Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Hapoel Ashkelon on Matchday 19 of the Israel Premier League Ligat Ha’Al thanks to goals by Ofir Davidzada, Barak Itzhaki and a penalty by Eliran Atar. Dovev Gabbay gave the visitors an early 5’ lead, but the Yellow & Blue came back with three unanswered goals to collect the 3-points to move into first place.
Jordi Cruyff Starting XI included keeper Predrag Rajikovic along with Captain Sheran Yeini, Tal Ben Haim, Eitan Tibi, Ofir Davidzada, Dor Micha, Dor Peretz, Eyal Golasa, Barak Itzhaki, Eliran Atar and Vidar Kjartansson.
Available on the bench were keeper Daniel Tenenbaum, Eli Dasa, Yuval Shpungin, Jose Rodriguez, Avi Rikan, Aaron Schoenfeld and Cristian Battocchio.
First Half
Golasa had the match’s first chance when he unleashed a shot from 20 meters but Aiyenugba was in place. However, Ashkelon struck first as Dovev Gabbay knocked in a Milan Smiljanic attempt on target following a corner for a 1:0 lead in the 7’.
But it didn’t take Maccabi long to draw even as Atar chipped a beauty of a ball to Ofir Davidzada who sent it into the far corner in the 14’, 1:1. Ten minutes later Gabbay tried his luck from long distance but Rajikovic made the leaping save to keep the score as is. In the 28’ Micha attempted to get Vidar the ball but his pass didn’t arrive at the intended target while 6 minutes later Atar’s bicycle kick chance was taken care of by Aiyenugba.
Peretz took a shot from 16 meters out in the 36’ but the Ashkelon keeper was again in place and 4 minutes later Ashkelon was forced to make a substitution due to an injury to Shay Haddad as Rudy Haddad came on in his place. The half came to an end with the score deadlocked at 1:1.
Second Half
Micha had Maccabi’s first chance of the second half in the 50’ when he took a Yeini pass on the right, but his short angled shot was saved by Aiyenugba as was Itzhaki’s chance from the right side of the box while Atar’s 52’ header just missed the left post. Ashkelon had two quality chances in the 64’ when an alert Rajikovic made a kick save off a Benbenishi shot which he then followed up with a leaping grab.
But Maccabi went the other way as Golasa sent Itzhaki a gorgeous ball that the veteran striker headed into the goal for a Yellow & Blue 2:1 lead in the 64’. Avi Rikan and Eli Dasa came on for Dor Peretz and Ofir Davidzada following the strike. Itzhaki then picked up a yellow card in the 66’. Golasa tried his luck from way downtown in the 68’ but his off balance attempt went way over the bar as Maccabi began pressuring Ashkelon in search of a third goal.
Cristian Battocchio came on for Itzhaki in the 80’ as Cruyff freshened up the attack. Rikan and Battocchio led a charge downfield as the former was yanked down in the box by Rudy Haddad in the 86’ good for a penalty that Atar converted for a 3:1 Maccabi advantage as the Yellow & Blue took the 3-points to move into first place.
