Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Maccabi Haifa 3:1 away at Sammy Ofer Stadium on a Vidar Kjartansson brace and Cristian Battocchio’s first goal in Yellow & Blue to move into a first place tie on points with Hapoel Beer Sheva. Nikita Rukavytsya scored for Haifa as Maccabi will now get ready for a Matchday 19 home contest against Hapoel Ashkelon on Sunday January 21, 20:30 at the Netanya Stadium.

Head Coach Jordi Cruyff’s Starting XI included keeper Predrag Rajikovic, Yuval Shpungin, Jean-Sylvain Babin, Eitan Tibi, Ofir Davidzada, Eyal Golasa, Dor Peretz, Dor Micha (C), Avi Rikan, Nick Blackman and Vidar Kjartansson.

Available on the bench were keeper Daniel Tenenbaum, Tal Ben Haim, Cristian Battocchio, Jose Rodriguez, Barak Itzhaki, Eliran Atar and Aaron Schoenfeld.

First Half
What a dream start for Maccabi! Vidar took a pass in the box, jumped by the defender and kicked the ball into the goal behind Omri Glazer for a quick 1:0 lead in the 1’. In the 8’ Rikan sent a ball into the area that Peretz leaped for, but his header went right into the awaiting hands of the Haifa keeper while the Greens had their first chance a minute later when Caio’s screamer was smartly saved by a diving Rajikovic.

As the Yellow & Blue searched for a second goal, Golasa almost scored in the 19’ but his attempt from the top of the box was stopped by Glazer. Six minutes later, Micha danced into the middle of the area, handed the ball off to Golasa on his right but the Haifa shot stopper made the save once again.

In the 28’ Haifa worked a free kick play, but Klaus’s opportunity went wide to the right of the Maccabi goal and in the 40’ Raz Meir’s chance in the area went out. Two minutes later Rikan’s half volley went over the goal while Vidar’s attempt from the top of the box was saved by Glazer as the half ended with Maccabi maintaining a 1:0 lead.

Second Half
Caio looked to equalize for the host’s but his attempt was just off target in the 47’ while three minutes later Rikan’s chance just missed the goal. However, in the 54’ the aforementioned Rikan took a gorgeous through ball by Micha, laid off a perfect pass to Vidar in the box on a 2 on 1 situation that the Iceman put behind Glazer for a 2:0 Yellow & Blue advantage.

In the 63’ Rikan’s opportunity was saved by Glazer while Sallalich had a chance for Haifa at the other end of the pitch but his shot hit the outside of the goal. However, three minutes later Nikita Rukavytsya took advantage of a ball that got away from Rajikovic in the area to cut the Maccabi lead to 2:1. Cristian Battocchio came on for Rikan in the 68’ as the Yellow & Blue looked to freshen up the midfield.

Blackman gave an oncoming Micha a quality ball in the box, but number 15’s attempt flew over the bar in the 76’ while five minutes later Battocchio’s laser beam from the left side was caught by an alert Glazer. But the next attempt by Battocchio went right by a helpless Glazer for a 3:1 Maccabi lead as the Argentine scored his first goal in Yellow & Blue thanks to a Blackman pass in the area.

Eliran Atar and Jose Rodriguez came on for Vidar Kjartansson and Eyal Golasa as the contest ended in a big 3:1 win for Maccabi Tel Aviv as they draw even on points with Hapoel Beer Sheva in first place.