The Yellow & Blue moved on to the Toto Cup semifinals after defeating Beitar Jerusalem 1:0 in the “European Club” Match at the Netanya Stadium on Sunday July 29, 2018. Aaron Schoenfeld scored in the second half thanks to a Dan Glazer assist to give Maccabi Tel Aviv the win as they will now prepare in earnest for Thursday night’s second leg second round Europa League qualifying match at Radnicki in Nis, Serbia.
Head Coach Vladimir Ivic’s Starting XI included keeper Predrag Rajikovic, Ruslan Barsky, Sheran Yeini (C), Shahar Piven, Sean Goldberg, Dan Glazer, Eliel Peretz, Eyal Golasa, Matan Hozez, Aaron Schoenfeld, Itay Shechter.
Available on the bench were keeper Haviv Ohayon, Eli Dasa, Vidar Kjartansson, Dor Peretz, Jair Amador, Omer Atzily, Eliran Atar.
First Half
Maccabi looked to get on the board early as Hozez‘s left footed free kick just went over the bar in the 5’ as the Yellow & Blue controlled the pace of play for the following 25 minutes. In the 33’ Barsky sent a beauty of a ball to Shechter in the box, but his header just cleared the goal and went out while Goldberg tried his luck from 18 meters but his shot went out as the half ended goalless.
Second Half
Ivic made a pair of substitutions to freshen up the attack to begin the second half as Omer Atzily and Eli Dasa came on for Hozez and Golasa. The Yellow & Blue looked to find the elusive first goal of the contest and they did so in the 56’. Glazer sent Schoenfeld the ball in the box who turned and fired it behind the Beitar keeper for a 1:0 lead.
In the 59’ Dasa left Eliel Peretz the ball who’s chance just missed the target, while two minutes later Shechter made his way by one defender and chipped the ball over the keeper but it just went over the goal as Maccabi continued to pour on the offense. Eliran Atar was then introduced for goal scorer Schoenfeld in the 65’. In the 70’ Atzily had a nice chance from the top right hand corner of the box but the capital city side keeper Tamir Lalo made the timely save and two minutes later Atar took a nice pass from Goldberg but his low liner was taken care of by the keeper as Maccabi looked to double their advantage.
Vidar Kjartansson entered the contest in the 84’ for Shechter as Maccabi Tel Aviv wrapped up a 1:0 victory and advanced to the Toto Cup semifinals and will now prepare for Thursday’s Europa League Second Round Second Leg Qualifying Match at Radnicki in Nis, Serbia.
