Vidar Kjartansson found the back of the goal three times to give Maccabi Tel Aviv a big 3:0 win over Kiryat Shemona on Matchday 23 of the Ligat Ha’Al. The Icelander’s first strike came during first half injury time while the other two came in the second half to cut Hapoel Beer Sheva’s lead to just two points.

Prematch
New Head Coach Lito Vidigal named his first Starting XI and it included Serbian keeper Predrag Rajikovic along with a defensive quartet of Eli Dasa, Eitan Tibi, Tal Ben Haim and Captain Sheran Yeini. Gal Alberman was in the defensive midfielder position along with Ruben Micael and Dor Micha by his side as Barak Itzhaki, Tal Ben Chaim and Vidar Kjartansson provided the attack.

Available on the bench were keeper Daniel Lifshitz, Ramon Roma, Marcelo dos Santos, Oscar Scarione, Eliel Peretz, Omri Ben Harush and Yossi Benayoun.

First Half
Maccabi came out strong in Vidigal’s debut and in the 4th minute Micha and Itzhaki exchanged passes but the latter’s attempt went across the goal mouth and out. Tibi’s header off a Ben Chaim corner kick hit the bar in the 13th minute while 6 minutes later Dasa’s amazing effort was caught by the Kiryat Shemona keeper Itamar Nitzan as the match remained goalless.

As the contest hit the 25th minute, Micha sent Itzhaki a ball from the left side that number ten almost put behind the keeper with a half bicycle kick but Nitzan again came up big with the save. Immediately afterwards, Ben Haim was then issued the match’s first yellow card for a dangerous play.

As play began to slow down, Maccabi had a brilliant chance in the 40th minute as Itzhaki sent Kjartansson a beauty of a ball but he missed it as the play ended with the Yellow & Blue coming up empty. However, as the match headed into first half injury time, Kjartansson took the ball, got by his defender and chipped it by a helpless Nitzan to give Maccabi a 1:0 lead as the contest hit the break.

Second Half
Following some midfield play by both sides, Kiryat Shemona made the first substitute of the evening in the 62nd minute as Shoval Gozlan entered the contest in favor of Ofir Kriaf. Three minute later, Maccabi had control of the ball in the box but couldn’t find a decent shot as it went off of Kjartansson and out.

But what would you know, the next time the Icelander would touch the ball it would be to tap it into the goal after a masterful assist by Eli Dasa who took a brilliant ball from Micha seconds earlier to give the Yellow & Blue a 2:0 advantage in the 66th minute. A brace by Kjaratansson as Maccabi looked to add yet another goal.

Kiryat Shemona made their second substitute as Eden Shamir came in for Abed and Azulay then had a chance to help his side get back into the match but Rajikovic was in the right place to make the save. Coach Vidigal then made his first substitute of the evening taking off Itzhaki for Eliel Peretz in the 74th minute while the visitors made their third and final move of the night bringing on Amor Nasar for Brosso. Yeini then picked up a yellow card for a reckless tackle in the 80th minute.

If you thought that Maccabi’s Icelandic striker’s evening was done, you’d be wrong as Vidar Kjartansson found the goal for a hat-trick thanks again to a Dasa helper giving the Yellow & Blue a 3:0 lead in the 82nd minute. Yossi Benayoun then replaced Micael in the 86th minute while Oscar Scarione came in for Vidar Kjartansson to a standing ovation in the 89th minute as Maccabi wrapped up a tidy 3:0 win.