Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Maccabi Netanya 4:1 at the Netanya Stadium on Matchday 17 of the Israel Premier League Ligat Japanika. Omer Atzli scored the fastest goal of the season after just 28 seconds of action, while Dor Micha doubled the lead in first half injury time for a 2:0 advantage. Atzili picked up his second goal of the contest in the 61’ thanks to a tremendous Dan Glezer through ball while Avi Rikan scored a volley “Goal of the Season” candidate in the 82’ thanks to a marvelous Eli Dasa assist. Nico Olsak scored a free kick in the 86’ as the Yellow & Blue wrapped up the victory.
Head Coach Vladimir Ivic’s Starting XI included keeper Predrag Rajkovic, Maor Kandil, Sheran Yeini, Shahar Piven, Enric Saborit, Dor Peretz, Dan Glezer, Dor Micha, Eliran Atar, Omer Atzili, Itay Shechter.
Available on the bench: Haviv Ohayon, Jair Amador, Ruslan Barsky, Eli Dasa, Avi Rikan, Yonatan Cohen, Chico Ofoedu.
First Half
Atzili gave the Yellow & Blue a dream start with a goal after just 28 seconds as the winger buried a brilliant back heal from Atar to give Maccabi a 1:0 lead in what was the quickest goal this season. Ivic’s side almost doubled the lead in the 5’ but Shechter’s header off a Micha cross went over the bar and two minutes later Netanya keeper Golan Elkaslasy blocked a Peretz attempt.
Rajkovic made a huge save in the 18’ when he kicked away Guy Melamed’s chance from in close to keep the score as is, while Kandil was issued a yellow card 3 minutes later. Saborit crossed the ball to Kandil but his header went over the bar in the 27’ while at the other end of the pitch Eylon Yerushalmi’s 17 meter attempt missed the target.
Eli Dasa was introduced for Saborit who couldn’t continue due to injury in the 35’ as Atzili was issued a yellow card two minutes later and in the 39’ Shechter and Branko Vrgoč each were handed yellows for rough play. In the 43’ Atar’s opportunity missed the goal as did Fatos Bećiraj’s chance but inside of first half injury time, Micha took the ball away from Dudi Twito at the top of the box and put it behind the keeper for a 2:0 lead at the break.
Second Half
After 15 minutes of quiet football, Glezer sent Atzili a massive 50 meter through ball that he put into the goal for a 3:0 Maccabi lead in the 61’. Gavriel Kanichowsky had a chance to cut the Maccabi advantage in the 63’ but Rajko was up to the task and 3 minutes later the Serbian shot stopper again stymied Kanichowsky.
In the 67’ Chico Ofoedu came on for Shechter and sent a terrific ball to Peretz in the 74’ but his attempt missed the target. Avi Rikan was then inserted in the 78’ in favor Atar and the move paid dividends 4 minutes later when Rikan scored a volley “Goal of the Season” candidate off a brilliant assist by Dasa from the right side to give the Yellow & Blue a 4:0 lead.
Nico Olsak pulled a goal back for Netanya via a free kick in the 86’ but it was too little, too late as Maccabi Tel Aviv took the 4:1 win and the 3 points.
