Maccabi Tel Aviv missed a chance to cut the gap from top spot after being held to a 0-0 draw by Bnei Yehuda at Bloomfield stadium. The point gained takes Maccabi’s tally to 27 points from 15 matches and ended the 100% record Patrick van Leeuwen had since starting to guide the team.
First Half
Maccabi dominated the early stages of the game but time after time they couldn’t breach Bnei Yehuda’s defense. In the 16th minute the visitors threatened to draw first blood as Pedro Campos managed to dribble into the area, but his shot crept outside of Daniel Tenenbaum’s left post.
Yonatan Cohen managed the first shot on goal on 37 but his left foot effort bobbled on the ground before Omer Niron collected it with ease. Campose continued looking dangerous as he shot from the edge of the area forced Tenebaum to dive and collect.
The game seemed to have gone up a notch as Aleksandar Pesic had a shot blocked by a Bnei Yehuda defender but the halftime whistle of referee Aviad Shiloah meant the no goals will be scored untill after the interval.
Second Half
Van Leeuwen made a double change at halftime as Avi Rikan and Tal Ben Chaim replaced Eyal Golasa and Eylon Almog for the restart.
Maccabi started looking lively as Ben Chaim down the flank began a move on 53 which resulted in a Yonatan Cohen cross that was cleared by Fadi Najar before Dor Peretz managed to stick his boot in.
Van Leeuwen made a third change a minute after the hour mark as Matan Hozez came in for the tired Cohen. A minute later Maccabi got their first serious chance as Eytan Tibi picked Dor Peretz with a pinpoint pass over Bnei Yehuda’s defense. But the midfielder who brought the ball down with a perfect pass was let down by his shot which went high over the crossbar.
Ocampos flashed a shot wide of Tenenbaum’s goal in the 65th minute but a minute later it was a Louis Hernandez long pass which found Hozez inside the area. The winger was brought down and referee Aviad Sholoah went to the VAR but dismissed claims for a penalty.
Mohamad Ghadir replaced Roi Ben Shimon at Bnei Yehuda on 75 while Dan Biton came in for Eden Karzev at Maccabi a minute later. Dor Peretz went into the referees book for a foul on Campos and as that was his fifth yellow card he will be suspended from one match after the lockdown.
In the 85th minute both substitutes combined well as Hozez slid the ball for Ben Chaim inside the area. But Ben Chaim’s effort was blocked by the keeper for a corner which resulted with nothing.
Inside injury time Maccabi were given a glorious chance to win the match as Tal Ben Chaim was fouled on the edge of the area. But Dan Biton shot the free kick wide of the target as the final action of the game.
