Tonight it happens!
Maccabi Tel Aviv will hit the pitch running tonight with one goal in mind, to reach a dream. The UEFA Champions League Playoff Round return leg will take place at Bloomfield Stadium determining who will play in the group stages, Maccabi or Basel. The last time Maccabi was on the cusp of qualifying for the Champions League was back in 2004 when Nir Kilnger was barking out the orders from the sidelines. Maccabi hosted Greek side PAOK FC in the second leg of the third qualifying round after the Yellow-and-Blue secured a valuable 3:0 technical victory in Greece due to PAOK fielding an ineligible player.
Maccabi came into the match at Bloomfield Stadium with a big advantage that didn't leave much chance for the Greek club to come back as the Yellow-and-Blue wanted to make sure to give the home crowd an opportunity to witness history. And after only eight minutes of play over 12,000 supporters leaped from the seats.
Erez Messika, who scored a gorgeous goal in Greece against PAOK sent in a beauty of cross from the left side that fell right into the lap of Liran Cohen who knew exactly what to to with it. Cohen stopped the ball and slotted it behind the visiting 'keeper giving Maccabi a 1:0 lead and 4:0 advantage on aggregate, sending all of the Yellow-and-Blue supporters into euphoria. The home team was able to hold on for the victory as the partying continued into the night giving Maccabi their first appearance in the Champions League Group Stages.
Tonight, exactly 11-years to the day of this historic milestone, Maccabi Tel Aviv have yet another chance to write a brand new chapter at Bloomfield Stadium in their illustrious European history.
