Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv played to a goalless draw at the Netanya Stadium on Matchday 5 of the Israel Premier League Ligat Japanika as the side’s split the points. The Yellow & Blue will play at Beitar Jerusalem on Sunday October 7 at 21:00.
Head Coach Vladimir Ivic’s Starting XI included keeper Predrag Rajkovic, Eli Dasa, Captain Sheran Yeini, Jair Amador, Enric Saborit, Dan Glazer, Eyal Golasa, Dor Micha, Omer Atzily, Eliran Atar, Itay Shechter.
Available on the bench were keeper Haviv Ohayon, Dor Peretz, Chico Ofoedu, Avi Rikan, Yonatan Cohen, Maor Kandil, Eitan Tibi.
First Half
Hapoel had the contest’s first chance in the 5’ when Omer Damari sent a pass to Idan Cohen but the latter’s attempt went by the post and out. Maccabi had two chances in the 16’ and 17’ minutes respectively, but Shechter’s shot went off a defender and Golasa’s opportunity was caught by the Reds keeper Robi Levkovich.
In the 22’ Atar took a tough angled shot but the ball hit off of the outer netting of the goal and 2 minutes later Amador’s chance off an Atar ball missed the target. Ahmed Abed’s 29’ attempt on Rajkovic’s goal hit a Maccabi defender and changed direction that forced the Yellow & Blue shot stopper to make an alert save.
In the 31’ Atzily fed Shechter a brilliant ball but the latter’s chance just missed the far left post, Damari’s 43’ header was caught by a leaping Rajkovic and Atzily’s 45’ free kick hit a Hapoel defender as the half ended goalless.
Second Half
Glazer and Abed each received yellow cards in the 51’ and 54’ and in the 60’ Ivic made his first substitute of the match when he inserted Chico Ofoedu in favor of Atar to freshen up the attack.
Maccabi had a pair of fantastic chances in the 66’ and 68’ as Chico sent Saborit a beauty of a ball but the left back out it over the bar while Saborit’s header was brilliantly saved by Levkovich. Yonatan Cohen came on for Saborit in the 80’ as Maccabi made their second substitute while 6 minutes later Ivic made his 3rd and final substitute when Avi Rikan was introduced for Micha.
In the 85’ Atzily free kick was saved by the Reds keeper while a minute later Cohen’s corner made its way to Yeini but his attempt hit the outside netting of the goal. Maccabi continued to look for a winner and in the 90’ Yeini again had a chance to score but his opportunity went out as the match ended in a goalless draw.
