Maccabi end their run of Champions League qualification after a second-leg 2-2 draw against Maribor. On Friday: the draw for the play-off round of the Europa League
Tonight close to 900 Maccabi fans made their way to Larnaca's Antonis Papadopoulos Stadium in Cyprus to lend their support to the team's run for a place in the group stage of the Champions League. Unfortunately even those extra voices fell short of achieving their goal as the Israeli champions drew their second leg 2-2 against Slovenian titleholders NK Maribor to finish on the losing end of a 3-2 aggregate. As a result, Maccabi will now continue their European campaign in the play-off round of the Europa League.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fcKCDubRDMI
Maribor produced the earliest threat just after kick-off through veteran Brazilian striker Marcos Tavares but Maccabi keeper Juan Pablo was there to palm his headed effort from inside the area to safety. After ten minutes came the first threat at the other end, with midfielder Eran Zahavi's long-range effort slicing wide of the goal. On 35 minutes though it was the Slovenian side that put further distance between Maccabi and their Champions League dream by scoring a precious away goal. Midfielder Damjan Bohar's shot from inside the area was parried by Juan Pablo but into the path of fellow midfielder Agim Ibraimi, who struck past the Maccabi keeper into the net to give his side a 0-1 advantage. Six minutes later Maccabi restored parity when midfielder Dor Micha looped a lovely ball to winger Tal Ben Haim outrunning his marker inside the area, who struck past Maribor's keeper Jasmin Handanović to bring the sides level at 1-1 at the break.
The hosts also began brighter after the restart and their pressure on the Slovenian champions paid dividends ten minutes in when two Maccabi passes inside the Maribor area saw the ball arrive at the feet of newboy striker Eden Ben Basat who struck with power and accuracy into the net for his first goal in yellow kit. At 2-1 the Maccabi dream reappeared briefly on the horizon, but unfortunately hardly a minute passed when a cross into the Maccabi area found Ibrahimi at the far post and the Macedonian's header flew past both defender Omri Ben Harush and Juan Pablo into the net to bring the sides back to level terms. Maccabi were by no means dispirited and on 66 minutes Ben Basat struck again but wide, while seven minutes from time midfielder Mahran Radi sent the home side pulses racing with an effort that was cleared off the line. But in the end Maccabi failed to find the two goals required to claim an aggregate victory and the final whistle saw them crashing out of this season's Champions League competition. This Friday the draw will be held for the play-off round of the Europa League, where Maccabi Tel Aviv will appear as one of the seeded entries.
