Last night, Maccabi Dimona’s victory over Urbani Rehovot at 30:34 created a new picture at the bottom, when Dimona rose above the red line at the expense of Beer Sheva, and Rehovot came even closer to relegation to the second division. Today (Friday) – The 4th round of the upper house and the lower house was completed, and it provided fascinating games.
In the upper house: The crisis of Ramat Hasharon continues, and it suffers a scorching loss 29:20 in Beit Maccabi against Maccabi Rishon Lezion. Ramat Hasharon has suffered a second loss in the last 3 games (in which it scored one point). Maccabi Rishon LeZion rises to third place – and is only one point behind Ramat Hasharon. Hapoel Altshuler Shaham Rishon LeZion showed great ability, won in Ashdod 22:26 , And is close to securing first place and a home advantage throughout the playoff series, when next Friday it will host Maccabi in the initial derby, in the final round in the top house. Ashdod drops to fourth place. MK Yuvalim Holon defeated Bnei Herzliya 28:32, and the two face off in the cup meeting between them on Monday.
In the bottom house: Maccabi Kiryat Motzkin defeated Ness Ziona 30:33, equaling the number of points of the two leaders in it (14 each) – and only Kiryat Ono (12, and a game missing) can now endanger one of them on the way to the playoffs – after an impressive victory 23 : 34 on MK Beer Sheva – which fell below the red line and its chances of survival are declining.
Maccabi Rishon LeZion – AS Ramat Hasharon 20:29 (6:13)
The host is stabilizing in its strong staff, which can lift it towards the deciding stages. Bosnian pivot Gaffer Khadzimarovic has recovered from an injury and is expected to return to the derby squad. Rotem Segal has already played today. Ramat Hasharon, which reached the top house with 12 consecutive victories and a perfect balance, continues to lose height – and achieves one point in the last 3 games against Hapoel Rishon LeZion, Ashdod and today at Beit Maccabi. Apart from that, the attack – who was the most prolific team – was stopped in the last two games for only 40 goals in total, and lost the outstanding player Milan Pavlovic who was injured today in the opening game.
The opening was the host’s: Niv Fishlovitz demonstrated great ability in the goal (11 stops in the first half at 65%!), And the Yellows took a 3: 8 advantage in excellent minutes by Sharon Shalem and Tzach Malul on offense. Ramat Hasharon scored its fifth goal only in the 21st minute, and goals by Yirmi Sidi and Ivan Kracic gave it a 5:11 (24 ‘) advantage, which later grew to eight goals. Ofir Cohen set the half-time score. In the second half, Rama Q still tried to come back, but good ability and goals from Amir Schneider, Dor Calderon, Branko Kankresh and Sharon Shalem gave a record advantage of 9 goals – 20:29 (57 ‘), which was maintained until the end when Kobi Cohen from Ramat Hasharon and Fishlovitz provided more penalty stops.
Now, Joe Matitya’s trainees are facing the initial derby, and a victory for the Yellows could allow Ramat Hasharon (if they beat Herzliya and Holon) to finally finish first. Conquered for Rishon LeZion: Yirmi Sidi 7 goals (from 8 attempts), Karach Yitzhak 5, Shalem 4, Kankresh, Schneider 3 each, Calderon, Segal and Malul 2 each, Itai Shlama 1. Goalkeeping stops: Fishlovitz with 16 stops at 50 percent, Elder Shikloshi 0 out of 4. For Ramat Hasharon: Oberman 5, Apo and Ofir Cohen 4 each, Stefan Terzic and Hadar Matzliach 2 each, Nadav Habib, Gil Pomerantz and Amit Mottola 1 each. Goalkeeping stops: Drako Arsic 7 from 32 – 22%, Kobi Cohen 3 from 7 – 43%.
Hapoel SP Ashdod – Hapoel Altshuler Shaham Rishon LeZion 26:22 (12: 7)
Ashdod came to the meeting after losing in Herzliya and dropped a victory against Ramat Hasharon (20:20). Hapoel Rishon LeZion, after victories on the edge of a goal against Ramat Hasharon and Holon, which raised it to the top and is now close to finishing the home stage in first place. Ashdod First lead from a goal by Shachar Levin, but the continuation was fantastic from Hapoel Rishon Lezion, who led 1: 7 – thanks to the great ability of Tom Shem Tov in the goal, and goal pairs by Tal Hershkovitz and Stefan Ilyich, along with conquests by Shai Natan, Itamar Almosninos and Milos Boishitz ‘. Ashdod scored its second goal only in the 14th minute, and the third in the 20th minute. Vladi Kaufman and Omri Kushmero and Lou Exbrod reduced to 8: 6 (24 ‘). Ram Turknitz kept Ashdod in the picture (17:15 – 48 ‘), but Milos Boysic, Ilyich, Itai Sorkis and Sean Seles raised the visitors to 18:23 (54’). Boisic closed the deal with 20:24 – during which Suissa was sent off with a red card. Many conquered to Ashdod: Turknitz 6, Suissa and Kushmero 3 each, Ben Gozi and Nibu Levy 2 each. For Rishon LeZion: Ilyich 8 goals, Boisic 7, Seles 4. The two are already waiting in the quarterfinals of the State Cup for rivalry and a draw that will be held after the first round games on Monday.
MK Yuvalim Holon – Bnei Herzliya 28:32 (13:15)
It was the first of two meetings for the two, when on Monday they will meet again in Holon as part of the first round of the State Cup. Herzliya still opened the game with an advantage, but Holon took it over towards the halfway mark – and the two teams divided forces to continue. Holon reduces the gap from Herzliya in fifth place to three points, while it still expects a rematch against Ramat Hasharon.
In the lower house, as mentioned after Dimona’s victory last night on Rehovot 30:34 (Marco Pendic and Marco Camper excelled with 19 goals together), two games took place today and clarified the picture in the promotion to the playoffs and relegation (next Friday, in the 5th round – Kiryat Motzkin will meet Kiryat Ono, Dimona, Ness Ziona and Rehovot, perhaps in the last chance against Maccabi Tel Aviv).
Maccabi Kiryat Motzkin – AK Nes Ziona 30:33 (13:16)
Motzkin achieves an important and equal victory for Nes Ziona (for two 14 points each), and now only Kiryat Ono – 12 points (and a game missing) can still endanger one of them on the way to the quarterfinals of the playoffs. Motzkin excelled Alex Bushich, Sergei Noskov and goalkeeper Naor Spoz ‘Piercing.
Hapoel Kiryat Ono – MK Beer Sheva 23:34 (10:14)
Ono improves her chances of qualifying for the top playoffs, when she still has two games less than Motzkin (whom she will meet next Friday) and one less than Ness Ziona. In Ono we mentioned Ofek Geva, who excelled in defense and offense, Amit Gal and Roi Liebgut who scored first goals. Be’er Sheva, which fell below the red line last night, continues to get into trouble – of course in the next round it is free and its backlog may increase, in addition to its weak ability and disintegration today in the second half.