An Eliran Atar hat-trick and Avi Rikan brace helped the Yellow & Blue to a 5:2 win over Hapoel Acre as Gabi Kanikovsky and Fejsal Mulic scored for the visitors. Or Dasa made an impressive Israel Premier League debut for Maccabi as they will now begin to prepare for Thursday night’s Europa League Matchday 4 against Astana from Kazakhstan.

Jordi Cruyff’s Starting XI included newcomer Or Dasa who made his Premier League debut along with Sheran Yeini and Cristian Battocchio in the midfield with Omer Atzily, Eliran Atar and Vidar Kjartansson on attack.

Available on the bench were keeper Daniel Tenenbaum, Nick Blackman, Eitan Tibi, Egor Filipenka, Barak Itzhaki, Dor Micha and Dor Peretz.

First Half
Maccabi looked to score early on and almost did so when Atzily’s free kick found Vidar’s head in the box, but his effort was saved by Acre keeper Ram Strauss in the 3’ while Atzily and Davidzada’s give and go left the former with a chance but he was caught up by the visiting defense.

Atzily again was busy on the attack when his 10’ opportunity was taken care of by Strauss and then a minute later sent a ball in the box which Vidar and Dasa had chances on but couldn’t convert. Rikan then streaked into the box but his point blank range effort was stopped by Strauss and sent out for a corner kick in the 14’. Atar’s free kick four minutes later was smartly saved by Strauss as the shot stopper punched the dipping ball over the bar as Maccabi continued to press for a goal. In the 21’ Dasa took a wonderful pass by Battocchio in the box but just put the ball wide right of the post.

However, the pressure would finally pay off as Atar took a marvelous pass by Vidar in the box and put the ball by a helpless Strauss in the 28’ while 2 minutes later Rikan took care of a loose ball in the area after an Atzily attempt and put it behind the Acre keeper for a 2:0 advantage. Rikan almost scored again seconds later but his scorcher glanced off the bar and went out. Atzily also looked to add to the Maccabi lead in the 36’ but his low shot from the right side was sent out by the keeper for a corner as the Yellow & Blue continued their relentless attack and went into the break with a two goal lead.

Second Half
The second half began just like the first half ended with Maccabi applying pressure as Atzily sent Vidar a ball in the box that #9 tried to put by Strauss, but the keeper made a heroic save. As Acre went downfield and into Maccabi’s zone, the referee ruled that Ben Haim pulled Peter Onyekachi down in the box good for a yellow card and penalty. Siraj Nasar stepped up to take the 55’ spot kick but Rajikovic was up to the task as he dove to his right to make the timely save.

Atzily’s 65’ corner found Vidar’s head in the box but Strauss again made the save. But four minutes later, Strauss wouldn’t be able to stop Rikan’s second goal of the night as he slotted the ball home just inside the right post for a 3:0 Maccabi lead. #22 was then substituted off to a standing ovation by the Yellow & Blue faithful as Dor Micha made his return from injury and entered the game in the 70’.

If you thought that Maccabi was done, then you were wrong as Or Dasa put a scorcher on goal in the 76’ that Strauss stopped but Atar out home the rebound for his second of the contest and a 4:0 advantage. However, Gabi Kanikovsky cut the lead to 4:1 as he sent the ball by Rajikovic in the 80’. Vidar and Atar each had chances in the 81’ and 83’ but came up empty while two minutes later Acre scored via Fejsal Mulic who took the ball and put it into the goal off of a Yeini back pass to Rajikovic to cut the Maccabi lead to 4:2. But Atar would have the final word as he completed a hattrick with a beauty of a free kick for a 5:2 Maccabi win.