Maccabi Tel Aviv and Ironi Kiryat Shmona share the points after a late Barak Badash goal draws the sides level at one goal each
Maccabi Tel Aviv tonight narrowly held their grip on the top spot in the Israeli Premier League as a late Barak Badash goal saw them draw level at 1-1 with title rivals Ironi Kiryat Shmona at Bloomfield Stadium. Kiryat Shmona opened the match the brighter side and ten minutes into the match midfielder Vladimir Brown found space in the Maccabi half and fired low from just outside the area. Maccabi keeper Barak Levy, who was brought in just prior to kick-off after Juan Pablo was injured in the warm-up, saw the ball bounce past him and the visitors took a 0-1 lead. Ten minutes later defender Omri Ben Harush created Maccabi's first threat to the Kiryat Shmona goal but his long-range effort fizzled narrowly wide. On 38 minutes Maccabi striker Eden Ben Basat struck past the goalmouth from a difficult angle and a minute later tried to head in from inside the box but Kiryat Shmona keeper Guy Haimov got a glove to it. Just before the half Maccabi midfielder Dor Micha volleyed wide leaving the home side in arrears going into the break.
After the restart Maccabi increased the pressure on the Kiryat Shmona defences but the first real threat came only on 69 minutes when midfielder Eran Zahavi shot from 20 metres out, but Haimov was awake to the threat and saved it. Two minutes later substitute midfielder Mahran Radi joined a Kiryat Shmona defender in getting his foot to a high ball into the area but the resultant deflection struck only the upright. Two minutes after that Eden Ben Basat laid off a ball for Sheran Yeini in the area but the Maccabi captain fired straight at Haimov. On 79 minutes, ex-Kiryat Shmona striker Barak Badash came in off the bench for Maccabi defender Carlos Garcia and the substitution proved fortuitous. Three minutes after Maccabi's Nigerian midfielder Nosa Igiebor shot narrowly wide from inside the area on 82 minutes, Dor Micha sent in a sublime cross that an onrushing Barak Badash headed past Haimov to bring the sides level. A minute from time Eran Zahavi shot wide but the ref's whistle after four minutes of injury time left the result at 1-1 and Maccabi Tel Aviv two points clear at the top of the Israeli Premier League table.
This coming Saturday, Maccabi will travel to the brand new "Sammy Ofer" Stadium for a 7.20pm kick-off against Hapoel Haifa.
