The Yellow & Blue blasted Hapoel 5:0 on a pair of braces by Tal Ben Chaim and Vidar Kjartansson while Nosa Igiebor opened the scoring in the 5th minute as Maccabi will now focus on Thursday night’s Europa League clash in Ireland against Dundalk.
Prematch
Head Coach Shota Arveladze had Serbian Predrag Rajikovic in goal with a defense corps of Eli Dasa, Tal Ben Haim, Eitan Tibi and Omri Ben Harush in front of him. Captain Gal Alberman was in his defensive midfield position with Haris Medunjanin and Nosa Igiebor by his side as a strike force of Oscar Scarione, Tal Ben Chaim and Vidar Kjartansson provided the offense.
First Half
Maccabi came out of the box flying as it didn’t take long for the Yellow & Blue to score their first goal of the evening. Ben Chaim’s 5th minute cross in the box was poorly cleared by Gal Shaish as he put the ball right onto the feet of Igiebor who made no mistake from in close to give the hosts a 1:0 lead.
In the 14th minute Ben Chaim looked dangerous again on the left wing as his terrific pass to Medunjanin at the top of the box was errantly put over the bar to keep the score as is. Three minutes later Hapoel had their first chance of the night as Hen Ezra tested Rajikovic but the shot stopper was up to the task as he made the sharp angle save.
Ben Harush and Ben Chaim each had chances in the 25th and 33rd minutes respectively but couldn’t find a way to get the ball past the Hapoel defense while Schoenfeld’s low shot in the 40th minute just went to the left of the goal. Scarione then tripped up Marko Simic, but his screamer went over the bar while the 45th minute saw an unbelievable cross by Medunajanin find Kjartansson’s head but the ball just went out as the sides headed into the break with Maccabi maintaining a 1:0 advantage.
Second Half
The Yellow & Blue began the second half just as they finished off the first with oodles of chances. Scarione’s scorcher was brilliantly saved by Ariel Harush while Ben Chaim’s follow up just missed the mark. Orel Dgani then found an open Dolly Manga in the box for Hapoel but his header went out to safety. Medunajnin had an opportunity at the other end of the pitch but his effort was blocked by the Reds defense.
However, if you thought that Maccabi wouldn’t find the back of the goal after ten minutes of scintillating football then you’d be wrong. In the 55th minute, Medunjanin led winger Ben Chaim who turned on the jets, pulled Harush out of position and easily slotted home the ball for a 2:0 lead.
And if you thought that Ben Chaim was done for the evening, you’d be wrong again! Medunjanin’s corner was cleared by the Reds defense right to Ben Chaim who used every last lace on his boot to fill the Hapoel goal with his scorcher from long distance to give Maccabi a 3:0 advantage in the 64th minute.
Eyal Golasa was introduced in the 70th minute in favor of the match’s first goal scorer Nosa Igiebor while just one minute later Kjartansson’s header almost found home but just went wide of the right post as the Icelander looked to join the goal scoring party and that’s what he did four minutes later with a Golazo of his own!
Birthday Boy Barak Itzhaki came in for Ben Chaim in the 80th minute and three minutes later Kjartansson would match number 11’s effort as number 24 headed home his second goal of the night off a superb Scarione pass to give the Yellow & Blue the 5:0 Derby win.
Thursday night the Yellow & Blue will play Dundalk in Dublin on Matchday Two of the Europa League Group Stages.
