Maccabi Tel Aviv kicked off their 2014/15 league campaign with an impressive 0-3 victory over Maccabi Petch Tikva at the "Moshava" Stadium, courtesy of goals by Mahran Radi, Eran Zahavi and Rade Prica
It's been a long time coming but tonight Maccabi Tel Aviv finally got their season 2014/15 Israeli Premier ("Winner") League campaign off on the right foot with an easy 0-3 win at the "Moshava" Stadium over Maccabi Petach Tikva. In the first half the visitors completely dominated procedures, with attacking frontman Eran Zahavi booking the first two attempts to put his side in front. On seven minutes his attempted chip was stopped by Petach Tikva keeper Ittimar Nitzan and six minutes later his shot from outside the area fizzled over the net. On 24 minutes Zahavi's industry bore fruit when his cross found the powerful legs of fellow midfielder Mahran Radi, whose shot from outside the area found its way behind Nitzan into the net off the post to give his side a 0-1 lead. Radi would try his luck once again just short of the half hour mark, but his second effort from outside the area sailed high. Two minutes later winger Tal Ben Haim made the first of two attempts to double the visitors' lead but his first effort was saved and his second, five minutes from the interval, went high.
After the restart Maccabi Tel Aviv's dominance continued and eight minutes in holding midfielder Gal Alberman dispossessed the opposition, turned on his marker and shot but Nitzan was there to keep it out. On 63 minutes the home side made an attempt to equalise but keeper Juan Pablo made sure midfielder Gidi Kanyuk's effort was swept away, while on 70 minutes at the other end Tel Aviv's young international midfielder Dor Peretz saw his effort from inside the area go over. Four minutes later though the visitors' lead was already stretched to 0-2 when Eran Zahavi mastered a long ball, hoodwinked the Petch Tikva defence in the area and shot past Nitzan. Eight minutes before time substitute striker Rade Prica rounded off the scoring when he got his head to a long ball from young midfielder Moshe "Moshiko" Lugassi and catching Ittimar Nitzan off his line nodded into an open net for 0-3.
On Sunday September 21st at 8.30pm Maccabi Tel Aviv will welcome Hapoel Ra'anana at Bloomfield Stadium for matchweek 2 of the Israeli Premier League.
