Pre-Game
Ahead of the match against Villarreal, Maccabi’s coach Georgios Donis made several changes to his side which is facing the team currently ranked 3rd in La Liga.
Donis named Eytan Tibi, Luis Hernandez and Enric Saborit as the three central defenders with Matan Baltaxa and Ben Biton as the two wing backs on the left and right respectively.
Eden Kartzev, who scored Maccabi’s consolation goal at Salzburg, joined Dan Glazer as the two anchormen at the heart of midfield. Nick Blackman, scorer of the winning goal the last time Maccabi played at Villarreal’s De La Ceramica stadium in the 2017/18 stadium led the attack with Tal Ben Chaim and Yonatan Cohen supplying the support on the wings.
A thunder and lightning storm with torrential rain which has been pouring in the hours before the game, flooded the playing surface forcing several electric power failures and ensuring the match will be nothing less than an interesting encounter for both teams.
First Half
The game was delayed while the drainage and ground staff worked tirelessly to clear the playing surface before the match eventually kicked off 70 minutes later than the original kickoff time. Four minutes from the start however the hosts took the lead from the first chance they had as Carlos Bacca rose high at the near post to meet Daniel Parejo’s corner and head the ball beyond the reach of Daniel Tenenbaum.
Maccabi took time to recover from their start as they reached the first chance right on the half hour mark. Yonatan Cohen found Matan Baltaxa down the left flank before he teed up Dan Glazer whose shot from the edge of the area missed the target.
Second Half
Three minutes after the restart Villarreal came close to double the score as Ruben Pena was released into the area. But Luis Hernandez with a last grasp tackle managed to clear the danger and prevent the ball from being tapped in.
Aleksandar Pesic replaced Nick Blackman who limped off in the 50th minute and less than a minute later Villarreal doubled their lead. Kubo floated a cross into the box which eluded Maccabi’s defense allowing Bacca to send a diving header that bounced over the advancing Tenebaum to make it 2-0.
Bacca shot wide in the 60th minute before Eyal Golasa and Dan Biton replaced Eden Kartzev and Tal Ben Chaim as Donis added two fresh players into the frame.
Donis made his two final substitutions on 67 as Etey Shechter and Dor Peretz replaced Cohen and Glazer. But once again the goal came at the opposite end as Kubo did the damage down the right flank, released Baena who exchanged passes with Bacca before curling in Villarreal’s third goal.
Maccabi’s best chance of the game came in the 77th minute as Dan Biton curled a free kick which Saborit headed on target. But goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli stretched himself to push the ball over the crossbar. Villarreal struck again at the opposite end as three of their substitutes combined well to score the hosts’ fourth in the 80th minute. Gerard Moreno carved Maccabi’s defense as he released Pervis Estupinan whose square ball across the face of goal was walked in by Fernando Nino.
