Tonight at the National Stadium In Ramat Gan, goals by Dor Micha and Rade Prica handed Maccabi Tel Aviv victory and the 2012/13 National Championship title!!
Everything was in the ready, 33,000 Maccabi Tel Aviv fans arrived at the National Stadium in Ramat Gan with only one thing on their minds, to see their beloved Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club raise the Championship plate. Things started well for the aspiring champions, as an early goal from young midfielder Dor Micha put the Blue-and-Yellows out in front before half time. In the second half the hosts Hapoel Ramat Hasharon came close to an equaliser but striker Rade Prica put the game out of reach with a second goal for Maccabi Tel Aviv and sealed a 0-2 victory that made it official: With four matches left to the 2012/13 Israel Premier League season, Maccabi Tel Aviv are the National Champions!!
Just four minutes after kick-off midfielder Eran Zahavi missed a first clear chance to put Maccabi out in front. Dor Micha was the next in line to threaten the opposition goal, drawing a handy deflection from Hasharon goalkeeper Roei Leibovic. But it was Dor Micha once again, with just under 20 minutes on the clock, who had the entire crowd of 33,000 Maccabi fans on their feet with a shot from outside the area that careened off Hasharon defender Kobi Musa and looped over the head of Roei Leibovic into the net. But despite further Maccabi efforts by Rade Prica and fellow striker Eliran Atar, and one by Hasharon midfielder Moshe Abutbul at the other end, it remained 0-1 in Maccabi's favour until half time.
After the restart the hosts left in no doubt that they were still in the match and came very close to equalising on several occasions. Maccabi keeper Vincent Enyeama saved from substitute striker Adrián Fernández and Serbian midfielder Marko Anđelković missed the far post by inches. At the other end Maccabi also created chances, with midfielder Maharan Radi's free kick hitting the woodwork and Eliran Atar's effort flying over. And when keeper Roei Leibovic just managed to touch away Gonzalo Garcia's shot for a corner, a wave of excitement followed by groan of disappointment was clearly audible throughout the crowded stadium. But 12 minutes from time, again with a little help from an opposition deflection, Rade Prica found the net and left in no doubt which side would come out on top. A 0-2 victory and a twentieth all time Israel Premier League championship to Maccabi Tel Aviv, their first in a decade.
