Maccabi Tel Aviv have drawn Hapoel Ashkelon at home in the last sixteen of the State Cup
After winning their round 8 State Cup tie last week against Beitar Tel Aviv/Ramla, Maccabi Tel Aviv entered the draw for the last sixteen of this prestigious competition, with matches to be held on the 27th and 28th of January. This morning at the offices of the Israeli Football Association that draw was held by Shavit Elimelech and Liran Strauber, himself a nine-year Maccabi veteran and three-time State Cup winner, once as team captain in Maccabi's last successful State Cup campaign in 2004/05. While the exact date of the encounter has yet to be determined, the name of Maccabi's opponent and the venue for the contest for a place in the quarter finals have already been announced. Third Division South leaders Hapoel Ashkelon, who in round 8 knocked out Israeli Premier League side Beitar Jerusalem in a dramatic penalty shoot-out after 120 minutes left the sides drawn at 3-3, will be making their way to Tel Aviv for their first encounter with Maccabi at Bloomfield Stadium since November 2010.
Among the familiar faces now playing at Hapoel Ashkelon is that of winger Baruch Dego, who for five seasons between 2000 and 2005 wore the yellow-and-blue kit of Maccabi Tel Aviv and scored all four of the club's goals during their historic run in the group stage of the Champions League in the 2004/05 season. 34 year-old striker Lior Asulin began his career way back in 1997 at the start of a ten-year engagement with Maccabi Herzliya. Veteran Beitar Jerusalem defender Eliran Danin and former Hapoel Beer Sheva midfielder Yehiel Tzagai are also now part of the Hapoel Ashkelon squad. Head coach Yuval Naim, who began his playing career with Hapoel Ramat Gan at the end of the 1980's and served there as top man from 2005 to 2010, is a seasoned Israeli Premier League head coach, having done stints at Hapoel Petach Tikva, Beitar Jerusalem and last season at Hapoel Acre. So far this season he has lead his club to an 11-point lead at the top of the southern district of Israel's third division, having yet to lose a match in fifteen league outings.
Of the sixteen teams in the draw, nine of them hailed from the Israel's top flight, four from the second division "Haleumit" league and three "minnows" from the country's northern and southern third division leagues, including Maccabi's forthcoming opponent Hapoel Ashkelon. The other two, Shikun Hamizrach FC and Sektzia Ma'alot Tarshiha, were both drawn against opponents from the second division "Haleumit" League and will be the prime candidates for causing the biggest upsets in the round of sixteen by booking a place for themselves in the quarter finals.
Full draw results:
Maccabi Tel Aviv – Hapoel Ashkelon
Maccabi Yavne – Shikun Hamizrach FC
Hapoel Afula – Sektzia Ma'alot Tarshiha
Hapoel Tel Aviv – Hapoel Kfar Saba
Maccabi Petach Tikva – Hapoel Petach Tikva
Maccabi Ahi Nazareth – Ashdod FC
Hapoel Ra'anana – Hapoel Beer Sheva
Maccabi Haifa – Hapoel Kiryat Shmona
