Preview
Maccabi Tel Aviv arrived at Netanya for the match against Hapoel Hadera on the final day of the regular season in a bid to put pressure and edge closer to second place Hapoel Be’ersheva and leaders Maccabi Haifa. With the order of the Playoff determined at the end of this round, another victory for Mladen Krstajic’s side would not only extend their run to seven victories in succession, but also see them leapfrog Be’ersheva into second place at least until Sunday’s league match away to Nof Hagalil.
Krstajic made two changes from the side which beat Beitar Jerusalem as Idan Nachmias, Enric Saborit and Matan Baltaxa lined-up as the three central defenders in front of goalkeeper Daniel Peretz. Tal Ben Chaim and Ofir Davidzada were assigned to the wing-back roles on the right and left respectively as Krstajic decided to add more width to Maccabi’s game. Dan Glazer led the team out wearing the captain’s armband with Gabi Kanichowsky and Dan Biton sharing the midfield duties. Upfront, Krstajic kept his Balkan-duo Djordje Jovanovic and Stipe Perica as the partnership of the Serb and the Croat continued to spearhead Maccabi’s attack.
Josue Sa, returned to the squad after recovering from the muscle injury which side-lined him since the Conference League return leg against PSV Eindhoven. The Portuguese central defender, joined Matan Hozez, Bradnley Kuwas, Eden Shamir, Sheran Yeini, Avi Rikan, Eyal Golasa, and Eylon Almog all waiting for their chance to make an impact.
First Half
7000 Maccabi fans arrived at Netanya filling-up the entire East stand thus giving the team the same support they had for three years of histing matches at this venue. The fixture supplied a family derby in midfield between Dan Glazer and his young brother Tamir who is currently on loan at Hadera.
Maccabi created the first chance seven minutes from the start but Stipe Perica was caught offside. In the 18th minute, a Tal Ben Chaim cross found Dan Biton before his attempt of a shot fell to Perica who flicked the ball past Adi Tabechnik. But the Croat’s celebrations were short-lived as referee Idan Leiba ruled the goal for offside.
In the 27th minute Menashe Zalka ghosted behind Maccabi’s defence and received a ball in a glorious position to score. But Daniel Peretz pulled a spectacular double save to deny the Hadera captain as well as the rebound of Shoval Gozlan.
Three minutes after the half-hour mark the deadlock was finally broken. Gabi Kanichowsky released Perica who cut into the area and had his initial shot was saved by Adi Tabechnik before Jovanovic pounced on the rebound and with the goal at his mercy fired home the opener.
Maccabi doubled their lead three minutes later as Idan Nachmias sent a long ball over Hadera’s defence into the path of Jovanovic. The 23-year-old Serbian forward who had just scored his sixth league goal, turned provider as he chipped the ball for Perica who skipped past a defender and fired-in a low drive for Maccabi’s second.
Maccabi should have scored a third on 41 as an Ofir Davidzada pinpoint cross left him with what seemed like an easy tap-in. But Jovanovic miscued his shot which somehow managed to clear the crossbar. In the last move of the first half Biton sent a left foot shot which crept to the wrong side of Tabechnik’s post.
Second Half
While Mladen Krstajic made no changes to Maccabi’s line-up, his counterpart, Menachem Koretzki introduced Ron Unger for Dia Lababidi at the restart. A spectacular team effort that involved no less than six players in the 51st minute resulted with a Ben Chaim perfect square ball that Perica failed to connect onto.
Hadera came close on 64 as Unger crossed from the right and Shoval Gozlan was allowed a free header that sailed wide of Peretz’s post. In the 72nd minute Enric Saborit sent Jovanovic into the area but the young striker flashed across the face of Tabechnik’s goal. Seconds later, Krstajic made his first change as he introduced both Avi Rikan and Sheran Yeini for Biton and Davidzada.
Krstajic made another double substitution as Perica and Ben Chaim bowed-out to a standing ovation and were replaced by Matan Hozez and Brandley Kuwas on 83. Eyal Golasa replaced Kanichowsky in the 86th minute as Krstajic made his fifth and final change. Inside injury time, Rikan had a chance to get his name on the scoresheet but the veteran midfielder hooked his effort wide of the post.
Maccabi ended the regular season on a high with 53 points as they begin the Playoff next weekend with a home match either against Bnei Sakhnin or Maccabi Netanya.
