Maccabi Tel Aviv held a friendly today at Kiryat Shalom against Maccabi Netanya as they prepare to get back into action next week after a 3 week break. Both squads made many substitutions during the contest to make sure they are ready to go against Slavia Prague on November 23rd in Europa League Matchday 5 play.
First Half
Both sides looked to control the ball during the opening minutes as Maccabi had two chances with the first coming in the 7’, when Micha sent a ball to Schoenfeld who went into the box, but his effort went off of one of the defending players. 3 minutes later Itzhaki took an attempt from long distance but Dani Amos made the stop. But it would be Netanya who would take a 1:0 lead in the 22’ as Diaa Sabia was able to feed Didier Kougbenya from the right, who then found the back of the goal.
Maccabi had two quick chances to draw even right after the Netanya strike, but Amos was able to block Schoenfeld’s header and save Battocchio’s opportunity as the Yellow & Blue couldn’t beat the diamond city keeper. Just a minute later however, Netanya doubled their advantage when Alhassane Keita’s low shot from the top of the box beat Lifshitz, good for a 2:0 lead. Maccabi was able to pull back a goal in the 31’ when Itzhaki sent Shpungin the ball on the right who in turn crossed it into the box to Micha who beautifully headed it into the goal, 2:1 Netanya.
But the visitors came right back one minute later as Sabia sent a through ball to Keita who again found the back of the goal for his second of the match, 3:1 for Netanya. Just before the break, Itzhaki made his way into the box and took a tough angled shot that missed the target and went out.
Second Half
Maccabi had a number of good chances to open up the half, but Netanya keeper Golan Elkaslasi was able to stop both Davidzada and Itzhaki. In the 58’ Sabia scored Netanya’s fourth goal off a fast break that ended in a low shot into the corner of the goal for a 4:1 lead. Both squads made a number of substitutions as the pace of match slowed down considerably. Battocchio’s 90’ attempt threatened the Netanya goal but Elkaslasi again made the stop as the match ended in a 4:1 win to the visitors.
Starting XI: Daniel Lifshitz, Yuval Shpungin, Tal Ben Haim, Egor Filipenka, Matan Baltaxa, Dor Peretz, Tino Susic, Cristian Battocchio, Dor Micha, Barak Itzhaki, Aaron Schoenfeld. Second Half Substitutes: Daniel Tenenbaum, Ofir Davidzada, Avi Rikan. Also played: Or Dasa, Sheran Yeini, Jean-Sylvain Babin, Eitan Tibi, Eden Kartzev, Eliran Atar, Nick Blackman
Maccabi Netanya: Dani Amos, Viki Kahlon, Tim Heubach, Brando Vrgoc, Ben Tzahiry, Didier Kougbenya, Aviv Avraham, Diaa Sabia, Eran Levi, Alhassane Keita, Niko Olsek
Head Coach Jordi Cruyff: “The purpose of this match was to give players who have returned from injury some playing time
“I made the decision that the purpose of this match was to give players who have returned from injury and players who haven’t played enough minutes recently some playing time. Netanya played well and punished us for our mistakes. This match was never to be based on the result.”
