The 31-year-old keeper who joined Maccabi in the summer from Haifa, kept a clean sheet over the 90 minutes before facing his former teammates for a crucial penalty shoot out that won the trophy. Mishpati, who saved the first two spot kicks of Tjraonn Cherry and Frantzdy Pierrot to give Maccabi the lead, didn’t deny his previous acquaintance with his former teammates helped him: “Maybe it has, I know them all very well. Maybe it helped me, but I am delighted with the first two penalty saves I made and for helping the team win the first title of the season. Now we are looking forward again at our next task in the State Cup against Hapoel Hadera.”
“The coach prepares us for every game” Mishpati added, “We only looked at this game as one we needed to come and win. Now our sights are on the Cup. This is how we operate – on a game-by-game basis. I am delighted we managed to win today and clinch the first trophy this season.”
Mishpati didn’t get carried away with the victory over the fellow title contenders, as he said: “It gives us a push, it was a match with a title at stake and a very lucrative match. We were preparing for this all week, and we really wanted it, but what makes me even happier is playing good football. I am just delighted we won the penalties and title is ours.”
On Maccabi’s recent form that saw them held to a 0-0 draw by Hapoel Petah Tikva earlier this week, Mishpati summed up: “I think we showed some good form today as well as against Hapoel Petah Tikva when the ball refused to go in. As I said earlier, we always prepare ourselves for the next game as we are now focused on Sunday’s State Cup match against Hapoel Hadera”.
