State Cup: The Southerners defeated Raanana 1: 2 • A pair of Hasselbaink and another goal by Kelly arranged 0: 3 for a team from the sector in Hadera
Ashdod players celebrate, tonight
Photo:
Liron Moldovan
Head cleaning.
Team coach Willy Rotensteiner arrived in Sakhnin to watch the cup game against Hapoel Hadera.
Next month the Austrian's real work will begin, with the launch of a new and interesting campaign which of the players of the two bottom teams catches his eye.
The Austrian took the time for a crowded conversation in the stands with the injured Biram Kiel, who surely has a place on the squad, even today.
On the grass, mostly Sakhnin's foreign players did the job, although that may not really help the Israeli team.
Nigel Hasselbaink with a double (27, 30) and Dayan Kelly (67) sealed an easy victory on the way to the next stage, perhaps a kind of small revenge for the loss in the league a few weeks ago.
"I would replace the trophy with 3 more points in the league, it is more important to stay," said one of the people close to the management who was sitting in the stands.
In practice, neither Sakhnin nor Hadera have secured a place in the Premier League, far from it, but only Menachem Koretzky's team will now concentrate on one frame.
The very fact that Sakhnin kept its senior players for the bottom battle in the league against Hapoel Haifa, says it all.
And if it comes along with the ticket to the next stage?
It will surely reassure chairman Muhammad Abu Yunis as well ahead of the next conversation with coach Nisso Avitan.
Patience pays.
There is no doubt that MS Ashdod is so far considered the surprise of the season in the Premier League.
The Southerners are ranked third and have also picked victories over Maccabi Haifa and Maccabi Tel Aviv, which are above it. Therefore, it is clear to everyone that Ran Ben Shimon and his players take the trophy seriously and strive, when they are in peak season, to win a historic title.
Tonight they hosted Raanana, which was relegated to the national team last year and is having a very difficult time in the sub-league.
For 45 minutes the host dominated the pitch unchallenged and never stopped missing.
Rabash tried to reassure his trainees and in the silence that prevailed in the 11th stadium he could be heard telling his captain, Roy Gordana, that the long-awaited goal would come and asked him for patience.
Just before the half-time whistle, the goal did come when the veteran midfielder scored on a penalty.
Musa Bagayoko and Autumn Turiel added their own goals en route to a 1-3 draw and the next stage.
Dean Twisser just shrank for the guest.