Moti Kakon Recalls Hapoel Petah Tikva's Shock Feyenoord Upset
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
Moti Kakon, a former Hapoel Petah Tikva forward, reflected on the club's historic 1992 upset over Feyenoord in the Cup Winners' Cup, where he scored and assisted in a 2-0 lead. Kakon, who became the club's second all-time leading scorer, also discussed his career path, including a stalled move to Spain and his overall satisfaction with his life despite not achieving major financial success abroad. The match against Feyenoord remains a highlight in the club's history.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Moti Kakon scored and assisted in Hapoel Petah Tikva's 1992 upset over Feyenoord.
- Kakon is Hapoel Petah Tikva's second all-time leading scorer with 137 goals.
- The 1992 match against Feyenoord is considered one of Hapoel Petah Tikva's greatest achievements.
- Kakon's move to Spanish club Mérida was hampered by transfer delays.
- Despite a notable career, Kakon did not achieve significant financial success abroad.
Moti Kakon, now 54, a former forward for Hapoel Petah Tikva, reminisced about his early career, particularly the 1992 European Cup Winners' Cup match against Dutch giants Feyenoord. In the summer of 1992, then 19-year-old Kakon was called up to the senior team by coach Yan Fibernik. Despite a slight delay in his senior career due to military service, Kakon's prolific youth scoring record earned him a place.
Hapoel Petah Tikva faced Feyenoord in Rotterdam, losing the first leg 1-0. In the return leg in Israel, Kakon made an immediate impact, assisting the opening goal in the third minute and scoring the second in the 49th minute, giving his team a surprising 2-0 lead. This performance stunned Feyenoord, whose defender John de Wolf had previously dismissed Hapoel Petah Tikva's chances. Although Feyenoord eventually equalized and advanced on away goals, the match is considered one of the club's greatest achievements.
Kakon, nicknamed "The Eagle" after Emilio Butragueño, became the second-highest scorer in Hapoel Petah Tikva's history with 137 goals. He recalled his aerial ability despite his 1.75m height, stating he could jump "30 cm higher than defenders I was shorter than." His career also included a three-season loan to Hapoel Kfar Saba, where he scored 25 additional goals and helped them achieve promotion.
Despite his success, Kakon admitted he was never passionate about football, initially enjoying basketball before being persuaded to join Hapoel Petah Tikva. He also revealed that at age 29, his contract was not renewed, leading to his departure. He received an offer from Beitar Jerusalem at a young age but chose to stay with Hapoel Petah Tikva due to its tradition.
Kakon also recounted a failed attempt to play abroad with Idan Tal at Mérida in Spain. The transfer, reportedly worth $600,000, was delayed by Hapoel Petah Tikva, causing Kakon to miss the start of the season and fall behind in fitness. UEFA eventually ruled in his favor, but the delay hampered his progress, and he returned to Israel. While he achieved two caps for the Israeli national team, Kakon acknowledged that his career abroad did not bring the financial success he had hoped for, though he is content with his life and family.