Head Coach Ziv Arie made a couple of changes to the starting XI that opened up last week’s match as Shay Golan and Or Dasa were given the chance to show their wares. Ben Shugel who was with Maccabi at the beginning of the year faced his former team and started for Nes Tziona.
From the opening minute, Maccabi controlled the flow of play and tempo of the match moving the ball from side to side. In the 20th minute Ran Vaturi took a screamer of a shot but Almog and Dasa couldn’t find the handle on the rebound to give the young Yellow-and-Blue the lead.
In the 33rd minute, Maccabi finally took the advantage as Oliel Peretz found Dasa in the middle of the box who put the ball home behind the Nes Tziona keeper for the short-lived 1:0 lead. Just two minutes later a Nes Tziona corner kick was headed in by Shugel beating Maccabi “Shachar” keeper Haviv Ohayon to draw the visitors even at 1:1 as the sides went into the break with the score as is.
The second half started with neither team making a substitution. Nes Tziona packed in their defense while the Yellow-and-Blue tried to breakdown the visitors fortress. Arie made a number of changes to his lineup as he inserted Mahmoud Awesat, Eden Kartzev, Tomer Altman and Lazar Durovic who just returned to the club as the coach looked to find a winner.
In the 83rd minute, Maccabi may have had their best chance of the half. Durovic turned in the box and gave Awesat a terrific ball but he missed the opportunity to give his side the lead as the match ended in a 1:1 draw. Next Saturday Maccabi “Shachar” will face Maccabi Herzliya in State Cup action.
