Maccabi Tel Aviv and Maccabi Petah Tikva split the points in a 1:1 dramatic draw on Matchday 11 of the Israel Premier League Ligat Japanika at the Moshava Stadium. Tomáš Sivok scored a header off a corner kick in the 93’ just before the referee ended the match to snatch a point for the host’s. Dor Peretz headed home a 23’ goal thanks to an Omer Atzili pass but Sivok’s last gasp strike gave the Yellow & Blue a point before they welcome Ashdod to the Netanya Stadium this Tuesday in a midweek clash.
Head Coach Vladimir Ivic’s Starting XI included keeper Predrag Rajkovic, Enric Saborit, Captain Sheran Yeini, Shahar Piven, Maor Kandil, Dor Peretz, Dan Glezer, Dor Micha, Avi Rikan, Omer Atzili, Itay Shechter.
Available on the bench were keeper Haviv Ohayon, Jair Amador, Eli Dasa, Ruslan Barsky, Eliran Atar, Chico Ofoedu and Aron Schoenfeld.
First Half
Micha tried to break free in the Petah Tikva box in the 4’ but the defense took care of the threat while in the 11’ Atzili’s corner found Kandil but the defender’s header missed the target and went over the goal. Two minutes later it was Kandil again coming in from the right wing but his shot missed the far side of the goal. In the 22’ Atzili sent a scorcher of a free kick towards the goal, but keeper Yossi Ginzburg made the instinctive save.
Maccabi’s pressure paid off in the 23’ when Atzili received the ball off a short corner and sent a cross into the box that Peretz headed into the goal for a 1:0 Yellow & Blue lead. Peretz lofted a ball into the area to an unmarked Kandil but his header went over the bar in the 33’ while three minutes later Atzili sent Shechter a nice pass into the area, but the Petah Tikva keeper made the stop on #11’s attempt. Rikan’s 37’ chance missed the target as Maccabi took a 1:0 lead into the break.
Second Half
Petah Tikva began to pick up the pace and had a 56’ free kick chance at the top of the box via Lidor Cohen but his attempt missed the target and went over the goal. Two minutes later Atzili’s opportunity hit the right post and Micha’s left footed shot from inside the box was pushed away by Ginzburg as Maccabi began to threaten the host’s goal. In the 61’ Peretz’s header off a corner was caught by Ginzburg and 4 minutes later Micha gave Shechter a brilliant ball in the box but couldn’t get off a good shot as the Petah Tikva defense cleared the threat.
Ruslan Barsky replaced Dan Glezer in the 68’ and Eliran Atar came on for Avi Rikan four minutes later as Coach Ivic freshened up his side. However, in the 77’ it was Petah Tikva who almost scored when Lidor Cohen gave Tai Baribo a fantastic pass in the box as he put his shot just wide of the far post to keep the score as is.
Dor Micha exited the contest in the 80’ as the midfielder was replaced by another striker in Chico Ofoedu as the Yellow & Blue searched for an insurance marker. Shechter’s 81’ chance was just saved by Ginzburg as the Petah Tikva shot stopper sent the ball out for a corner. The host’s looked desperately for an equalizer and they found it via Tomáš Sivok as the center back headed in the tying goal in the 93’ as the referee blew the whistle to end the match, 1:1. Maccabi will now prepare to welcome Ashdod on Tuesday at the Netanya Stadium.
