The first matches in the National League for 2023 were held tonight (Monday), when Hapoel Acre did not take advantage of the opportunity to conquer the top when they surrendered a goal in extra time 1:0 to Hapoel Umm Al Fahem and remained in fifth place. On the other hand, Hapoel Rishon LeZion continues to get closer to the top, having beaten the disappointing Bnei Yehuda 0:1.
Hapoel Acre – Hapoel Umm Al Fahem 1:0
Hapoel Acre could have jumped from fifth place to the top of the National League, but failed to register a sixth home win in a row and instead remained in its place as a result of a third round in a row without a win. Hapoel Acre was left with ten men after Iyad Haj received a red card in the 64th minute, but got into even more trouble when in the 90th + 3rd minute Kobi Moore scored with a kick from outside the box and determined the result of the game. Acre is missing top scorer Reva Esseig who is expected to start in the next game due to the fact that he is now running to finish his sentence. Compared to Acre, Umm Al Fahm stopped a streak of two rounds without a win and thanks to the dramatic 0:1 jumped to sixth place and is only three points away from the leaders of the table.
Hapoel Rishon LeZion – Bnei Yehuda 0:1
Hapoel Rishon LeZion returned to seventh place in the table, but it is already three points away from the top after beating the disappointing Bnei Yehuda in the “Battle of the Oranges”. Ili Tamm scored the only goal of the game in the 70th minute and gave the hosts a third consecutive victory, while Elisha Levy’s team remained in 13th place, two points away from the 14th place that leads to the test matches and three points from the Galilee crane below the red line. Bnei Yehuda has not beaten Rishon LeZion for seven consecutive meetings in all competitions, since the 0:2 home win in November 2014 – in the season in which it returned to the Premier League.
Results of Friday’s games:
Hapoel Petah Tikvah – Maccabi Kabyle Jaffa 1:3
Maccabi Ahi Nazareth – Maccabi Petah Tikva 0:3
Hapoel Nof HaGilil – Ironi Tiberias 1:1
Hapoel Ramat Gan – Hapoel Kfar Saba 1:1
Hapoel Nir Ramat Hasharon – Hapoel Adumim Ashdod 0:2
Hapoel Afula – M.S. Kfar Kasem 0:1