Last update - 00:00 13/01/2008
Buzaglo stuns Beitar's lone fan
By Ali Gali
It wasn't that hard last night for Bnei Sakhnin to silence the Beitar Jerusalem stands, considering Beitar's fans were barred from attending. However, Meir Buzaglo's spectacular 90th minute goal silenced even Beitar owner Arcadi Gaydamak, the lone flag-waving fan supporting his team in lieu of the usual crowd.
The goal brought a little warmth to the Galilee and a chill to the capital. Sakhnin fans, denied the opportunity to participate in their team's victory at Teddy Stadium, abandoned their fireplaces at home and poured into the streets of the Galilee by the hundreds to set off fireworks and honk their horns. Hundreds of fans cheered for Buzaglo, and the taste of victory was reminiscent of the win in the State Cup three years ago.
According to Mohammed Badarna of Araba, who danced with hundreds of fans next to the home of Sakhnin's chairman, "I quickly exited my home and came from Araba to celebrate the victory over Beitar, which showed disrespect for the prophet Mohammed." He added that Gaydamak should trade in Beitar for Sakhnin and sponsor his team instead.
Ghazel Abu Raya commented, "It's an enchanting goal against Beitar's racism."
Hundreds and perhaps thousands of people closed Sakhnin's main drag with unrestrained joy despite the cold air to await the team's return from Jerusalem. Live fire could be heard over Sakhnin as a symbol of victory, breaking the silence that engulfed the game itself.
Arie Livnat adds: The loss was Beitar's first defeat at its Jerusalem home since falling 2-0 to Nazareth Ilit on May 6, 2006. Sakhnin registered its second victory at Teddy Stadium in team history. The previous win came on January 8, 2005.
MAC. NETANYA 3, ASHDOD S.C. 0 Yesterday's match sizzled for just two minutes. After an hour of boredom, Yehiel Tzagai let sail two fabulous free kicks. The first curved upward into the top of the next while the second hit the head of Netanya striker Dela Yampulski before veering into the net. But for the remainder most of the crowd regretted getting out of bed. Dedi Ben Dayan added a nice touch in garbage time to an otherwise dismal match, burying sagging Ashdod.
The final result did not reflect the general cool tone of the match, in which players who could have opened up the game with runs down field seemed frozen to their spots. Even the crowd was calling out "bo-ring" as the players left the field at the end of the first half. Ashdod coach Alon Hazan described his disappointment thus: "It wasn't a soccer game. We didn't create anything. Neither did I see anything from Netanya before the first goal that the game would end the way it did."