After only one preseason match it's clear that Eden Ben Basat is planning on making an impression on new coach Slavisa Jokanovic. With a brace and an assist, Ben Basat seemed to always be in the right place at the right time for Macacbi.
Eden Ben Basat who scored a brace and assisted on a goal said after the match: "While we're happy with the win that's not the most important thing right now. We ran a lot and played well as we get ourselves into game shape. This was only our third practice together as a group and we are working very hard. We still have a long training camp ahead of us and we are learning what the coach's expectations are for us."
Slavisa Jokanovic shared his Impressions from the first game: "This is only the second day that we are all working together and I am happy with our performance but it's still early on as we are just starting the preseason matches.
This team has been the champion of Israel over the last three years and we are looking to go to the next level and continue to improve. We will use this time in the preseason to become more competitive, more compact and give more balance for the next game."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mSCE2YyV8_w
The Yellow-and-Blue began the match with Juan Pablo in goal, a back four consisting of Yoav Ziv Carlos Garcia, Eitan Tibi and recently promoted youth player Dan Glazer along with midfielders Gal Alberman, Mahran Radi and Gili Vermouth with attackers Sohil Armeli, Barak Itzhaki and Barak Badash.
It took 20 minutes of play for Maccabi and Vozdovac to begin producing chances as Itzhaki, Vermouth and Radi made a number of attempts at the Serbian goal however, to no avail. As halftime approached wholesale substitutions began with Dor Peretz, Nikola Mitrovic, Tal Ben Haim the central defender, Nosa Igiebor, Dor Micha, Tal Ben Chaim the forward, Omri Ben Harush, Yuval Spungin, Haviv Ohayon and our man of the match Eden Ben Basat all coming into the game.
It didn't take long for the subs to make an impact as Nosa Igiebor started a gorgeous passing play in the 51st minute. From the top of the box, Igiebor passed the ball to his right and onto the foot of Eden Ben Basat who smartly crossed the ball across the box to an oncoming forward Tal Ben Chaim who scored the easy goal.
Just six minutes later Maccabi made the score 2-0 on Ben Basat's first goal of the evening. Defender Yuval Spungin began the play from the right side of the box and placed the ball onto Gili Vermouth's head whose rebound was slotted home by Ben Basat. In the 75th minute Ben Basat converted a penalty for his second goal of the match and to complete his brace giving Maccabi their first win in preseason action.
