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Maccabi Tel Aviv head coach Paulo Sousa took his hat off to last night's opposition, Ironi Kiryat Shmona, but added: "We'll just have to make sure that when we return we get the result we're looking for"

Maccabi Tel Aviv's impressive run of seven consecutive league victories came to an abrupt end last night as the reigning champions lost 3-1 away to Ironi Kiryat Shmona. Kiryat Shmona have yet to be beaten at home this season and Maccabi Tel Aviv head coach Paulo Sousa had nothing but compliments for his rivals' success in maintaining that record and defeating his own side into the bargain: "My congratulations to our opponents, who in the main played better than we did on the evening and deserved to win. After a shaky start we became more dominant and tried to create chances, just as we did toward the end of the match, but in general they were stronger, in particular in winning the ball one-on-one and that's what enabled them to score three goals from three or four opportunities and win the match".

Sousa made clear his team were aware they were facing a formidable adversary in Kiryat Shmona: "I wasn't surprised by the opposition, it's something we knew and studied, but things like this happen in matches. They defended well, they were aggressive and deserved to win. Converting all your chances like that, that happens every so often, but not over the course of an entire league season. I'm not disappointed in my players because I simply can't expect them to play at their very best throughout the whole season. Tonight our opponents played better than we did and we'll just have to make sure that when we return, perhaps in the top six play-offs, we get the result we're looking for".

Midfielder Eran Zahavi, who scored his eleventh league goal towards the end of the match, provided his take on what was only the team's second league defeat all season: "This really wasn't one of our better displays. After conceding the first goal we chased the match but we simply weren't patient enough. Kiryat Shmona deserve our congratulations, they ran more than we did and won fair and square but so far we're concerned it's over and Saturday is another match. This was a very difficult away tie so I don't think it needs to be analysed to death, even the world's greatest clubs lose matches at difficult venues like this. Losing a match after the run of seven league wins we've had, well, that's part of the game, we'll just have to try to get another run going and collect as many points as we can until the end of the season".