Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Maccabi Haifa 2:1 to capture the Toto Cup at the Moshava Stadium in Petah Tikva. Omer Atzily opened the scoring but Mohammed Awaed drew the Greens even before the break. However, Eliran Atar scored a magnificent goal in the 85’ to give the Yellow & Blue their second straight Toto Cup!

Head Coach Vladimir Ivic’s Starting XI included Predrag Rajkovic in goal, Eli Dasa, Jair Amador, Captain Sheran Yeini, Enric Saborit, Dan Glazer, Dor Peretz, Avi Rikan, Omer Atzily, Yonatan Cohen, Itay Shechter.

Available on the bench were keeper Haviv Ohayon, Chico Ofoedu, Dor Micha, Eliran Atar, Eitan Tibi, Eyal Golasa, Aaron Schoenfeld.

First Half
Atzily stole the ball in the 4’ and sent it to Shechter who handed it off to Peretz but his low shot went by the left post while 8’ later Haifa’s Nikita Rukavytsya long range attempt went out. In the 23’ Ernest Mabouka sent a wicked cross into the Maccabi area but Rukavytsya’s header missed the target while Mabouka again threatened Rajikovic 3 minutes later but the shot stopper made the save.

With the Greens controlling the momentum, Rikan took a long distance shot from outside of the box on the left side that Atzily pounced on the ball and put it behind Guy Haimov to give Maccabi a 1:0 lead in the 32’. Two minutes later Atzily tried to double the advantage but Haimov made the save.

However, Haifa evened up the contest in the 42’ when Shlomi Azulay sent a cross pitch pass from behind the halfway line to Rukavytsya who sent the ball in the box to Mohammed Awaed who scored from in close to send the side’s into the break all knotted up at 1:1.

Second Half
Dasa cut into the box on the 49’ but his tough angled shot went through the area and out while in the 55’ Ivic made his first two substitutes bringing on Dor Micha and Chico Ofoedu for Rikan and Atzily. Two minutes later Cohen had a magnificent free kick from right outside of the box but his laser beam went wide right of the goal.

In the 63’ Mabouka was dangerous yet again sending a smart pass to Awaed but the latter’s attempt was gobbled up by Rajkovic while at the other side of the pitch Saborit crossed the ball to Ofoedu but Haimov was able to make the last second save. Three minutes later Peretz sent the ball to Micha, handed it off to Ofoedu who got by his defender, but his shot was stopped by Haimov while in the 70’ Ivic made his third substitute introducing Eliran Atar for Cohen.

Glazer was issued a yellow card in the 72’ and two minutes later Ofoedu sent Atar a gorgeous cross but the latter just missed getting his head on the ball. Peretz came off for Eyal Golasa in the 76’ as Ivic used his 4th substitution as Toto Cup rules permit five substitutes. Shechter had a quality chance from the top of the box but his low liner went wide left of the goal.

With time winding down, Chico and Dasa gave and go as the latter left the ball for Atar at the top of the box who laced a scorcher off the right post and into the goal for a 2:1 Maccabi lead in the 85’. Eitan Tibi came on for Itay Shechter in the 89’ and Dos Santos and Golasa each received yellow cards one minute later as Maccabi Tel Aviv captured the Toto Cup for the second starlight season!