Hapoel seize upper hand in Tel Aviv

Three goals in a 12-minute blitz helped Hapoel Tel-Aviv FC record a scintillating 4-2 win at local rivals Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC that took them ahead of their neighbours in terms of derby wins for the first time since the state of Israel was founded in 1948.

Hapoel drew level by recording their 41st success in November and they streaked clear thanks to a blistering first-half display at Bloomfield. Coach Eli Gutman had urged his players to deal Maccabi the same kind of punishment the former received in their 3-0 UEFA Europa League loss at FC Rubin Kazan last week, and they responded with goals from Maaran Lala (18), Etey Schechter (21) and Douglas da Silva (30).

The hosts hit back via Yuval Avidor (38) and could have reduced the deficit even further when awarded a penalty on the stroke of half-time. Instead, Maor Bar Buzaglo's attempt was kept out by goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama, with Schechter (65) then grabbing his second of the match and 18th of the campaign to cap a memorable 23rd birthday. Buzaglo's effort 12 minutes later was a mere consolation, with the win hauling the second-placed victors five points clear of Maccabi in the Israeli Premier League, nine points behind leaders Maccabi Haifa FC.

For Gutman, the key to the win came in the loss to Rubin. "At the end of the match in Kazan, with temperatures dropping to -20°C and with ice on my players' stubble, I walked into the dressing room and told them how proud of their display I was and how preparations for the derby had just started," he said. "Tonight, we were far from frozen. We were superior for most of the game, scored four and could have had a lot more. I'm delighted to have been part of this historic performance." His charges will now look to salvage their UEFA Europa League round of 16 hopes on Thursday.