The Yellow & Blue fell to Hapoel Beer Sheva 1:0 on a Hanan Maman first half goal on Matchday 3 of the Israel Premier League Ligat Ha’Al Championship Playoffs. Visiting defender Ben Bitton was issued a red card as Beer Sheva played with ten men for the majority of the second half but the host’s couldn’t crack the Reds defense. Next Monday, Maccabi Tel Aviv will visit Beitar Jerusalem at Teddy Stadium.
Head Coach Jordi Cruyff’s Starting XI featured Predrag Rajikovic, Eli Dasa, Tal Ben Haim, Jean-Sylvain Babin, Ofir Davidzada, Dor Peretz, Eyal Golasa, Jose Rodriguez, Dor Micha (C), Eliran Atar and Nick Blackman.
Available on the bench were keeper Daniel Tenenbaum, Barak Itzhaki, Avi Rikan, Vidar Kjartansson, Aaron Schoenfeld, Eitan Tibi, Omer Atzily.
First Half
Maccabi opened up with a pair of quality chances by Atar in the 5’ and Blackman in the 8’ but the Beer Sheva keeper Guy Haimov made the alert saves on both attempts early on. Dasa was next with a 14’ opportunity off a rebound but the defender put the ball over the goal while Atar’s 20 meter strike also cleared the bar and went out a minute later.
Golasa took a long range chance in the 30’ to no avail while four minutes later Beer Sheva had an opportunity in the box via Michael Ohana but his attempt just went wide left of the goal. However, a minute later Hanan Maman took advantage of an Ohana steal in the Maccabi half of the pitch as the former slotted it behind Rajikovic for a 1:0 Beer Sheva lead. Ben Bitton was handed a yellow card a minute later while Rodriguez looked to get Maccabi level in the 39’ but his score he skied over the goal as the half ended with the visitor’s sporting the 1:0 advantage.
Second Half
Babin was issued a yellow card for a reckless tackle in the 50’ while five minutes later Bitton was given his second yellow, good for a red card as Beer Sheva went down to ten men for the balance of the match. Cruyff then made his first substitution of the contest as he inserted Avi Rikan in favor of Jose Rodriguez. Maccabi then had a trio of chances, Atar from 16 meters which was parried by Haimov, a Golasa header that the Beer Sheva keeper again stopped and a Peretz missile from the top of the box that went over the goal as the Yellow & Blue pushed for the equalizer.
Vidar Kjartansson came on for Blackman in the 64’ as Cruyff’s second sub to freshen up the offense as the Iceman fed Golasa a gorgeous ball but Haimov again was up to the task. Dasa fed Peretz a terrific ball in the box but the midfielder’s header just missed the mark in the 75’. Cruyff’s third substitution saw Barak Itzhaki enter the match for Babin as Maccabi looked for some magic from the veteran.
Ben Haim was shown a yellow card in the 84’ for a reckless tackle on Nwakaeme while Golasa received one as well two minutes later. As the match went into injury time Dasa’s long range screamer went over the bar and Itzhaki was issued a red card as Hapoel Beer Sheva took the 1:0 win.
