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A fine stop of a Hapoel Ramat Gan penalty in stoppage time by young goalkeeper Barak (Hebrew for lightning) Levi saved all three points for Maccabi Tel Aviv 

After consecutive wins this week in the league against Hapoel Acco and in the National Cup against Maccabi Netanya, Maccabi Tel Aviv were guests this week at Hapoel Ramat Gan, and the 4,000 MTA fans who turned up at the National Stadium got a real bonus. Not only did they see Maccabi midfielder Maharan Radi score the game's only goal in the 54th minute in the Yellows' first away win since the 24th of November at Ramat Hasharon. They were also treated to high drama when deep into injury time the outstretched arm of MTA goalkeeper Barak Levi saved a Ramat Gan penalty to secure the win and three valuable points.
 
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From the opening whistle Maccabi Tel Aviv showed purpose in stretching their winning run this week to three games. Five minutes into the match Maccabi striker Moanes Dabbur latched on to a Sheran Yeini cross but Hapoel Ramat Gan's goalkeeper Itay Arkin managed to keep the ball out. At the other end, in the first half's only other major threat, Ramat Gan's Bernard Onanga came close with a free kick at long range. But despite attempts by both clubs to penetrate their opponent's area and create chances in front of goal, the half time whistle saw both goalkeepers underworked and the two clubs leave the pitch locked in a goalless draw.

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After the restart Maccabi began to threaten Arkin's goal more regularly and the result was not long in coming. Substitute Rade Pricca headed onto the woodwork a minute after coming on the pitch but it was Maharan Radi who in the 54th minute brought down a superb long ball by fellow midfielder Gal Alberman and in a second attempt fired it into the net to put Maccabi ahead 0-1. The Yellows managed to hold on to the advantage for the full 90 minutes, but in injury time Hapoel Ramat Gan were awarded a penalty that threatened to cancel it in the dying moments of the match. Referee Guy Berger saw a penalty and pointed to the spot, and Ramat Gan's Israel Zaguri stepped up to the line for the penalty kick. But Maccabi goalkeeper Barak Levi lunged in the right direction to register his second penalty save this season.

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The missed penalty was followed immediately by the final whistle signalling a dramatic end to a successful week for Maccabi Tel Aviv – three wins in three matches. After leaving city rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv eight points behind them in the table, Maccabi will host them in the next round in the season's second derby on Monday night the 11th of February. 

 
Photographs – Nir Keidar