Goals from Chico Ofoedu (10) and Yonatan Cohen (74) led Maccabi Tel Aviv to a 2-0 victory over struggling Hapoel Ra’anana in the ninth round of the Israel Premier League.
Goalkeeper Daniel Tenebaum kept another clean sheet to extend his outstanding record of not conceding a league goal to a highly impressive 810 minutes. It took Maccabi just 10 minutes to break the deadlock as Dan Glazer released Chiekluda Ofoeduwith a clever pass and the Nigerian scored with a powerful shot from the edge of the area. 
Maccabi created further chances as Eyal Golasa – on his first appearance in a year – saw his shot slide wide of the post and Enric Saborit hit the woodwork.
Golasa came off for Ruslan Barsky shortly after the interval as Ra’anana pressed, and they came close to finally beating Tenenbaum as Yoav Tomer’s shot deflected off a defender and rattled the crossbar. 
But Maccabi sealed the points in the 74th minute when a well worked goal involving seven players was neatly finished by Cohen who fired past Ra’anana keeper Assaf Tzur. 
The win sees Maccabi go six points clear at the top of the table with fellow championship hopefuls Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Beersheba yet to play their ninth games.
After the game coach Vladimir Ivic was said he was pleased with today’s performance. “We started well and got the early goal, created chances and we were in control of the game.bWe were not as dominant in the early stages of the second half and Ra’anana came at us, but we finished with confidence after the second goal went in. I am happy with the three points.”
