JERUSALEM, April 8 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Premier League leader Maccabi Tel Aviv and reigning champions Maccabi Haifa drew 1-1 in the Israeli classico match on Monday night.
With eight rounds to go in the league's six-team Top Playoff, Tel Aviv now has 66 points, keeping a 10-point margin over Haifa.
In front of 26,000 fans at Bloomfield Stadium in Tel Aviv-Yafo, Haifa almost scored in the sixth minute with a long-range shot by defender Shon Goldberg that hit the post.
Tel Aviv responded with a shot by defender Ofir Davidzada that also hit the post in the 12th minute.
Two minutes later, striker Eran Zahavi, twice top scorer of the Chinese Super League (CSL), made it 1-0 with a close-range header.
Haifa took control from the start of the second half but forwards Dean David and Kenny Saief missed opportunities to equalize.
Haifa finally evened the score in the 70th minute by team star Anan Khalaili with a shot just outside the penalty area, after an accurate pass by Goldberg.
In the 80th minute, Goldberg was close to completing a turnaround, but his header found the crossbar. ■
