Runaway league leaders Ra'anana made the trip to the capital to take on in-form Jerusalem who had climbed to second.
Both sides were missing a couple of players, but were nonetheless near full strength for this titanic battle between the league's two top scoring teams and two of the meanest defences.
The feeling in the stands was that a win for Ra'anana, and they would have one hand on the league title, even at this early stage.
The game started at a frantic pace, with both sides looking to stamp authority on the game. Despite the high level of football on show, there was only one half-chance for Jerusalem's Mordy Weiler in the first 20 minutes, with both defences giving nothing away.
Moishe Lewis made the breakthrough for the hosts in the 22nd minute from after a pass from Weiler. With his head down, Lewis muscled goalwards, and from the edge of the area unleashed an unstoppable shot with the
outside of his boot that hit the underside of the bar in the top left corner, before nestling into the back of the net.
This gave Jerusalem the momentum and they controlled the next 15 minutes, with a couple of excellent chances for Zack Lewis and Yehudah Korman, each to be denied by Sapir Marom in the Ra'anana goal.
A late challenge by Rafi Shachat on Korman ending another potential run on goal, led to the first booking of the game.
Following this, the pendulum swung Ra'anana's way, and almost equalized in the minute, when Alberto 'Tito' Telias, Ra'anana's summer signing from Jaffa, rose highest from a well delivered corner, to header just too high.
Two minutes later, and a great piece of skill by the league's top scorer Aviad Ben Meir gave him the extra yard into the box, but his final connection was poor and Daniel Boerstra had a very easy save to make.
As the tide turned once more, Jerusalem ended the half the stronger, with two decent chances for Moishe Lewis, only to be thwarted once more by Marom.
At half time, Moshe Freedman made a tactical change, going THREE at the back, and moving the impressive Josh Lipman into a 5 man midfield, giving more strength to the league leaders, and allowing Chanani Corney a little more space on the wing. Jerusalem responded, by matching the 5th man in the middle to try and negate Ra'anana's push to get back into the game.
Ra'anana got back onto level terms in the 55th minute, when the ball fell to Ben Meir by the penalty spot, and his shot made its way through the crowded area, taking a slight deflection on its way into the bottom right hand corner. 1-1.
Jerusalem almost hit straight back, only to see Lollu Hibbert's header saved off the line. A few minutes later, and Marom denied another goal bound header, this time from Korman.
Aviv Cohen became the second player in the book after hacking down Danny Sigal, and a few minutes later he was lucky not to receive his marching orders for another foul, with the referee deciding to keep the high tempo game flowing, and not show a second yellow.
With 20 minutes left, Jerusalem's Zack Lewis was brought down by what seemed to be a sure penalty, only for the referee to wave play on. A few minutes later, and with the referee perhaps evening things out, Ra'anana had the ball in the back of the net, only to be called offside in the tightest of calls.
The end to end action game seemed to be heading for a draw, until Jerusalem found yet another gear in the final few minutes. The ever dangerous Lewis broke into the area and unleashed a ferocious shot, only to be denied once more by world-class save by Marom, as he somehow turned the shot round for a corner.
Jerusalem peppered the goal with a few more corners, and received a golden opportunity to win the game at the death, as the ball was handled in the area, with the referee having no option but to point to the spot. Lewis stepped up, and perhaps with the pressure of a last minute penalty, hit his spot kick wide.
A minute later, the referee brought the game to a conclusion in a result that perhaps Ra'anana will be a little more please with, as over the past two seasons, the only two sides to walk away from Jerusalem's home ground with a point, each went on to win silverware come the season end.
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Jerusalem: Daniel Boerstra, Danny Sigal, Solomon Emeke Eza, Eyal Toledo, David Preston, Mordy Weiler, Gav Cohen, Yehuda Korman, Zack Lewis. Daniel Cohen, Moishe Lewis. Subs: Lolu Hibbert, Eli Warner, Gav Krieger
Goal: Moishe Lewis (22)
Ra'anana: Sapir Maron, Ronen Goldsmith, Mike Isaacson, Josh Lipman, Rafi Shachat, Chaim Elimelech, Aviv Cohen, Udi Hazan, Chanani Corney, Aviad Ben Meir, Rafi Kanichowsky. Subs: Moshe Freedman, Alberto 'Tito" Telias, Guv Lebens
Goal: Aviad Ben Meir (55)
Yellows: Rafi Shachat (35), Aviv Cohen (67)