Maccabi Tel Aviv put on a show stopping performance against Beitar Jerusalem in the TASE Premier League at Teddy Stadium on Saturday and gained full retribution for their defeat by the same opponents in the Toto Cup final in midweek.
The match may have begun a little tentatively and there were few chances in a nevertheless robust first half, but once Maccabi found the goal for the first time, there was no looking back.
From the moment they scored, Maccabi, who lost 2-0 to Beitar in the Toto Cup final in Netanya on Tuesday, were totally dominant against their hosts and registered a stellar victory. It was a much-needed confidence booster for Maccabi, who have so far looked unimpressive this season.
After a frenzied first half in which Maccabi were nevertheless the more dominant outfit, Chico Ofoedu finally broke the deadlock in added time when he scored from an excellent header in the second minute of added time when he rose to meet a corner from the left taken by Yonatan Cohen.
Ofoedu was not challenged by the Beitar defence and headed the ball into the hosts’ net with goalkeeper Itamar Nitzan unable to react.
Yonatan Cohen struck a perfect left-footed free kick from the edge of the area that flew over the Beitar wall and curled into the right corner of Nitzan’s area in the 50th minute and Beitar looked in trouble while Maccabi’s supporters cheered in delight.
Ofoedu added his second goal in the 56th minute when he ran unchallenged into the left side of the Beitar area and side footed diagonally and powerfully into the Beitar goal to put the result pretty much beyond doubt.
Ruslan Barsky added the fourth goal when he volleyed a left-footed strike in front of goal after a cross in from the left by Cohen towards Ofoedu which he fluffed and the ball was lobbed into the air for the perfect volley from 10 metres out.
Beitar were awarded a penalty after Eaten Tibi fouled Shlomi Edri but even that scoring opportunity was missed as Maccabi ‘keeper Daniel Tenenbaum palmed away Shlomi Azulai’s spot kick for a corner.
Added to Beitar’s misery was a red card shown late in the second half to their assistant coach.
