Maccabi returned to Bloomfield stadium after the international break as Robbie Keane’s top of the table side hosted Bnei Sakhnin for the ONE ZERO League MD27 which kick started the Playoff. With a seven-point-lead at the top of the table, Keane’s charges will aim to record their sixth league victory in succession and increase the pressure on next week’s opponents Maccabi Haifa that play Bnei Reineh tomorrow. Keane sent out the same team that suffered a disappointing 6-1 defeat to Olympiacos as Roi Mishpati kept his place in goal with Enric Saborit and Idan Nachmias lining-up as the two central defenders in front of him. Ido Shahar started on the right side of defense with Roy Revivo completing Maccabi’s back-four on the opposite left-flank.
Joris van Overeem was named in the anchorman role with Gabi Kanichowsky and Dor Peretz joining the Dutch-born midfielder in Maccabi’s engine room. Osher Davida on the right flank and Felicio Milson on the left supplied the width in Maccabi’s formation, tasked at providing the ammunition for Eran Zahavi. The veteran striker who scored a brace against Hapoel Haifa before the international break that took his tally to 32 in all competitions will aim to continue his run of form.
On the bench, Keane, named Daniel Tenenbaum, Avishay Cohen, Dor Turgeman, Yonas Malede, Eyal Golasa, Ofir Davidzada, Matan Baltaxa, Kiko Bondoso and Eden Karzev.
First Half
Boosted by their return to league action and with the vocal support of the 20,267 fans at Bloomfield, Maccabi began the match with pressure on Sakhnin right from the off. That pressure on the visitors should have seen Maccabi score at least one goal inside the opening three minutes. After less than 90 seconds Osher Davida who intercepted a ball deep inside Sakhnin’s half exchanged passes with Dor Peretz before cutting the ball back. Eran Zahavi, who timed his run to perfection, must have thought he had scored but his shot was saved by the feet of Mohammed Abu Nil. A minute later Felicio Milson carved Sakhnin’s defense open with a through-ball to Peretz whose pass allowed Enric Saborit in on goal but the Spaniard’s shot to be blocked by Hasan Hilu.
Peretz had two more good chances to score but Abu Nil charged off his line and denied the Maccabi midfielder who later headed a corner just wide. The visitors managed to hang on while Maccabi continued to dominate as a Davida’s counter-attack on 16 reached Gabi Kanichowsky whose cross was volleyed by Zahavi forcing Abu Nil to a spectacular save.
While Maccabi struggled to find an opening and break through Sakhnin’s line of defense, the visitors almost took the lead against the run of play. In the 39th minute, Sakhnin almost took the lead from a corner as Constantinos Soteriou rose high to head a corner past Roi Mishpati before Enric Saborit rescued Maccabi from conceding by heading the ball off the line.
Despite one of the most dominant first halves Maccabi played this season, Robbie Keane’s charges couldn’t translate their superiority to a goal as Aviad Shiloah’s halftime whistle sent both teams into the dressing rooms with the score still goalless.
Second Half
With no changes after the interval Maccabi began the second half where the first one left off while the visitors’ continued to frustrate by keeping their goal locked. Six minutes after the restart Zahavi tried a shot which went wide of the target.
Right on the hour mark Peretz knocked the ball down for Kanichowsky who saw an opening for a shot which crept agonizingly wide. A minute later, Abu Nil, came to Sakhnin’s rescue as a clearance reached Milson whose volley was heading into the top corner. But the visiting keeper was at full stretch to claw the ball out from under his crossbar.
In the 67th minute and against the run of play, Maccabi were awarded a corner before Sakhnin’s Mohamad Shaker charged forward for a counter-attack at the end of which Zahi Ahmed side footed the ball home. Sakhnin’s celebrations were short-lived as VAR spotted a foul on Kanichowsky and cancelled the goal. Keane reacted instantly as Dor Turgeman replaced Davida on 72 and with the fans lifted by the cancellation of the goal, Bloomfield was at its vocal best. Four minutes later Keane’s substitution almost had an immediate impact as Milson slid the ball to Kanichowsky whose square ball reached Turgeman. But the young forward who run through and was unmarked at the far post, somehow managed to hook the ball over the crossbar. Keane made a second change adding a forward for a midfielder with Yonas Malede replacing Joris Van Overeem in the 75th minute.
Roy Revivo was booked for dissent in the 87th minute and while Keane was ready to introduce Ofir Davidzada, Dor Peretz scored one of the goals of the season. The 28-year-old midfielder picked the ball from Milson and with his right-foot teed the ball up and blasted a left foot volley that rocketed into the top corner to send Bloomfield in the air. Davidzada and Karzev replaced Revivo and Milson while Shiloah awarded 7 minutes of added time.
Inside injury time, Malede exploited an Abu Nil mistake, stripped a defender of the ball, and charged into the penalty box before being fouled by Gabi Joury. Shiloah pointed straight at the penalty spot before Zahavi stepped up, sent Abu Nil the wrong way and doubled the score to seal Maccabi’s win.
