It took 90 minutes for Maccabi “Shachar” Tel Aviv to break through the stingy Beitar Jerusalem defense as keeper Haviv Ohayon headed the ball past the opponent’s shot stopper helping his side to a 1:0 win. Ohayon left his position to take part in seemingly the final play of the match to score off of a Gaby Kanichowsky cross.
After being eliminated from State Cup play in the quarterfinal round earlier in the week, the young Yellow-and-Blue looked to get back into the win column without the services of Oliel Peretz who was suspended for the match. Keeper Haviv Ohayon returned to action coming back from a head injury and faced a Jerusalem side that looks to be heading towards relegation at the end of the season. Meitar Shemesh was the referee for the tilt at Ramle Stadium.
Head Coach Ziv Arie’s players began the match pressuring Beitar keeper Tamir Lalo and in the 5th minute Gaby Kanichowsky’s 17 meter effort was saved by the shot stopper. Beitar Jerusalem then began to take control of the match with Haviv Ohayon proving he was up to the task in the 15th and 26th minutes extinguishing Oz Zahavi and Austine’s efforts.
Guy Aviv had the Yellow-and-Blue’s best opportunity of the half but his 32nd minute hard angle chance in the box went just wide of the left post. Eight minutes later Or Dasa fed Almog Eylon from the right side but his excellent opportunity didn’t find its way past the Beitar keeper as the sides went into the break goalless.
The second half opened with no substitutions from both clubs. In the 52nd minute Eylon and Kanichowsky each had terrific chances to give Maccabi “Shachar” a lead but the former’s opportunity from 7 meters out was stopped cold by Lalo and the latter’s rebound attempt struck a Beitar defender going out for a corner. Five minutes later Austine almost produced the goal of the year off of a backheel but his effort just skipped by the post.
Maccabi “Shachar” continued to control the tempo and flow of the match but couldn’t find a goal until keeper Haviv Ohayon headed home a Gaby Kanichowsky cross for the valuable three points and the game winning strike after coming back from injury.
Following the match Head Coach Ziv Arie said: “These 90 minutes really summed up our year. After Wednesday’s match I just wanted the players to put the game aside and come into this contest full of energy as if the season was just starting. It didn’t exactly work out that way and the first 20 minutes we looked slow and sluggish. We played against a club that was very organized wanting to take a point and look to counterattack against us. We didn’t create chances and our opponent was more organized and physical than we were. We had some opportunities in the second half but couldn’t find a way to score. Just like I’ve said in the past and I’ll say it again now that Haviv Ohayon is a key player for us and our anchor. I’m happy for the players and this win really picked them up.”
Haviv Ohayon added: “I’ve been waiting for this goal for a very long time and I always believed that if I would go up for the last play of the game I’d score. If I didn’t believe that I could score I would never go up and even attempt to do it. I along with Maccabi keep improving game by game. My future? I trust that the Maccabi people will make the right decision. I’m sure I can rely on my teammates and their abilities in the coming matches so I don’t have to be the one to help win the game.”
