The Yellow & Blue came up short against Slavia Prague by a score of 2:0 on Matchday 5 of the Europa League. Josef Husbauer picked up a brace scoring a goal in each half to give the visitors the victory. Maccabi Tel Aviv will now turn their sights on Israel Premier League, Ligat Ha’Al action when they travel to Hapoel Haifa on Sunday night.
Head Coach Jordi Cruyff’s Starting XI included keeper Predrag Rajikovic in goal with Ofir Davidzada, Eitan Tibi, Tal Ben Haim and Captain Sheran Yeini in front of him. Dor Micha, Avi Rikan, Dor Peretz and Cristian Battocchio were in the midfield as Aaron Schoenfeld and Vidar Kjartansson played up front.
Available on the bench were keeper Daniel Tenenbaum, Barak Itzhaki, Eliran Atar, Egor Filipenka, Eyal Golasa, Tino Susic and Or Dasa.
First Half
As both sides began by playing tentative football, Rikan picked up a yellow card in the 8’, while it would be the visitors who would have the first chance in the 13’ of the match when Jaromir Zmrhal’s attempt missed the target. Maccabi had their opening opportunity in the ‘16 as Rikan sent Schoenfeld a ball in the box but #25’s header went over the goal. At the other end of the pitch just one minute later, Zmrhal’s chance from 13 meters went wide of the goal.
In the 26’ Schoenfeld passed the ball to Rikan but his attempt was saved by Jan Lastuvka and three minutes later Peretz’s header from a Davidzada cross was also taken care of by Prague’s keeper. In the 30’ Zmrhal unleashed a scorcher from 20 meters that went off the bar and Tomas Necid’s attempt off the rebound went out.
Slavia almost scored in the 38’ when Necid put the ball over Rajikovic, but Yeini cleared it off the line. Davidzada, Vidar and Tomas Soucek all picked up yellow cards between the 38-42’ minutes. Just as the teams were about to head to the break, Josef Husbauer sent a rocket into the Maccabi goal from 22 meters for a 1:0 lead after 45 minutes.
Second Half
Rikan’s 48’ chance from 20 meters was saved by the keeper while Kjartansson’s opportunity 2 minutes later went out as Maccabi looked for an equalizer. However, Prague would be the ones to find the goal as Husbauer once again unleashed a scorcher that made its way into the Yellow & Blue goal for a 2:0 lead in the 54’.
Eliran Atar and Eyal Golasa entered the match in the 60’ for Rikan and Schoenfeld as Cruyff tried to change up the personnel on the pitch. Atar’s 68’ bicycle kick hit the bar while his follow up was taken care of by the Slavia keeper as Maccabi pressed to cut the lead. Peretz picked up a yellow card in the 72’ and Cruyff made his third substitute three minutes later as Tino Susic came on for Battocchio.
The Yellow & Blue continued to look for an elusive goal but couldn’t find one as the match ended in a 2:0 win for Slavia Prague.
