The Yellow & Blue stood toe to toe against La Liga side Villarreal on Matchday 2 of the Europa League as they were able to pick up their first point of the competition in a goalless draw. Maccabi will now prepare to face Hapoel Ashkelon on Matchday 6 of the Israel Premier League Ligat Ha’Al on Sunday Away at 20:45
Head Coach Jordi Cruyff’s Starting Lineup included Serbian keeper Predrag Rajikovic along with a defensive quartet of Yuval Shpungin, Jean-Sylvain Babin, Tal Ben Haim and Ofir Davidzada. Captain Sheran Yeini manned the midfield along with Tino-Sven Susic and Cristian Battocchio while Nick Blackman, Eliran Atar and Vidar Kjartansson provided the attack.
Available on the bench were keeper Daniel Tenenbaum, Avi Rikan, Eitan Tibi, Omer Atzily, Barak Itzhaki, Egor Filipenka and Dor Peretz.
First Half
Maccabi took control of the first ten minutes as Battocchio lifted a ball into the box that Vidar couldn’t get a good shot off as the keeper made the save in the 3’. Ten minutes later Villarreal began to press Maccabi and created a pair of dangerous chances for Cédric Bakambu which he couldn’t convert.
Carlos Bacca took a strong shot from the left side of the box that Babin got a foot on to send out in the 21’ while the same Bacca tried his luck from the top of the box five minutes later but his weak shot was collected by Rajikovic. Yeini had a chance in the box but his shot just went wide right of the goal in the 39’ while Atar took a give and go from Susic and put his ball just by the right post one minute later. The half ended goalless as the sides went into the break.
Second Half
In the 48’ Babin’s shot in the box was blocked by a Villarreal defender, while two minutes later the visitors had a good chance by Roberto Soriano but his attempt just missed the target. Atar tried his luck from outside of the box in the 56’ minute but his effort went over the goal and a minute later Jaume Costa was booked and handed a yellow card.
Bakambu sent a deep ball to Bacca in the 60’ but his shot went wide while a minute later his chance from the top of the box was collected by Rajikovic. Maccabi then made a pair of substitutions bringing on Dor Peretz for Susic and Omer Atzily in favor of Atar while Villarreal countered by introducing Samuel Castillejo for Soriano.
Cruyff made his his third and final substitute of the contest in the 86’ as he brought on Barak Itzhaki for Kjartansson, however, neither side could find the back of the goal on this night as the match ended in a goalless draw, 0:0.
