The Yellow & Blue have now won their sixth consecutive season opener defeating Hapoel Kfar Saba 3:1 at Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem on a header goal by Eden Ben Basat and a pair of goals by winger Tal Ben Chaim while Mavis Tchibota answered for the visitors.

Head Coach Shota Arveladze’s first ever Ligat Ha’Al Starting XI consisted of Serbian keeper Predrag Rajikovic in goal with a defensive quartet of Eli Dasa, Tal Ben Haim, Eitan Tibi and Omri Ben Harush in front of him. Haris Medunjanin, Nosa Igiebor and Oscar Scarione featured in the middle while Yossi Benayoun, Eden Ben Basat and acting Captain Tal Ben Chaim provided the attack.

First Half:

The Yellow & Blue went on the offense right from the opening whistle but Mendunjanin’s 4th minute long range shot was collected by the Kfar Saba keeper Ran Kadosh and Ben Basat’s bicycle kick four minutes later from 11 meters out went over the goal by inches as the scored remained 0:0 early on.

In the 20th minute Medunjanin’s low effort just went wide right, while Kfar Saba’s Ran Itzhak had a chance in the 28th minute for the visitors. A burst of speed by Ben Chaim caught up to Ben Harush’s magnificent pass on the left side but Kadosh made a miraculous save to keep the match goalless in the 32nd minute.

Just before the stroke of halftime Maccabi got on the board through Ben Basat as number 9 headed home a Scarione rebound to give the Yellow & Blue a 1:0 lead as the teams went into the break.

Second Half:

Ben Basat led the charge to begin the final 45 minutes as his 15 meter scorcher was pushed over the bar at the last second by Kadosh as Maccabi searched for an insurance marker. However, they didn’t have to search to long and hard as Dasa was fouled in the box good for a penalty kick that Ben Chaim coolly slotted home for the 2:0 lead in the 58th minute.

Coach Arveladze made his first substitution of the evening when he introduced Eyal Golasa for Nosa Igiebor in the 65th minute and five minutes later his side added a third goal as Ben Chaim completed a brace. Oscar Scarione led the winger with a brilliant ball on the left side as number 11 placed a fantastic ball by Kadosh, off of the right post and into the goal for a 3:0 advantage.

Following a pair of Maccabi substitutions with Barak Itzhaki and Egor Filipenka replacing Scarione and Tibi, Kfar Saba’s Mavis Tchibota cut the Yellow & Blue lead to 3:1 on an easy shot from 5 meters out in the 78th minute. Ten minutes later Itzhaki attempted to get the goal back but he missed his tremendous opportunity while Benayoun’s screamer was stopped by Kadosh to keep the score as is to lead Maccabi to another season opening win.

The team will now prepare to fly to Croatia for the second leg of the Europa League Playoff Round against Hajduk Split as Maccabi hold a 2:1 advantage.