Maccabi Tel Aviv advanced to the Israel State Cup semifinals after a 0:0 draw (4:1 aggregate) against Bnei Sakhnin in the second leg of the quarterfinal contest at the Netanya Stadium. The Yellow & Blue will now prepare for Saturday’s League clash at Ashdod.
Head Coach Vladimir Ivic’s Starting XI included Daniel Tenenbaum, Maor Kandil, Eitan Tibi, Jair Amador, Ophir Davidzada, Sheran Yeini, Ruslan Barsky, Avi Rikan, Yonatan Cohen, Itay Shechter, Aron Schoenfeld.
Available on the bench: Daniel Peretz, Eli Dasa, Enric Saborit, Chico Ofoedu, Dor Micha, Eliran Atar, Shahar Piven.
First Half
Following a quiet opening quarter hour, Cohen picked up a yellow card and in the 22’ the same Cohen tried to cross the ball into the box but the Sakhnin keeper Matan Ambar cut it off. Two minutes later Schoenfeld left the ball for Rikan but his blast was saved by an alert Ambar.
An active Cohen sent a scorcher from 30 meters towards the Sakhnin goal but Ambar again made the stop in the 26’ while Schoenfeld’s long distance attempt went over the goal as Maccabi continued to threaten. In the 35’ Yeini sent the ball to Cohen who handed it off to Schoenfeld but the striker’s chance just cleared the bar and two minutes later Cohen’s free kick just went over the goal.
However, Cohen was booked for his second yellow card and sent off in the 40’ as Maccabi was forced to play the balance of the match with ten men. Tenenbaum took care of a dangerous cross right before the break as the sides went into halftime goalless.
Second Half
Davidzada and Schoenfeld exchanged passes in the 48’ but the Sakhnin defense cut off the threat and 3 minutes later Rikan’s long distance chance was saved by Ambar. Dor Micha entered the match in favor of Shechter in the 70’ to freshen up the attack.
Micha made his way into the box in the 73’ but his cross just missed Kandil and 4 minutes later Davidzada found Rikan in the area but the latter skied the ball over the goal. Eli Dasa came on fro Rikan in the 81’ and three minutes later Schoenfeld unleashed a screamer of an opportunity but Ambar was in place to make the save.
The sides traded chances over the last ten minutes but neither found the back of the goal as the contest ended in a goalless draw.
