A big surprise in the quarter-finals of the handball state cup. A.C. Ness Ziona defeated AS Ramat Hasharon 38:39 today (Tuesday) away, knocking out the runner-up and cup finalist from last season. The quarter-final stage of the State Cup final got under way last night, when Hapoel Rashlat was the first to advance to the semi-finals after an away victory over Hapoel Kiryat Ono 28:31, but tonight, as mentioned, the concept of miracles and wonders of the Hanukkah days took on a real meaning with the victory of the Tigers of Manas Ziona over the team which is guided by Idan Maimon – during a good season in which Ramash recently qualified for the round of 16 of the European Cup.
State Cup holder Hapoel Ashdod struggled, but prevailed 30:34 over Maccabi Kiryat Motzkin, and is also in the semi-finals. The fourth team in the next stage is Maccabi Rashlac, who beat Bnei Herzliya 29:35. The semi-final matches of the State Cup will be held on February 21 (update regarding the date of the draw and the host hall later).
AS Ramat Hasharon – AS Ness Ziona 39:38 (21:18)
What a crazy game. Ness Ziona got off to an excellent start, stunning Ramat Hasharon when they took a 4-goal lead in the twentieth minute – 11:15. At the start of the second half, Ramat Hasharon came back and even made a turnaround, but Ness Ziona recovered and led 30:34 ten minutes to the end. Her advantage had already grown to plus 5 goals, but Ramat Hasharon responded quickly and reduced it to minus 3 – seven minutes to the end when the Tigers also remained at a numerical disadvantage. Yossi Apo brought Ramesh back to minus two – 37:35 – 5 minutes to go.
Tomislav Stojkovic with a critical stop, and on the other hand Toli Liebagut with an important stop – they kept the score – until Ramat Hasharon lost a ball and also Daniel Sharfati who was sent off in two minutes, about three and a half minutes to the end. Stoykovich stopped a penalty by Niv Shemen, leaving Ramesh Tikva hope. Aviad Ben Ziman reduced the deficit to minus a goal – 37:36 with three minutes left to the end. Stoykovich continued the show, and Yossi Apo had already equalized at 37:37. There, it seems that Ness Ziona is losing the game, Nitai Heller scored from the corner, and Ness Ziona went up to 37:38. Liebagot stopped a shot by Pavlovich with one minute and twenty to the end, and Kafir Drai took a timeout about a minute to the end. Niv Shemen made it 37:39 with 32 seconds left to the buzzer. Ramat Hasharon was only the minor Pavlovic’s goal. Scorer update from Ness Ziona later.
Scorers for Ramat Hasharon: Ram Turkenitz 11, Milan Pavlovich 6, Itai Shenfeld 5, Daniel Zarfati 4, Aviad Ben Ziman and Marko Chorcic 3 KA, Tal Hershkovic 2, Daniel Shekalim 1. Ivan Mosic played and did not score Tomislav Stojkovich 13 stops from 46. Lior Kaplan 0 from 4. Lance Ziona scored: Niv Shemen 7 goals, Itai Junger and Marko Kamper 6 goals, Nitai Heller and Amri Nadler 5 goals, Marko Kovetich 4, Assaf Bilker 3, Noam Niv 2 and Aviram Amsalem 1. In goal were Toli Liebagut, the oldest goalkeeper in the league at 52, and Alon Ratsavi, one of the youngest in the league at 17, after senior goalkeeper Sagi Bonis was injured. Oren Itin and Dodi Levin officiated.
Hapoel Ashdod defeated Maccabi Kiryat Motzkin 30:34 (16:17). The holder of the State Cup for the past two years qualified for the semi-finals of the State Cup, but it did not go easy for her against Kiryat Motzkin, who entered the game well and made Ashdod chase her in some stages of the first half. Risto Vajcic brought Ashdod to the break with a goal advantage – and Ashdod knew how to maintain its advantage until the end. Scorers for Ashdod: Risto Vajcic 10 goals, Omri Kushmaro 6, Amit Stalman 5, Aviv Leifer 4, Lou Axbrod and Vok Milankovic 2 KA, Nivo Levy, Or Parkash, Alexander Babic, Itai Suisa and Sebastislav Vorkic 1 21 Judge Noam Ben Aroya and Shay Cohen.
Maccabi Rashlat beat Bnei Herzliya 29:35 (15:18). Maccabi Rashlat closes the evening as the fourth seed for the semi-finals (a stage from which, as I recall, they were eliminated last season against Ashdod). Kesem Amiel led Joe Matthia’s trainees tonight with 7 goals, Gia Gera and Yrami Sidi added 6 goals, Nadav Nizari 5, Pavel Atman and Gafar Hadzimirovich 4 goals, Ivan Kracic 3. Judges Ron Peretz and Niv Schwartz.
In last night’s game in Kiryat Ono, Tarik Kasumovich led the scorers of Kiryat Ono with 11 goals, Milos Savic added 6, Milos Dolic 3, Alon Shulman, Oral Mahloof and Lidor Pinto 2 goals, Amit Gal and Ilya Moseyenko 1 goals. Scorers for Hapoel Rashalz: Arel Zeitler and Antonio Pribanich 7 KA, Oleg Astrashpekin and Roy Liebagut 6, Itai Sorkis 3 and Nemanya Pribak 2.