Vidar Kjartansson scored a pair of goals, the second coming dramatically in the 93rd minute as Maccabi left Kiryat Shemona with three points as they now turn their sights on Europa League Matchday Five action against Zenit St. Petersburg in Russia this coming Thursday night.
Prematch
Head Coach Shota Arveladze came back from the International break with a Starting XI that included Serbian keeper Predrag Rajikovic, Eli Dasa, Eitan Tibi, Tal Ben Haim and Avi Rikan. Captain Gal Alberman was in his usual defensive midfielder role along with Haris Medunjanin, Oscar Scarione, Dor Micha, Tal Ben Chaim and Vidar Kjartansson. Available on the bench were Barak Levi, Yossi Benayoun, Nosa Igiebor, Eliel Peretz, Eden Ben Basat, Egor Filipenka and Eyal Golasa.
First Half
Maccabi didn’t get off to the start that they wanted after coming back from the International break as Kiryat Shemona struck first in the 5th minute of play to take a 1:0 lead. Eden Shamir found Izekiel Nadusal as the Chadian striker put the ball into the back of the goal stunning Rajikovic to give the hosts an early advantage.
Dasa tried to get his side even in the 12th minute, but his cross to Medunjanin was cleared by Shamir while four minutes later Nadusal almost doubled the lead as his header was just tipped away by Rajikovic. In the 22nd minute, Kassio Fernandes picked up a yellow card for tripping up Ben Chaim as he made his way towards the goal while Scarione’s ensuing free kick almost beat the Kiryat Shemona keeper but Nitzan made the save to keep the score as is.
With Maccabi beginning to threaten the Kiryat Shemona goal, Ben Chaim came down the left wing in the 34th minute and almost found Kjartansson with a magnificent cross. Two minutes later a give and go between Medunjanin and Ben Chaim missed the goal by centimeters until finally in the 38th minute the Yellow & Blue’s hard work paid off and the goalless drought finally ended.
Ben Chaim passed the ball to Scarione who handed it off to Kjartansson as the Icelandic striker headed it past Nitzan to draw the Yellow & Blue even as the sides went into the break at 1:1.
Second Half
After ten minutes of second half play Didier Brossou and Eden Shamir each picked up a yellow card as Maccabi looked to find the go ahead goal. In the 66th minute, Coach Arveladze made his first substitution of the contest introducing Nosa Igiebor for Captain Gal Alberman while two minutes later Eden Ben Basat came on in place of winger Tal Ben Chaim.
Just after the substitutions, Dasa came racing down the right wing and crossed the ball to Kjartansson, however his attempt was stopped by Nitzan while Micha’s chance went over the bar. Just prior to Coach Arveladze making his 3rd and final substitution bringing on Yossi Benayoun for Rikan in the 79th minute, Kjartansson’s sharp angle opportunity went over the goal as the score remained 1:1.
As the match hit the 89th minute, Rajikovic was called upon to make a huge save in the box as the Serbian robbed Ahmed Abed from close range. With the match deep into injury time, it looked as if Maccabi would need a miracle to escape Kiryat Shemona with maximum points. And then it happened.
Vidar Kjartansson took a brilliantly unbelievable Micha pass and headed past Nitzan for the 93rd minute match winner sending the Yellow & Blue faithful into ecstasy! 2:1 Maccabi Tel Aviv as they now prepare to head to St. Petersburg, Russia for a Europa League date this coming Thursday night.
