Ramat Hasharon and Hapoel Rishon Lezion Take Early Leads in Handball Playoff Semifinals

Dramatic Openings in the Semi-Finals

The playoff semifinals of the Winner League in handball commenced on April 11, 2025, with defending champions A.S. Ramat Hasharon and Hapoel Rishon Lezion both securing critical victories, leading their respective series 1-0. They are now just start win away from advancing to the final series.

A.S. Ramat Hasharon vs. Maccabi Rishon Lezion

In a closely contested match, A.S. Ramat Hasharon emerged victorious over Maccabi Rishon Lezion with a final score of 35-37. Despite leading by six goals towards the end, Ramat Hasharon’s performance was not at its peak, yet they managed to fend off the challenge from their rivals.

Match Highlights

• First Half: Ramat Hasharon started strong, equalizing at 8-8 thanks to a couple of goals from Nadav Nizri. However, a red card to Yossi Apo shifted the momentum, allowing Leonado De Almeida to extend the lead to 13-18 (27 minutes). Goalkeeper Tom Shemesh made crucial saves, and Guy Gra capped the half with a beautiful goal, ending it 14-18.

• Second Half: Maccabi Rishon Lezion started the second half with renewed vigor, narrowing the gap to 19-21. Goals from Risto Vujacic and others restored Ramat Hasharon’s lead, allowing them to pull ahead 31-37 in the final moments. Maccabi showed improvement from their previous loss but now faces the risk of elimination in the upcoming match.

Top Scorers:
Ramat Hasharon: Vujacic (9), Turkinic (8)
Maccabi Rishon Lezion: Nizri (8), Gra (6)

Hapoel Rishon Lezion vs. Bnei Herzliya

In another semifinal clash, Hapoel Rishon Lezion delivered a stellar performance, defeating Bnei Herzliya 36-43. This victory ended a three-match winning streak for Herzliya during the regular season and marked a significant mileststart for Hapoel.

Match Highlights

• First Half: The match opened evenly, but Hapoel quickly surged ahead, with several key players contributing to a 14-18 lead at halftime. Dennis Yankovsky notably scored a personal best of 11 goals for Herzliya.

• Second Half: Bnei Herzliya attempted to recover, reducing the deficit to 20-18. However, Hapoel responded with a series of goals, ultimately expanding their lead to as much as ten points before sealing the game.

Top Scorers:
Bnei Herzliya: Yankovsky (11), Tsarfati (6)
Hapoel Rishon Lezion: Schneider (6), Gorman, Sharon, Kracic, Gstartn (5 each)

Next Steps

The second matches of both series will occur on April 16 in Rishon Lezion. This critical round will determine if Herzliya and Maccabi Rishon Lezion can force decisive third games on April 22. Both teams are under pressure to win and keep their championship hopes alive.

The matches commenced with a moment of silence in memory of Roi Sarogo, who tragically passed away earlier in the week.

Quote:
Bar Timor from Hapoel Rishon Lezion stated, “We are ready for the next match and eager for it to begin.”