Maccabi Tel Aviv continue their unbeaten run and still head the Premier League but will leave the Sammy Ofer stadium disappointed to come away with one point instead of three in a dramatic 1-1 encounter. In control throughout the 90 minutes, Maccabi got on the wrong side of three correct VAR reviews, the third of which cost them two points. In the 93rd minute substitute Nes Zamir displayed great technique and a cool head to latch onto a through ball before placing the ball in the back of the net in a smash-and-grab raid that gained an unlikely point.
On a damp pitch, Maccabi were a class apart and went ahead in the 37th minute when Jonathan Cohen’s perfectly weighted pass saw Shechter beat the offside trap and round Haifa keeper Yasmin Borich to give the visitors a well deserved lead. The VAR review of Shechter’s positioning was close and the goal stood. But that is where Maccabi’s VAR luck ended. Two minutes before the break Maccabi were awarded a penalty by referee Eli Hachmon when David Malul appeared to handle in the box but VAR determined his hand was not outstretched and the decision was revoked.
And five minutes into the second half Maccabi defender Andrea Girales scored a superb debut goal in professional football after Cohen put him through but VAR picked up Cohen’s foot millimeters offside and the goal was revoked. Despite these setbacks, Maccabi remained in charge and had chances to seal the game and until the late Haifa goal, Maccabi keeper Daniel Tenebaum was a spectator only making one save when he denied Sa’ar Fadida in a one-on-one breakaway in the 22nd minute.
And in injury time, where Cohen’s foot was earlier on the wrong side of the fence, so VAR revealed Zamir’s to be just onside and by such margins games are won, lost and drawn.
Said Maccabi coach Vladimir Ivich: “We deserved more than one point but we missed chances. I could not see the VAR decisions properly.” Asked whether Maccabi Haifa could be just three points behind Maccabi after their game on Monday at Beitar Jeriusalem , Ivic said: “No, They don’t concern me, we must continue to play our game.”
