The Yellow-and-Blue drew their third straight league match 0:0 after having the majority of opportunities throughout the contest.
Head Coach Peter Bosz had Predrag Rajikovic at his services after much concern that he would be unavailable due to the Israel Football Association ruling handed down following last Matchday against Bnei Sakhnin. Captain Eran Zahavi, Barak Itzhaki, Tal Ben Chaim and Dor Micha shored up the attack with midfielders Haris Medunjanin and Gal Alberman playing just behind them. A defensive quartet of Eli Dasa, Carlos Garcia, Eitan Tibi and Dor Peretz played in front of the Serbian keeper as Maccabi looked to move into first place due to a better goal differential.
With an electric atmosphere at Bloomfield, the match kicked off with the fans hitting the highest of decibels in the packed stands. Ovidiu Huban had the first chance of the match from long range, but Rajikovic easily stopped the midfielder’s effort from 20 meters out early on in the 6th minute. Maccabi’s opening salvo of the evening came in the 14th minute off of a tremendous opportunity by Zahavi. The Captain took a brilliant Medunjanin pass into the box but Beer Sheva keeper Dudu Goresh sent the ball out for a corner kick to keep the match goalless after the first quarter hour.
As the match continued with end to end action, Micha had a chance from in close on the left side but Goresh easily saved the ball in the 21st minute. Just two minutes later, Beer Sheva had a magnificent opprotunity to take the lead but Rajikovic was up to the task and knocked away Nwakaeme’s header.
With the match heading into the 30th minute, Eli Dasa cut into the Beer Sheva box from the right side and handed the ball off to Itzhaki who couldn’t find a way to put it past Goresh with Ben Biton clearing the ball to safety. Ten minutes later, Tal Ben Chaim unleashed a left footed scorcher from the right side of the box but his effort just went over the bar and out as the half ended deadlocked at 0:0.
Peter Bosz opened the second half with his first substitute of the match introducing Orlando Sa for Itzhaki looking to ignite his stagnant offense. After the visitors applied pressure to begin the half, Medunjanin took a low shot that just went by the left post and out to keep the scoreline as is in the 50th minute. Zahavi who had been handcuffed all night by Beer Sheva’s stifling defense took a scintillating shot from the top of the box but his effort went over the bar.
The Yellow-and-Blue boss made his second substitute of the evening in the 61st minute bringing on Shlomi Azulay for Alberman in search of a goal. Ben Chaim would almost find that goal as he slithered past the Beer Sheva defense only to find an awaiting Goresh ready to collect his chance.
Sa and Zahavi each couldn’t find a way to put the ball in the goal as both their opportunities missed wide while a Medunjanin free kick from 30 meters out also didn’t find its mark as the match remained scoreless in the 76th minute. As the match hit the 81st minute Bosz made his final substitution of the match introducing Eden Ben Basat for Tal Ben Chaim.
It didn’t take long for Ben Basat to make an impact as number 9 who hadn’t played in some time sent a perfect cross into the box but couldn’t find any Yellow-and-Blue jerseys to head it into the goal behind Goresh as the Beer Sheva keeper collected the ball. With the clock running out of time Azulay sent a curler into the box but that went over the bar as well.
As the final whistle sounded, Maccabi looked ahead to next week’s Matchday 34 contest against Hapoel Raanana at the Netanya Stadium in hopes of cutting Beer Sheva’s lead.
