Preview:
Three days after being held to a 1-1 draw away to Ironi Kiryat Shmona, Maccabi’s coach, Vladimir Ivic, made five changes to his starting line-up for the State Cup Round of 16 tie against Bnei Sakhnin at Bloomfield.
Enric Saborit and Shahar Piven who both suspended against Kiryat Shmona, returned to the heart of defence at the expense of Sheran Yeinin and Nir Bitton as the duo lined-up alongside Derrick Luckassen as the three central defenders in front of goalkeeper Daniel Peretz. With Ivic making four of the five changes in his defensive line, Andre Geraldes and Ofir Davidzada returned to the starting line-up at right and left wing-back respectively. Dor Peretz and Gabi Kanichowsky kept their places in Maccabi’s midfield engine room with Oscar Gloukh replacing Parfait Guiagon at the top of the midfield trio. Eran Zahavi led the team out wearing the captain’s armband as the 35-year-old lined-up alongside Djordje Jovanovic upfront.
On the bench together with goalkeeper Daniel Tenenbaum and in his last match in charge of Maccabi, Ivic named Dan Glazer, Joris van Overeem, Parfait Guiagon, Avi Rikan, Yonatan Cohen, Maor Kandil, Dor Turgeman and Nir Bitton.
In a desperate attempt to put the disappointing draw at Kiryat Shmona behind them and with more than 10,562 fans at Bloomfield stadium, Maccabi got off to a flying start. Seven minutes Maccabi came close to break the deadlock as Djordje Jovanovic fired a powerful shot which Bnei Sakhnin’s keeper Mahmoud Kandil couldn’t hold onto. Eran Zahavi who reacted first and pounced on the rebound but blasted a left foot shot over the crossbar. Two minutes later as Gabi Kanichowsky was fouled 25 meters away from Kandil’s goal, Zahavi stepped up and blasted an unstoppable free kick which kept Kandil rooted to the ground and almost threatened to tear a hole in the net.
A counter attack in the 19th minute saw Zahavi charge forward and set-up Oscar Gloukh whose shot was easily collected by Sakhnin’s keeper. Maccabi kept on pushing forward and came close to double the lead two minutes later as Kanichowsky carved the visitors’ defence open and found Gloukh who flashed a shot which crept narrowly wide of the target.
A minute before the half hour mark, a perfectly executed counter attack which began near Maccabi’s penalty area and involved several players ended with Gloukh scoring the second goal. Kanichowsky’s through ball from the halfway line tore Sakhnin’s defence and released Andre Geraldes before the pacey Portuguese right back cut the ball back to Gloukh who blasted the shot into the top corner to make it 2-0.
In the 39th minute another deadly Maccabi counter attack ended with Gloukh scoring the goal of the night and one which will compete as one of the goals of the season. The 18-year-old forward received the ball from Jovanovic just inside Sakhnin’s area before floating a delicate diagonal chip which sailed over Kandil and into the top corner.
On the stroke of haltime Mohammad Awad was shown a straight red card by referee Snir Levy for a reckless challenge on Gloukh. Maccabi’s young forward was left on the ground clutching his left ankle while Sakhnin were left with 10 men for the rest of the match.
Ivic made his first change after the interval as Kanichowsky who played 90 minutes at Kiryat Shmona on Saturday was replaced by Avi Rikan at the restart.
In the 53rd minute Enric Saborit came close to emulate Gloukh’s goal with a chip of his own. But this time round Kandil assisted by his crossbar managed to claw the ball which was floating towards the top corner and deny the Spaniard from joining in the celebration.
A rare Sakhnin attack in the 57th minute saw Roy Shukrani attempt a long range effort which Daniel Peretz collected with ease.
Two minutes later Ivic made a double substitution as Dan Glazer came on for Dor Peretz while Jovanovic bowed out and was replaced by Dor Turgeman. While the 19-year-old striker is still searching for his first senior goal, less than sixty seconds later he could learn from a true master. Rikan’s cross into the box took a deflection off a Sakhnin defender before Zahavi blasted in a spectacular volley from the penalty spot for his second on the night and Maccabi’s fourth on 61.
Gloukh was given a standing ovation ith his name echoing around Bloomfield stadium as he was replaced by Joris van Overeem in the 64th minute.
Rikan got his name on the scoresheet as well in the 72nd minute as the veteran midfielder floated a perfect free kick from the edge of the area to beat Kandil and score Maccabi’s fifth.
Four minutes later Ivic made his fifth and final substitution as Parfait Guiagon replaced Shahar Piven on 76. Guiagon was handed a chance to score almost instantly as he was put through by Zahavi in the 80th minute only for the Ivorian to snap his shot wide.
Having secured qualification from the Round of 16 Maccabi will have to wait for Thursday’s Quarter Final draw to learn the identity of their opponents which they will face over a two-legged tie.
