Maccabi Tel Aviv drew 2:2 with Cluj but couldn’t get by the Romanian club as they bested the Yellow & Blue 3:2 on aggregate. Nick Blackman gave Vladimir Ivic’s squad a 1:0 lead early on but Juan Culio drew even soon thereafter on a penalty. Mario Rondon then put Cluj ahead 2:1 however, second half substitute Yonatan Cohen found the back of the goal in 48’ to draw even at 2:2. But Maccabi couldn’t find the back of the goal again over the course of the final half and will now head into the third round of Europa League qualifying where they will play Suduva of Lithuania. the first leg will be played in Israel on August 8th with the return leg in Lithuania the following week.
Head Coach Vladimir Ivic’s Starting XI included keeper Andreas Gianniotis, Jair Amador, Shahar Piven, Maor Kandil, Ophir Davidzada Avi Rikan, Dan Glezer, Dor Peretz, Dor Micha, Nick Blackman, Itay Shechter.
Available on the bench: Daniel Tenenbaum, Chico Ofoedu, Eliran Atar, Yonatan Cohen, Aaron Schoenfeld, Andre Geraldes, Ruslan Barsky.
First Half
Maccabi started the game off well with a chance in the early minutes but in the 12’ Cluj almost took the lead but the ball went off the post and cleared to safety. However, the Yellow & Blue brushed it off as they took a 1:0 lead in the 15’ when Blackman slammed home an Amador rebound.
But just a minute later Shechter was called for a foul on Mihai Bordeianu in the box good for a Cluj penalty that Juan Culio put into the top of the goal to draw even at 1:1 but lead 2:1 on aggregate.
Ciprian Deac’s free kick was stooped by Gianniotis in the 24’ and Rikan sent a screamer over the bar 8 minutes later as the score remained as is. In the 34’ Micha sent a beauty of a through ball to Kandil who crossed it to Shechter but his chance just came up short.
In the 42’ Cluj snatched a 2:1 lead when Mario Rondon scored off a Gianniotis rebound as the visitor’s went into the break down 3:1 on aggregate.
Second Half
Yonatan Cohen came on for Rikan to begin the half and Cohen did exactly what he needed to in the 48’ as he sent a scorcher from the top of the box into the goal to draw even at 2:2. Andre Geraldes entered the match in place of Kandil in the 59.
Cohen continued to look for a second goal but came up short on back to back occasions in the 62’. Ten minutes later Eliran Atar was introduced in favor of Blackman and missed the target in the 76’ while Geraldes also couldn’t find the back of the goal in the 84’.
Maccabi pressed until the final whistle as they bowed out of Champions League qualification and will now head into the third round of the Europa League qualifying stage.
