Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Beitar Jerusalem 2:1 as late substitute Yonatan Cohen scored in the 93’ to send the Yellow & Blue into the Round of 16 of the Israel State Cup. After a goalless first half, Eliran Atar gave Maccabi a 1:0 lead in the 67’, however, Gaëtan Varenne drew Beitar even in the 82’. Head Coach Vladimir brought on Cohen in the 87’ and what a substitute it would be as the striker scored the winner in the 92’ thanks to a Saborit pass from the left side to move in to the next round of the competition.
Head Coach Vladimir Ivic’s Starting XI featured keeper Predrag Rajkovic, Maor Kandil, Sheran Yeini, Shahar Piven, Enric Saborit, Dor Peretz, Ruslan Barsky, Avi Rikan, Omer Atzili, Eliran Atar and Itay Shechter.
Bench: Haviv Ohayon, Jair Amador, Dan Glezer, Chico Ofoedu, Dor Micha, Yonatan Cohen, Aron Schoenfeld.
First Half
It took 14 minutes for the first chance of the contest when Yeini’s header was cleared by keeper Itamar Nitzan, while two minutes later Atar’s 16 meter scorcher went over the bar.
In the 31’ Rajikovic was issued a yellow card and Beitar was given a penalty kick when the Maccabi shot stopper pulled down Jakub Sylvestr in the box but Or Inbrum’s spot kick was caught by Rajikovic to keep the match goalless.
Nitzan was again active when he made a fantastic save on the line from 4’ meters out off a Saborit attempt and in the 40’ Ohayon was handed a red card on the bench as the half ended 0:0.
Second Half
Peretz’s 46’ attempt went over the bar and 9 minutes later Dan Einbinder sent a ball into the box but Idan Vered’s chance went out. Miki Siroshtein’s 59’ chance was saved by Rajkovic and 3 minutes later Ivic made his first substitute inserting Dor Micha for Rikan. Inbrum and Vered then each had an opportunity in the 64’ and 65’ to no avail.
Maccabi finally broke the deadlock in the 67’ when Micha sent a beautiful through ball to Kandil on the right side who crossed it into the box to an oncoming Atar who tapped it home for a 1:0 lead. The Yellow & Blue almost found an insurance marker in the 71’ but Nitzan made an unbelievable save on a Shechter header.
Eran Levy’s 25 meter attempt just went by the right post in the 78’ however, Maor Bozaglo’s cross from the right side found an oncoming Gaëtan Varenne who put the ball into the goal to draw even 1:1 in the 82’. Buzaglo tried to head the ball home on the 86’ but Rajkovic made the save and a minute later Atar came off in favor of Yonatan Cohen.
And what a substitute it would be! In the 92’ Saborit fed Cohen a gorgeous ball from the left side that the striker put home for the 2:1 win as the Yellow & Blue advanced to the State Cup Round of 16.
