The Yellow & Blue visited Maccabi Netanya on Matchday 4 and needed three goals from Omer Atlizy, Vidar Kjartansson and Nick Blackman to defeat Maccabi Netanya who had taken the lead twice thanks to goals by Alhassane Keita and Dia Sabia. Maccabi Tel Aviv will welcome Maccabi Haifa to the Netanya Stadium on Sunday following the Rosh Hashana Jewish New Year.

Head Coach Jordi Cruyff’s Starting XI included Serbian keeper Predrag Rajikovic, with a defensive quartet of Captain Sheran Yeini, Jean-Sylvain Babin, Eitan Tibi and Ofir Davidzada. Jose Rodriguez, Cristian Battocchio and Barak Itzhaki were in the midfield while Nick Blackman, Omer Atzily and Vidar Kjartansson were up front.

Available on the bench were keeper Daniel Tenenbaum, Yuval Shpungin, Dor Peretz, Eliran Atar, Avi Rikan, Tal Ben Haim and Tino Susic.

First Half
Maccabi took control of the contest early and had the first chance of the match when Vidar crossed the ball from the right side to an oncoming Blackman in the box but just missed his intended target in the ‘6. A minute later Battocchio tried his luck from long distance but the Netanya keeper Dani Amos made the save.

The hosts then had back to back chances as Dia Sabia sent a ball into the Maccabi box which Eden Shrem just headed past the left post in the ‘11 while Shrem’s chance a minute later was just tipped over the bar by Rajikovic. The Yellow & Blue then went back the other way as Battocchio left the ball for Blackman but his 20 meter effort went wide right and out for a goal kick. Rodriguez was then issued a yellow card in the ‘18.

With play heating it up it would Netanya who would find the back of the goal first as Koby Mor sent a ball into the box from the left side that Alhassane Keita headed home for a 1:0 lead in the ‘22. However, one minute later Maccabi stormed back as Atzily unleashed a screamer from 25 meters out that found the back of the goal to draw the Yellow & Blue even. But Netanya retook the lead in the ‘29 as Dia Sabia came streaking down the left side and beat Rajikovic for a 2:1 lead.

In the ‘38 Davidzada was shown a yellow card for a tackle to the right of the Maccabi area and Sabia’s ensuing free kick just went wide of the right post. Four minutes later Itzhaki was also handed a yellow card for a reckless tackle near the midfield as the hosts took a 2:1 advantage into the break.

Second Half
Netanya looked to add to their lead early on as Keita sent a ball into the box that Rajikovic was able to get to in the ‘47. Maccabi would draw even at 2:2 three minutes later when Vidar sent the ball into the back of the goal from the left side. In the ‘52 Atzily was issued a yellow card as the match continued at a frantic pace while Maccabi looked to take the lead.

And the lead they would take as they found the go ahead goal thanks to a wonderful individual effort by Blackman from outside of the box in the ‘59 to give the Yellow & Blue a 3:2 advantage. What a turnaround as the Englishman curls the ball into the top left hand corner of the goal for his first marker in Israel.

Cruyff would make his first substitution of the match in the ‘63 when Avi Rikan was introduced in favor of Itzhaki. Netanya turned up their attack a notch as they were the ones now chasing a goal but Rajikovic made the necessary stops to quell the danger. Maccabi made their second substitution of the evening in the ‘77 as Eliran Atar entered the contest in favor of Kjartansson and their final one on the ‘83 when Tal Ben Haim came on for Atzily.

Barak Badash headed the ball over the Maccabi goal in the ‘83 while Rikan’s one on one attempt a few minutes later was stopped by Amos three minutes later as the Yellow & Blue wrapped up a dramatic win in style!