure when the visitors scored and were close to a draw, the champion did her part and scored three more important points.
“I have nothing to worry about, I don’t care what happened in the first half,” he said Patrick Van Leven At the end. “I can only say they played great today, they scored the goals. We could have scored earlier to make it easier for us. But in the end I can only be pleased with the result and the ability. In the second half it was a little less good. We have to keep playing the best we can “Sometimes it does not work and still get the results and then we are satisfied the players showed a lot of character in all the games, we want to win the title and they understand that. It will not always be with the best football possible”.
The one who indirectly complimented the Dutch coach was Providing a contract, Who was asked about the change in the team since Van Leven was appointed: “Our lineup has changed and is more suited to the team. It more allows the players to express their abilities.”
He added: “There is no doubt that the result is very important in the crowded schedule we have. We flooded the field and got into a lot of situations. Everyone can be happy with the ability. Ten stressful minutes, they narrowed and ran forward, but still well done to everyone who achieved the victory. Pressure from Maccabi Haifa? Less interesting their game, more interesting our games. We also showed good ability in front of Shakhtar. Hapoel Haifa? We don’t have much time, but we do the best preparation we can and come to win. “
Ran Ben Shimon He said after the loss: “We are no different from any team at a level. It was a bit of a strange game, I have a hard time analyzing it. It was easier for us to play against teams that want to play football, but we were not sharp. In games like that you can not be sharp. We played our game And we fell small. Opening our game? We did not adjust to the pace, we lost a lot of random balls. The pressure we put on our own shoulders sometimes comes to us. These guys who lost today, I am very proud of them. Sometimes the pressure comes, we are not the team yet “You get used to it, it’s a team that has been in bottom struggles for years. Sometimes it’s not easier to deal with successes than failures.”
“There were a few small punctures on the way, it’s part of life and we have to deal with it. The fact that we are there and are constantly striving for good football, it could be that in the future it will bring us more points. We need to know how to take advantage of these moments. Sagiv Ezekiel? Excellent staff, we have excellent players to beat any team. “