The Yellow & Blue scored the win and picked up 3 points at Doha Stadium thanks to second half goals by Eyal Golasa and a brace by Vidar Kjartansson. Ali Osman helped Sakhnin cut the Maccabi lead in the 78th minute to 2:1 via a free kick, but the Icelander scored his second of the match in the 89th minute to seal the deal on Matchday 32 of the Ligat Ha’Al Championship Playoffs. Maccabi will now prepare for Hapoel Beer Sheva who will visit the Netanya Stadium on Saturday night at 21:00.
Prematch
Head Coach Lito Vidigal’s Starting XI included a number of changes for the midweek contest as Avi Rikan, Gal Alberman, Eliel Peretz and Sagiv Yehezkel were all in the lineup along with Captain Sheran Yeini, central defenders Tal Ben Haim and Egor Filipenka, Eyal Golasa, Dor Micha, Icelandic striker Vidar Kjaratansson and Serbian keeper Predrag Rajikovic.
Available on the bench were keeper Daniel Lishitz, Yuval Shpungin, Ramon Roma, Oscar Scarione, Ruben Micael, Marcelo dos Santos and Aaron Schoenfeld.
First Half
Kjratansson looked to get Maccabi on the board early but his 4th minute chance in the box went off of the left post while 6 minutes later Rikan’s chance was stopped by the Sakhnin keeper Kandil. In the 14th minute, Peretz made a magnificent pass to Golasa but the latter skied it over the Sakhnin goal as Maccabi continued to threaten.
In the 28th minute, Peretz again sent a pass into the box with Kjaratansson as his intended target, but the Icelander’s attempt was saved again by Kandil. Alberman was issued the match’s first yellow card in the 34th minute as Sakhnin tried to get some offense going but was unable to yet again as Maccabi continued to control the pace of the game. However, neither side could find the back of the goal after 45 minutes as the match went into the break scoreless.
Second Half
Maccabi came out of halftime blazing and found the elusive first goal of the match. Micha gave Golasa a ball in the box as number 23 made a acrobatic maneuver to put the ball behind Kandil and give the Yellow & Blue a 1:0 lead in the 48th minute. Maccabi looked to add another goal as Kjartnasson took a quality attempt but Kandel made the save, but one minute later, the Icelandic striker’s next chance made it past the Sakhnin keeper to give the visitors a 2:0 advantage in the 57th minute.
Yuval Avidor tried to cut the lead but his close range effort went flying over Rajikovic’s goal in the 68th minute. Lito Vidgal made his first substitution in the 72nd minute as Ruben Micael entered the match for Gal Alberman while 3 minutes later Yuval Shpungin came on for Dor Micha.
But the changes in personnel didn’t help keep Ali Osman’s free kick out of the Maccabi goal as Sakhnin cut the lead to 2:1 in the 78th minute. Kjartansson tried to give the Yellow & Blue their 2 goal lead back, but his effort just skipped by the Sakhnin goal as things began to heat up at Doha Stadium. However, the Icelander would find the goal yet again and out out the fire as he took a Peretz pass in the 89th minute and popped the ball home for a 3:1 victory.
