Apart from the great drama, it was one of the least close rounds of recent years in terms of results and margins, but at the end we get a picture of this season. Hapoel Rashalz, AS Ramat Hasharon, champion Hapoel Ashdod, Maccabi Rashalz, Bnei Herzliya and Holon – will make up the upper house and in fact have already secured a place in the upper playoffs.
On the other hand, Maccabi Kiryat Motzkin, Hapoel Kiryat Ono, A.C. Ness Ziona, ASA Tel Aviv, Hapoel Habel Eilot and Hapoel RG will play in the lower house (at the end, the first two will qualify for the upper playoffs, and the last 4 will fight in the survival house for (staying in the top league) As mentioned, all this will happen after the end of the first round.
The ninth round started last night (Thursday) with the victory of AS Ramat Hasharon over Hapoel RG, 26:38. Hapoel RG is the only team that did not get a point from the start of the season, with 9 losses. In today’s games, we got a number of intriguing games.
Hapoel Kiryat Ono – Maccabi Kiryat Motzkin 38:38 (23:19)
Ono came to the meeting after conceding tying goals in the last two games, in penalties, and even today the tune returned and it is certainly jarring in the disappointing season as far as Ono is concerned. The locals were already leading by two goals in the last two minutes, after making a turnaround and coming back from a 5-goal deficit, but this time too – Ono conceded an equalizing goal from the field – less than half a minute to the end.
The game was characterized by a number of revolutions, and of course a high rating. Oren Cohen and Ariel Biton put Motzkin ahead. Igor Kribokapich, Ofek Turgeman and Filip Lauvech sealed the visitors’ control of the first half. Ono gradually came back and reduced it to minus a goal, but Ilya Musyenko equalized and Alon Shulman converted, three minutes to the end.
In the last two minutes we got the drama, actually the only one in the ninth round: Lauvetz scored, Ariel Biton blocked, Nikolaev stopped – and Omar equalized less than half a minute to the end. If that’s not enough, Shlama lost a ball and Motzkin had one last attack left, but Lauvetz was stopped by Flech who prevented him from losing.
Scored for Kiryat Ono: Kasumovich 8, Milos Savic 7, Shlama and Shulman 5 KA, Mosienko 4, Pinto and Dolich 3 KA, Amit Gal 2, Harris Flech 1.
Scored for Kiryat Motzkin: Laubats 13 goals, Igor Kribokapich 9, Barak Amar 6, Ariel Biton and Ofek Turgeman 3 goals, Nemania Skorovich 2, Oren Cohen and Petah Dahan 1 goals.
Hapoel Ashdod – Hapoel Habel Eilot 25:37 (13:18)
At the beginning of the week, the champion won the Winner-Judges Cup, her fourth title in a row, and today she continued the excellent ability she displayed against Maccabi Rashel. Habel Eilot, who reached the 9th round after squeezing a dramatic point from Kiryat Ono in the last round with a goal by Yair Testa on a penalty kick in the final seconds. It was still an opponent in the first half, but in the second the champion increased the advantage which stood at a record 13 goals. Ashdod with 14 points is close to the top, while Ilot with 3 points is complicated at the bottom.
Occupy Ashdod: Yuval Katz 6, Itai Suisa 5, Lou Axbrod, Or Parkash and Risto Vajcic 4 21, Delivor Sokic, Omer Gera, Ofir Cohen and Aviv Leifer 3 21. Alexander Babich 2.
Score for Elots: Draco Todorovic 10, Andy Kogan 7, Dean Suiferman, Tal Kadami, Yair Testa, Stefan Ilitch, Dylan Dressman and Milos Nikolic 1 KA.
Maccabi Rashlac – Bnei Herzliya 31:39 (14:22)
The Yellows, who suffered a crushing loss at home to Maccabi in the Winner-Judges Cup final against Ashdod, hosted Herzliya, which was stopped after six consecutive victories against Ramat Hasharon. Herzliya still started with the lead, but Maccabi Rashel turned it around and went up to 10:15 after 23 minutes – and from there cruised safely to victory. Herzliya with its second consecutive loss, and third overall (all against the leaders in the league).
Scored for Maccabi Rasheltz: Yermi Sidi 10, Kesem Amiel 7, Nadav Nizari 6, Guy Gera, Gafar Hadzimerovich and Pavel Atman 4 KA, Gal Azriel 2, Tzach Malol and Ivan Kracic 1 KA.
Hapoel Rashalz – A.K. Ness Ziona 20:38 (11:20)
Hapoel continues to maintain the top, and it started the game great against Nes Ziona, in a good first half in which Tomer Bodenheimer and Tom Shem Tov stood out. The sequel was no longer powerful. Hapoel coach Harvia Fazin also shared with the youngsters from the youth department – Yoav Falah who scored 3 goals and Sharon scored a goal.
They captured the Hapoel Rashlatz: Oleg Astrashpekin and Roy Liebgut 6 KA, Chen Liebagut, Tomer Bodenheimer and Antonio Pribanich 4 KA, Yoav Falah and Aral Zeitler 3 KA, Lior Gorman and Iti Sorkis 2 KA, Ido Falah, Shay Natan, Assaf Sharon and Nemania Pribak 1 XXI.
MK Holon – ASA Tel Aviv 24:41 (15:20)
As mentioned, Holon has finally secured her place in the upper house, and the second game in a row that she wins by a double-digit margin.
Enter into the window: Lidor Pso 8, Or Levy 7, Shawn Solomon and Aviran Yosef 5 KA, Rif Cohen 4, Tom Livov and Amir Schneider 3 KA. Philip Kahlo, Or Meman and Patrick Obina 2 KA.
Scored for ASA: Yuval Yamner 7, Naton Zahavi 4, Shalu Aharoni 3, Seifert, Dvir Ben Shamai, Shahar Mednik 2 21, Lidor Mednik and Ido Bedor 1 21.