In the first round of the Israeli football championship, Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Hapoel Jerusalem 5-2.
Jnews.az reports that the match took place at the new stadium in Rehovot.
The Jerusalem team opened the scoring just 37 seconds into the match following a precise strike by Vitalie Damașcan. However, Maccabi soon took control of the game. Roy Revivo restored parity in the 24th minute, and Dor Peretz converted a penalty before halftime.
In the second half, Dor Peretz scored two more goals, completing the first hat-trick of his career. Sayed Abu Farhi scored Maccabi’s other goal.
In the 76th minute, Maccabi goalkeeper Ofek Melika received a red card for a foul outside the penalty box. Since the team had already exhausted its substitution limit by that time, outfield player Sayed Abu Farhi took over in goal.
Abu Farhi conceded one goal in stoppage time, but preserved his team’s victory with a crucial save before the final whistle.
Clashes between fans were recorded outside the stadium after the match ended. According to a statement from Hapoel, Maccabi supporters attacked cars containing Jerusalem team fans using batons and tear gas. Several people were injured and required medical assistance.
The Jerusalem club appealed to police demanding to establish the identities of those involved in the incident. Hapoel also expressed hope that Maccabi management would take disciplinary measures against those responsible.
Source: newsru.co.il
