Rukavystya had missed five of the last six games for Maccabi due to a minor calf strain and then a bout of COVID-19.

But after making a scoreless cameo last week, the Socceroos contender burst back into the red-hot form he had pre-layoff with a goal and an assist in Haifa's 2-0 win against Maccabi Netanya.

Rukavystya's Haifa now sit one point clear of second place Maccabi Tel Aviv in first place after 26 games in the Israeli Premier League.

Rukavystya is becoming one of the most prolific Australian goalscorers in European competitions of all time.

He scored 18 goals in 26 league games last season and now has a whopping 17 goals in 20 appearances this campaign.

The 33-year-old is now favoured to return to Graham Arnold's upcoming Socceroos squad, which - despite some names already locked in for UAE training camps - awaits final confirmation next week.