Maccabi Tel Aviv took home the win and 3 points thanks to Omer Atzily’s brace against Beitar Jerusalem at Teddy Stadium on Matchday 6 of the Israel Premier League Ligat Japanika. The victory helps Maccabi keep pace with table leaders Hapoel Hadera who also won 1:0 against Kiryat Shemona. The Yellow & Blue will host Hadera in two weeks after the international break in a top of the table clash at the Netanya Stadium.
Head Coach Vladimir Ivic’s Starting XI included keeper Predrag Rajkovic, Eli Dasa, Jair Amador, Captain Sheran Yeini, Enric Saborit, Dor Peretz, Dan Glazer, Eyal Golasa, Chico Ofoedu, Itay Shechter and Omer Atzily.
Available on the bench were keeper Haviv Ohayon, Eitan Tibi, Eliran Atar, Dor Micha, Avi Rikan, Matan Hozez and Aaron Schoenfeld.
Ahead of the opening whistle, a special ceremony took place as the Goldhar family honored Ms. Barbara Rybczynska whose late mother Aniela Dembinska together with the late Mikolaj and Helena Sajowski were instrumental in saving the life of Sala Armel Goldhar from perishing during the Holocaust.
First Half
The first quarter hour of the match saw a tentative start as the side’s exchanged possession with no chances on either goal. Maccabi then began taking control as Atzily tried to cross a free kick into the box in the 16’ to no avail while Chico sent Dasa a nice ball but his cross missed the target as well.
In the 24’ Chico made his way by two defenders but Beitar keeper Dudu Goresh made the stop and 12 minutes later Dasa’s chance was saved by the Yellow & Black shot stopper. However, in the 40’ Atzily put the ball behind the Beitar keeper to give Maccabi a 1:0 lead. Peretz passed the ball to Atzily on the right and #7 cut to the middle then to his left and beat Goresh cleanly.
Atzily almost added a second marker two minutes later after taking a ball in the box from Golasa but his attempt went by the post as the half ended with the Yellow & Blue ahead 1:0.
Second Half
Peretz was issued a yellow card in the 48’ and Beitar had a good scoring chance in the 52’ as Or Inbrum sent the ball to Idan Vered but the latter’s attempt missed the target. Three minutes later Atzily received a yellow card and then Beitar almost drew even when Vered gave the ball to Gaetan Varenne who went one on one with Rajkovic but the striker put the ball over the bar.
Afonso Taira came close to finding the equalizer in the 60’ but his rebound attempt went over the goal and a minute later Ivic made his first substitute of the match when he inserted Dor Micha in favor of Golasa while in the 72’ Avi Rikan came on for Ofoedu. Eran Levy who had been introduced earlier in the half for Beitar sent the ball to Inbrum but his chance sailed by the post in the 75’ as Beitar came closer to tying up the contest.
In the 79’ Peretz tried his luck from 25 meters but the ball was saved by Goresh and sent out for a corner while a minute later Shechter was issued a yellow card. Inbrum crossed the ball from the left to Jakob Sylvstr but his chance missed the goal and in the 85’ Aaron Schoenfeld was introduced for Shechter.
However, if there was any doubt that Maccabi wouldn’t come away with the 3 points, Atzily made sure to quell that thought as the winger scored his second of the contest in the 88’ thanks to an assist by Micha as the Yellow & Blue took home the 3 points and the win.
