‘44 ⚽️ 1-0 Vlad Kart goal, Ron Sharifi assist
‘56 ⚽️ 1-1 Shikma Hen goal
‘85🔴 Red Card: Shikma Hen
‘92 ⚽️ 2-1 Ori Hatuka goal, Yuri Nucenovich assist
Top row (from left to right): Gianni Conti, Pablo Zayat, Mono Bechini, Oded Puzis, Vlad Kart, Daniel Cabral, Isaac Kahtan, Thomy Alfie, Ori Hatuka, Yuri Nucenovich, Max Mzhen and Ron Sharifi.
Bottom row (from left to right): Ilan Flax, Samuel Hazins, Andy Gabay, Sam Sank, Jeremy Tenenbaum, Mati Yelen, Gaston Fratesi and Ricardo Horvath.
Arguably the biggest game in the history of the club, we took on longstanding rivals Shikma Hen away at the Ramat Gan Safari, with our opponents sitting in 4th, just outside the playoff places.
We have a horrible record against this team and had been beaten by them twice already this season (league and cup), but we've developed a lot since those defeats and Saturday's game showed it.
Andy Gabay returned to the starting lineup in the defensive midfield role, while Samuel Hazins filled in for the suspended Mono Bechini at right-back, in an otherwise unchanged team.
It was a tense game from the very beginning as both teams tested each other out but there were very few clear-cut chances in the first half, with most of the action taking place in the middle of the field where an all-out war was declared.
A minute before half-time, we broke the deadlock as Ron Sharifi found space on the left side and delivered a deadly cross where Vlad Kart was on hand at the back post to put the ball away and get his 36th goal of the season.
Shikma Hen came out fighting and were definitely the more dangerous team in the second half. Their relentless attacks were rewarded with a goal just 10 minutes after the break and it seemed as if the momentum had swung in their favour.
We defended as if our lives depended on it but managed the game in a professional manner, so much so that Ilan Flax forced their player into a second yellow card as the match reached its climax.
Even with 10 men, Shikma went for the winner knowing they needed all three points if they were to have any chance of finishing in the top 3 this season and it allowed us to deliver one final counter attack and produce one of the greatest moments in this club's history.
A move involving Vlad and Yuri Nucenovich saw the latter calmly play the ball wide to Ori Hatuka who smashed the ball into the near corner for his first goal for the club; the most dramatic winner possible.
A game that will live long in the memory but also a crucial three points that puts Shikma Hen out of the running for promotion. The win moved us to 2nd place in the league with the title still in our own hands.