Maccabi Tel Aviv needed 95 minutes to break through Hapoel Hadera’s stingy defense to snatch the 3-points at the buzzer. Dor Micha sent a beauty of a ball to Dor Peretz in the box as the midfielder headed home the winner just before the referee blew the final whistle.
Head Coach Vladimir Ivic’s Starting XI included keeper Daniel Tenenbaum who made his second start in a row, Eli Dasa, Eitan Tibi, Sheran Yeini, Enric Saborit, Dan Glezer, Dor Peretz, Avi Rikan, Omer Atzili, Eliran Atar, Itay Shechter.
Available on the bench: Predrag Rajkovic, Jair Amador, Ophir Davidzada, Nadav Nidam, Dor Micha, Yonatan Cohen, Chico Ofoedu.
First Half
Maccabi pressed high to begin the match and in the 10’ Peretz almost scored via a header off a corner from the right side but just came up short. Atzili also had a chance to find the back of the goal but Austin Ejide made the timely save for the host’s.
In the 40’ Tenenbaum made a terrific stop off of Lucio’s attempt from only 6 meters out. Just before the break, Rikan almost gave Maccabi the lead but his chip shot from 16 meters was saved by Ejide as the side’s went into halftime goalless.
Second Half
Dor Micha came on for Rikan to begin the half and Atar had a terrific opportunity to give the Yellow & Blue the lead in the 48’ but just missed the target. A minute later Atar once again had a chance this time from in the box but Ejide was up to the task.
Eliel Peretz and Vitali Ganon tried to surprise Tenenbaum from long distance but the keeper was in place to make the save. Ivic then introduced Chico Ofoedu in favor of Atzili.
Dor Peretz almost broke the ice from a cross by Saborit but his shot went over the bar and out. In the 85’ Yonatan Cohen came on for Shechter and five minutes later Hadera were left with ten men when Eden Kartzev was issued a red card due to a reckless tackle on Glezer.
Just before the final whistle Micha sent a beauty of a cross to Peretz who headed home the winner from 6 meters out in the 95’ to help Maccabi grab the 3 points and the win.
