Maccabi recorded their 11th successive victory as Robbie Keane’s charges beat Hapoel Haifa 1-0 at Sammy Ofer thanks to an Idan Nachmias injury time header in the second half. The 26-year-old central defender who lost his boyhood friend Shai Termin who was killed in Gaza last week, said: “One of my closest friends, Shai Termin, died in Gaza and I dedicated that goal to him as well as all the soldiers looking after us and ensuring we are able to live our normal lives. I wish for their speedy and safe return. Shai was a very close friend of mine, I was a regular at his home and he was at mine. We were very close”.
Nachmias, who replaced the injured Nir Bitton last week and kept his place tonight, said of his performance: “Every game I am given a chance I will go and give everything on the pitch. Wherever I can I will give this team everything and today as well with the goal and the clean sheet”.
Nachmias, who had another goal disallowed earlier on, added: “Well, I hope this goal is not the last one. I should have two goals but it is ok. One is good enough”.
On the tributes his coach paid him, Nachmias summed up: “Robbie’s expectations are very high and so are ours. We would have wished to make these matches a lot easier, but it is just as important to reach chances yet manage to keep a clean sheet. I am delighted we took the three points tonight as this is the only thing we are dealing with.”
