Barak Itzhaki, one of  Maccabi’s most entertaining strikers spoke to the Official Website following the match about the disappointment of not taking three points, the widened gap between the Yellow-and-Blue and Hapoel Beer Sheva as well as the actual match against his former club:

“We knew coming into this match that it wasn’t going to be an easy game. Beitar Jerusalem is a good team, young and energetic. It may have been very entertaining for the fans, but for us we lost two valuable points.”

The disappointment of not taking maximum points:

“It’s disappointing, in games like this we should know how to take all three points, these are very important matches and we have to make sure that we find a way to take maximum points in the upcoming contests. We will start playing better football and that will show in the points that we’ll accumulate.”

About  the result:

“Like I said before, these games including the one against Beer Sheva, we really didn’t control the tempo of the match. But these are games that we have to find a way to win. A draw here against Jerusalem reflected the actual match and we picked up a point. It’s time to move on.”

The widened gap between Maccabi and Beer Sheva:

“I don’t think that anyone is going to get hysterical that the gap between us and Beer Sheva grew to three points. We still have to play them twice and there’s still a long way to go. Don’t start eulogizing us so quickly.”

Six months after Eli Dasa moved from Beitar Jerusalem to Maccabi Tel Aviv, the defender returned to Teddy Stadium to play against his former club for the first time. After 90 hard fought minutes, Dasa and his teammates returned to Tel Aviv with one point as he looked ahead to Sunday’s Derby.

On his warm welcome back at Teddy Stadium:

“I want to acknowledge those who cheered me on my return. There were those who weren’t happy and cursed me out. I understand their frustrations, that I left the team and it was strange going to the opposition’s lockerroom, but I’m happy at Maccabi and I’m looking ahead.”

About  the result:

 “It was a decent match, but we were disappointed because we really needed to take maximum points against Beitar. We expected to pick up more points at Teddy but Beitar Jerusalem played well and had some good opportunities, so all in all the result was a pretty good reflection of the match.”

 The game itself:

 “We weren’t really in the game during the first half. We gave Beitar some small gifts, turnovers that gave them opportunities, but we pulled ourselves together and we were able to draw even at the end of the day, and that’s ok. I think that Beitar stood up to us very well and played a very organized match. It’s true that we needed the points, but sometimes you just take them all. Hopefully, we will take the three points in our next match.”

 The gap between Maccabi and table leaders Hapoel Beer Sheva:

 “I wouldn’t get into this issue to much as we are talking about a 3-point gap. It’s not something that can’t be overcome. We are preparing properly and we will continue to improve. We’re not stressed out because of the gap in points.”

Eran Zahavi scored a brace in the 2:2 draw against Beitar Jerusalem, but the captain knew that the match could’ve finished with a different result. Zahavi also hopes that the team will continue to improve and get back on the winning track:

“I’m happy we took a point,” Zahavi said at the end of the game. “I believe that a team that wants to win the championship needs to know how to win this type of match, one that goes down to the wire. I’m happy that we at least took a point and didn’t  lose as we weren’t far from that possibility. We could’ve won in the last minute had Ferreira not have saved the ball off of the line. It was a good game and I’m sure that the crowd enjoyed it and I’ve also got to hand it to them for making the trip to Jerusalem for the match.”

The team’s effort:

“We had three matches this past week and in one of them we played 120 minutes which hurt us. We had good results in two of three games and we have to now look forward to the Derby. We also have some new players who can help us out. It’s always good to have an injection of new blood in the team.”

About the result:

“We deserved a point, but the match could’ve ended with either side taking the victory. If Beitar Jerusalem would’ve won, it wouldn’t have been a surprise and if we would’ve picked up the victory it wouldn’t have been a surprise as well. We have to give credit to Beitar Jerusalem for their performance.”

The upcoming derby:

“We have to continue to improve week to week. It’s clear that we have to play better, take advantage of certain situations, control the tempo and handle the ball with more confidence. It’s something that we are working on and we have to keep improving. We didn’t put on a terrible performance as we had a number of quality chances on the Beitar goal. I’m going to take the good things from the match and look to improve the things that we need to do better. We have a lot of time to rest up and properly prepare for the Derby.”

