The Yellow & Blue received goals by Nick Blackman and Omer Atlizy (penalty) while Oz Raly and Milan Smiljanić grabbed a late draw for the hosts as each club took home one point ahead of the international break.
With Head Coach Jordi Cruyff suspended for the match, Dani Poyatos filled in on the sidelines and had a Starting XI that included keeper Predrag Rajikovic along with defenders Yuval Shpungin, Jean-Sylvain Babin, Eitan Tibi and Ofir Davidzada. Captain Sheran Yeini manned the midfield along with Jose Rodriguez and Cristian Battocchio while Nick Blackman, Omer Atzily and Vidar Kjartansson provided the attack.
Available on the bench were keeper Daniel Tenenbaum, Barak Itzhaki, Eliran Atar, Egor Filipenka, Avi Rikan, Tino Susic and Dor Peretz.
First Half
Atzily had the contest’s first chance in the 5’ when #7 sent a screamer of a free kick that Ashkelon keeper Dele Aiyenugba dove to his left to tip out for a Maccabi corner while three minutes later, Davidzada sent a cross into the box but Blackman’s header missed the target. In the 18’ Battocchio fed Blackman the ball on the left side but his stunning strike was saved by the keeper. At the other end of the pitch Ashkelon had their first chance of the contest when Mirko Ormush threatened the Maccabi goal inside the box but his effort went over the bar and out.
All of the Yellow & Blue’s hard work paid off in the 24’ when Atzily’s corner found Blackman in a busy Ashkelon box as #11 popped the ball into the goal for 1:0 Maccabi lead. The visitors came close to doubling their advantage in the 30’ when Davidzada fed Atzily a brilliant ball in the box but the latter’s effort just grazed the right post and went out.
Ormush again tried to make life difficult for Maccabi as his volley was smartly stopped by Rajikovic in the 32’ while 7 minutes later Yeini took a Davidzada pass and slammed it off of the right post. The sides went into the break with the Yellow & Blue holding a 1:0 lead.
Second Half
Maccabi looked to add to their advantage as the 2nd half began and they did just that in the 49’ when Battocchio sent Atzily a terrific pass in the box and was pulled down good for a penalty that he duly converted from 11 meters sending the ball into the far left corner of the Ashkelon goal, 2:0.
Oz Raly tried to pull his side to within one but his effort from the left side missed the target in the 55’ while two minutes later the hosts created more problems for Maccabi as Ormush’s 18 meter blast went over the goal. Tal Ayala tried his luck in the 69’ but Rajikovic was in place to make the save while Maccabi made their first substitution of the match introducing Barak Itzhaki for Kjartansson one minute later. Tino Susic came in for Battocchio in 77’ and 2 minutes later Avi Rikan entered the contest in favor of Nick Blackman.
However, Oz Raly and Milan Smiljanić drew the hosts even scoring in the 82’ and 84’ with the first coming from 15 meters and the second from just at the top of the box. With Maccabi on the attack, Ashkelon was called for a handball in the box good for a Maccabi penalty. But, Atzily’s 11 meter kick was saved by Aiyenugba in the 89’. With 4 minutes of added time and Maccabi pressuring for the winning goal, Ashkelon was able to withstand the heat and the sides split the points.
