For the visit of Bnei Sachnin to Bloomfield stadium, Maccabi went into this match with 36 points from 18 matches – five points adrift of leaders Maccabi Haifa. Maccabi’s Head Coach Patrick van Leeuwen who guided the team to a third victory in succession against Hapoel Be’ersheva, was aiming to record an 11th victory this season.
In the absence of Enric Saborit who is serving a one-match-touchline-ban, van Leeuwen named Ofir Davidzada in the starting line-up on the left side of defense. Eytan Tibi and Luis Hernandez were the two central defenders in front of Daniel Tenenbaum while Andre Geraldes, on the right, completed the back-four. Avi Rikan, who made a second half substitute appearance against Be’ersheva, stepped into the midfield alongside Dan Glazer and Dor Peretz. While upfront, Matan Hozez kept his place on the wing, with Eylon Almog and Aleksandar Pesic stepping in for Tal Ben Chaim and Etey Shechter who both waited for their chance on the bench
First Half
Seven minutes from the start an Ofir Davidzada ball was misjudged by Bnei Sachnin’s defense and reached Matan Hozez. Sachnin’s keeper Mahmoud Kandil charged off his goal line but Hozez who tried to skip past him over hit his pass before the danger was cleared. Mofleh Shalata who began the season on loan at Beitar Tel Aviv Bat Yam but joined Sachnin on loan in January, tried curling a shot in the 9th minute but directed his shot from inside the area straight at Daniel Tenenbaum.
An Eylon Almog shot in the 14th minute was blocked for a corner which Sachnin’s defense managed to clear. Hozez floated a free kick straight at the keeper on 19 and Almog did exactly the same as Maccabi continued to dominate.
Eytan Tibi tried his luck with a right foot shot from outside the area in the 40th minute, but the central defender’s effort didn’t find the target. With the score still at 0-0, Daniel Bar Natan’s halftime whistle sent both teams into their dressing rooms hoping that the goals will be scored in the second half.
Second Half
A minute after the restart, Sachnin came close as a Shalata cross from the left eluded Maccabi’s defense and flew across the face of Tenenbaum’s goal. Avi Rikan managed to pick Almog with a clever chip in the 56th minute but the winger’s shot from inside the area hit the side netting.
Right on the hour mark Osamah Halaila forced Tenenbaum to stretch himself and punch a dangerous right foot shot. Aleksandar Pesic teed-up Rikan on 63 but the midfielder sent a left foot shot which missed the target. A minute later, Rikan charged into the area and collided with the advancing keeper, but the contact wasn’t enough to award Maccabi a penalty.
Van Leeuwen made a double substitution in the 66th minute as Sheran Yeini and Tal Ben Chaim replaced Dan Glazer and Almog. Biton came in for Rikan in the 71st minute as van Leeuwen added a fresh pair of legs to the midfield. He came close to make an instant impact as the ball struck Biton’s knee to free Pesic on 72 but the tall Serbian striker didn’t get a clear shot allowing Kandil to save.
While Maccabi continued to dominate yet struggle to get a shot on target, Shalata forced Tenenbaum to make another save in the 79th minute. Two minutes later a ball fell to Ben Chaim inside the area but the veteran winger failed to keep his shot down. Etey Shechter was given a chance as he replaced Hozez for the final 8 minutes. Inside injury time Dor Peretz missed a chance to score as Maccabi’s frustration continued.
But in the last minute of the five minutes added by the referee, Shechter crossed a ball into the area and Peretz rose high to head the ball in and win the game.
