The Yellow & Blue opened the second round of Ligat Ha’Al matches with a 1:1 draw as Barak Itzhaki scored for Maccabi and Eli Elbaz drew Kfar Saba even later on in the first half as the sides split the points at Levita Stadium.

Prematch
Head Coach Shota Arveladze started Serbian keeper Predrag Rajikovic in goal with a defense of Eli Dasa, Eitan Tibi, Tal Ben Haim and Omri Ben Harush in front of him. Eyal Golasa, Haris Medunjanin and Dor Micha patrolled the midfield while Tal Ben Chaim, acting captain Barak Itzhaki and Vidar Kjartansson provided the attack.

Available on the bench for the Georgian boss were keeper Daniel Tenenbaum, Oscar Scarione, Gal Alberman, Avi Rikan, Eden Ben Basat, Egor Filipenka and Yossi Benayoun.

First Half
Kfar Saba put Maccabi Tel Aviv under pressure from the get go as Mavis Tchibota, loaned from the Yellow & Blue almost found the back of Rajikovic’s goal twice early on but the visitors were able to stave off the threat both times.

In the 15th minute, Arveladze’s hunch to put Itzhaki in the Starting XI paid off. Number 10 handed the ball off to Ben Chaim who took a fantastic shot on goal that Kadosh poorly cleared giving Itzhaki the opportunity to score from in close which he promptly did to give the Yellow & Blue a 1:0 lead.

However, Maccabi wasn’t able to translate the goal into more chances as they barely threatened the Kfar Saba goal. In the 35th minute Eli Elbaz tried his luck from 17 meters out and hit the jackpot as the ball went off of Ben Harush and behind Rajikovic to even up the contest at 1:1.

Second Half
A slow start to half number two saw both winger Ben Chaim and central defender Ben Haim pick up yellow cards while coach Arveladze made his first substitution in the 61st minute inserting Ben Basat for Kjartansson. Two minutes later Medunjanin found Tibi in the box but the defender’s header missed the mark to keep the score even at 1:1.

Oscar Scarione became Maccabi’s second substitution in the 70th minute replacing Itzhaki as the Yellow & Blue searched in earnest for a go ahead goal. In the 77th minute Ben Basat had a prime opportunity to do just thatbut his chance from 5 meters was blocked by Kadosh and went out for a corner. Two minutes later Yossi Benayoun was introduced as the final substitute for Medunjanin.

Ben Chaim was shown his second yellow card good for a red after a reckless tackle that left Maccabi with ten men in the 85th minute. But that didn’t stop Benayoun’s wonderful chance one minute later that was blocked and went out for a corner. Tibi had a marvelous opportunity as the clock hit the 90th minute but his right footed low show was just blocked by Kadosh as Maccabi continued to look for a winner.

But neither team would find one as the contest ended with the side’s splitting the points.