Having played 6 league matches, Maccabi recorded their second successive victory to take their tally to nine points.
Pre Match
Aiming to build on the victory over Bnei Sachnin before the international break, and knowing he now enters an extremely tight fixture schedule of 11 match in 35 days, Maccabi’s coach Georgios Donis made several changes to his side. Maor Kandil who recovered from the knee injury which sidelined him during the international break, was named at right back.
Luis Fernandez partnered Sheran Yeini as the two central defenders with Enric Saborit completing the back-four at left back having returned from a brief visit to Spain due to the berth of his newborn son. Dan Glazer and Dor Peretz lined-up at the heart of midfield just behind Dan Biton. Tal Ben Chaim was given his chance to start alongside the scorers of the two goals in Sachnin – Yonatan Cohen and Aleksandar Pesic.
First Half
Maccabi were dominant right from the start yet it took the visitors 16 minutes to launch the first threat on goal. Tamir Glazer the young brother of Dan who is on loan at Hadera, was penalized for a foul on Enric Saborit before Dan Biton fired the free kick only to see Robi Levkovic push the ball for a corner.
In the 28th minute Cohen found Pesic in the area before the Serbian striker teed-up Biton whose shot was blocked for a corner. Biton curled the resulting corner and Hadera Ubaida Hatab headed the ball into his own net to give Maccabi the lead on 29.
Maor Kandil came close to double the score from another corner in the 33rd minute as he rose high to meet Biton’s corner. But Kandil couldn’t keep his header down as the ball ballooned over the crossbar.
On the stroke of halftime Biton tried another long range effort but his left foot shot was easily collected by Levkovic.
Second Half
Maccabi began the second half where they left off, with pressure on Hadera right from the start. Hadera failed to clear a dangerous attack and as the ball fell to Cohen at the far post, his attempt to slide in and double the score saw the forward fail to connect.
On 53 Cohen couldn’t convert Saborit’s cross on target but five minutes later he almost turned provider as his delicate chip was narrowly missed by Pesic’s attempt of a header.
Cohen came even closer in the 61st minute as Ben Chaim charged down the left flank before his cross was headed by Cohen onto the crossbar.
Eylon Almog replaced Biton in the 74th minute but less than sixty second later Hadera’s substitute Odah Marshal hit Daniel Tenenbaum’s post from the edge of the area.
Eyal Golasa and Ofir Davidzada were introduced for Ben Chaim and Saborit in the 80th minute while Cohen and Pesic made way for Matan Hozez and Nick Blackman came for the final 5 minutes.
Despite Hadera desperately trying to level the score, Maccabi managed to hang on and secure the three points at final whistle
