Summary: Maccabi Tel Aviv - Maccabi Haifa 0:0/Sport1
For Maccabi Tel Aviv, winning the Toto Cup last night (Wednesday) is much more than winning the game for the third most important title in Israeli football.
After losing to Maccabi Haifa in Bloomfield, losing a 10-point league lead and failing to sign Lior Kassa, the thing Maccabi Tel Aviv needed more than anything on a night like last night.
One that will remind her that she is still worth first place, still worth competing for the championship.
Even if it was a victory on penalties, it was a victory after 90 minutes in which Maccabi Tel Aviv was better.
It was not a great game from both teams, but Maccabi Tel Aviv looked better and deservedly won the Toto Cup.
"This is a game that should get us back on track. If we don't know from this evening to devour the league again, then we really don't deserve to fight for the championship," said last night players in the team, who traveled after the game to celebrate the victory at Eran Zahavi's house.
Even before the league, Hapoel Hadera will wait for Maccabi Tel Aviv in the State Cup in the same stadium this coming Sunday and the team remembers that the troubles fell upon them after the draw against that Hadera.
Much more than just winning the game for the third most important title.
Maccabi Tel Aviv players celebrate/Dani Maron
The story of Lior Casa did something for the players as well.
The fact that the young midfielder preferred Maccabi Haifa aroused emotions among some of the players.
"A big heart still beats in this club," said one of the players.
"A lot of people mocked Maccabi Tel Aviv in the last day. A lot of people enjoyed being happy that players prefer Maccabi Haifa. It made everyone feel bad for us. No one likes to be underestimated."
The hero of the game was Roi Mishpeti, who opened the penalty shootout with two saves.
At Maccabi Tel Aviv we praised him: "Roi Ben is such a humble and quiet person and he deserves to be the hero of this cup precisely against Maccabi Haifa from where he came from. He also kept a clean sheet the whole game and was there for us in penalties."
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"He deserves it so much."
Celebrating Lips/Danny Maron
Last night's victory will not change Maccabi Tel Aviv's plans to strengthen until the window closes.
The efforts to sign a sixth foreigner continue even though the team admits that it is more difficult for them in this window because Israel is at war.
At the same time, the team continues to give it a chance and try to close this corner.
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