Maccabi Tel Aviv picked up a 2:2 draw this evening and it was hard for the coach Peter Bosz to hide his disappointment after dropping points and watching the players’ first half effort:

“I want to look at tonight’s game and not the Cup match that took place last week. For about an hour Beitar played better than us. After that we performed much better and even had a chance to win the game.”

About the result:

“I believe that the result reflected the game and that was the maximum we could do with the effort we put in.”

Zahavi’s brace:

“Eran Zahavi is a fantastic player, and he works very hard for the club but it’s not just Eran Zahavi. We have other terrific players who played hard and have scored important goals. You can’t say that without Zahavi we wouldn’t have taken a point today.”

Haris Medunjanin:

“He has played this season, perhaps not much but he did play. If we didn’t think he could help us, we wouldn’t have brought him to the club. In a match like tonight, especially in the first half he could have helped Eran and the rest of the players to get the ball on target. We’re looking forward to seeing him on the pitch.”

Eran Zahavi’s brace brought Maccabi back twice after being behind in both the first and second halves to earn a valuable point in the race for the championship. Omer Atzili and David Keltjens scored for Beitar Jerusalem in an exciting, nail biting match that ended in a 2:2 draw.

Maccabi Tel Aviv Head Coach Peter Bosz made a number of changes from the side that played against Rishon Le’Zion this past Thursday night starting with keeper Predrag Rajikovic who mad his way back into the Yellow-and-Blue goal.

A defensive foursome of Eli Dasa, Eitan Tibi, Carlos Garcia and Yuval Shpungin played just behind a midfield of Gal Alberman, Dor Peretz and Nosa Igiebor. Captain Eran Zahavi, Tal Ben Chaim and Dor Micha provided the visitors attack at Teddy Stadium.

Beitar Jerusalem had the first chance of the match in the 8th minute when Omer Atzili went in all alone on Rajikovic, but the Serbian keeper made the kick save with his right foot to keep the game goalless. Nikita Rukavytsya was up next for Beitar as his 16th minute onside effort just went wide left of the goal. Maccabi’s opening opportunity came in the 19th minute when Ben Chaim came in on the left side and sent a curling shot right into the hands of Beitar keeper Boris Kleiman.

However, the next chance Maccabi had found its way behind Kleiman. Igiebor sent Zahavi a beautiful deep ball which he coolly slotted past Kleiman as the Yellow-and-Blue took a shock 1:0 lead sending the 5,000 fans strong out of their seats.

In the 35th minute Beitar drew even when the clever Atzili sent a firecracker of a ball past a helpless Rajikovic who was screened on the play. Maccabi looked to find the go ahead marker but Dasa’s right side cross was headed by Ben Chaim into the awaiting Kleiman’s hands in the 40th minute as the sides headed into the break deadlocked at 1:1.

It didn’t take long for Beitar to take the lead early on in the second half when David Keltjens launched a screamer past a stunned Rajikovic as the hosts took a 2:1 lead in the 47th minute. Maccabi countered with a 55th minute substitution introducing Shlomi Azulay for Peretz. Ben Chaim had a chance to bring the Yellow-and-Blue level in the 61st minute but his scorcher from the left side was deflected by the head of Tal Kahila to keep Beitar in front.

But wouldn’t you know it, who would come to Maccabi’s rescue once again? None other than the captain Eran Zahavi. Number 7 lined up a perfect free kick from 17 meters out at the top of the box and put it in the top right hand corner to bring the visitors back to square one, 2:2.

Maccabi, looking to find the winner saw Itzhaki turn two Beitar players around in the box and send a perfect pass to Igiebor in the 89th minute. However, the Nigerian’s effort was deflected to safety by Claudemir Ferreira on the goal line to maintain the status quo. Igiebor then saw a straight red card just two minutes before time as the final whistle sounded to end the entertaining match in the nation’s capital.