After nine days of training camp in Horst, Holland, Maccabi Tel Aviv Head their first friendly of the season as Vladimir Ivic’s squad defeated Global Sport Academy in their first test of of the 2019/20 campaign.
Starting XI: Daniel Peretz (Omer Kats, 46’), Dan Glezer (Noam Cohen, 46’), Jair Amador (Sheran Yeini, 46’), Shahar Piven (Matan Baltaxa, 46’), Ophir Davidzada (Bar Cohen, 67’), Nadav Nidam, Eden Kartzev (Dor Peretz, 46’), Avi Rikan (Ruskin Barsky, 46’), Yonatan Cohen (Eylon Almog, 46’), Matan Hozez (Chico Ofoedu, 46’), Itay Shechter (Eliran Atar, 46’).
First Half
Despite playing in 36 degree heat, Maccabi opened up the match well as it looked as if the Yellow & Blue took the lead in the 5’ but Yonatan Cohen’s goal was disallowed when Davidzada’s pass was called to be offside. However, in the 10’ Maccabi grabbed a 1:0 lead as Shechter stole the ball, made his way into the box and scored with his left foot. In the 20’ Cohen curled a free kick from 25 meters that just went over the goal.
Three minutes later Hozez and Shechter each had chances in the box but were blocked by the defense and in the 28’ Global’s opportunity hit Amador and was taken care of by the Maccabi keeper Peretz. In the 33’ the Yellow & Blue doubled their advantage when Rikan sent a beauty of the through ball to Cohen on the left side who in turn crossed it to Kartzev who found the back of the goal for a 2:0 lead.
Second Half
Ivic made wholesale changes to the lineup and Ofoedu took full advantage of entering the contest when he scored in the 52’ thanks to an Atar pass and added his second goal juts four minutes later on a give and go with Dor Peretz for a 4:0 Maccabi lead.
In the 59’ Barsky added his name to the goal scoring list as he took care of a Ofoedu steal to give the Yellow & Blue a 5:0 advantage. Yeini sent a through ball to Atar but his shot hit the post and in the 75’ Atar’s free kick just went over the goal. Ten minutes later Ofoedu’s pressure forced a turnover that Atar sent off the post once again as Ivic’s squad wrapped up the 5:0 win.
