In their second pre-season friendly in Austria, Maccabi Tel Aviv lose 1-0 to Russian side FC Krasnodar
After a goalless draw against German side FC Ingolstadt 04 in their first pre-season friendly, Maccabi Tel Aviv met tonight Russian side FC Krasnodar, whose squad includes the ex-MTA forward Pape Moussa Konaté. The match was held at the home venue of the Austrian club SK Bischofshofen, who play in the top regional league in the district of Salzburg.
The match opened with parity between the sides but with 24 minutes on the clock the Russians succeeded in scoring the only goal of the match. Brazilian midfielder Joãozinho (João Natailto Ramos Dos Santos) broke down the left flank and sent an accurate cross into the box for fellow midfielder Sergei Petrov, who headed from close range into the net to put his side ahead. Petrov was injured in the play but recovered to return to the pitch. Maccabi, who opened with a different side than in the first pre-season friendly, made one attempt in the first half to get back into the match when midfielder Maharan Radi's free kick went just wide of Krasnodar keeper Alexander Filtsov's goal, but the half finished without further incident.
After the restart Radi had a second chance to draw Maccabi level but saw his free kick once again miss its mark, this time via the woodwork. The game continued with both sides in balance and by the 71st minute, Maccabi head coach Paulo Sousa had replaced his entire starting eleven. They continued to press but it was the Russians who managed to carve out the best chance of the half when Brazilian striker Wanderson (Francisco Wanderson do Carmo Carneiro) headed a free kick inside the box wide of Maccabi keeper Tomer Chencinski's goal. At the final whistle Maccabi had still not found the net and suffered their first defeat of the new season.
On Saturday at 7 P.M. Maccabi Tel Aviv will face the German club FC Energie Cottbus in their last pre-season friendly at their Austrian training camp.
