Pre Match
Aiming to end a long season on a high, Maccabi Tel Aviv arrived at Bloomfield stadium for the State Cup Final against bitter city rivals Hapoel Tel Aviv knowing that victory could see them clinch the third domestic title of the season. Having won the Super Cup and the Toto Cup at the start of the season, Maccabi’s coach Patrick van Leeuwen who managed to guide the team to a fierce title race that ended on the last day of the season, wanted to end the campaign exactly like he started it – on the winners podium.
Van Leeuwen made four changes from the side that was held to a 2-2 draw by Kiryat Shmona in Sunday’s final league match. Daniel Tenenbaum started his 56th match of the season and 101st Maccabi appearance in goal, while Matan Baltaxa replaced Eytan Tibi as the second central defender alongside Louis Hernandez. Enric Saborit at left-back and Andre Geraldes at right-back completed the back-four on what was their first ever Cup Final.
Dor Peretz returned from his one-match suspension to join Sheran Yeini and Dan Glazer as the midfield engine room. Tal Ben Chaim and Eduardo Guerrero were named by van Leeuwen as the two wingers with Etey Shechter leading the attack from the striker’s role. On the bench alongside goalkeeper Daniel Peretz waiting to make an impact if called upon were Matan Hozez, Nick Blackman, Dan Biton, Eytan Tibi, Yonatan Cohen, Ofir Davidzada, Shahar Piven and Eden Karzev.
First Half
The match hardly got underway before it was halted 10 seconds after the start following flares and smoke granades that were thrown onto the pitch by Hapoel fans. Once the smoke cleared, Maccabi’s fans got into the action themselves as smoke grenades and flares were thrown from the Yellow side of the stadium four minutes later.
After plenty of tussles at the center of the center of the pitch, Maccabi reached the first chance of the game via a counter attack that began with a Tal Ben Chaim cross to Shechter. The veteran striker teed-up Dor Peretz who couldn’t get a shot on goal as the ball was blocked for a corner from which Enric Saborit blasted a powerful drive that was collected by Ernst Setkos.
In the middle of Maccabi’s attacks Hapoel broke the deadlock a minute after the half hour mark as Omri Altman found himself unmarked inside the area before firing past Tenenbaum to silence the Yellow half of Bloomfield. Three minutes later Etey Shechter rattled the base of the post before Peretz attempt to reach the rebound was cleared for a corner. Matan Baltaxa rose high to head the resulting corner but the defender’s effort sailed wide of the post.
Maccabi were given a golden opportunity to level the score in the 40th minute as Ben Chaim floated a pinpoint free kick that found Peretz whose close range header cleared the crossbar.
Ben Chaim had several chances to break down the left flank before the interval but couldn’t manage to get his cross into the dangerzone. Despite Maccabi enjoying most of the possession during the five minutes of added time, they couldn’t find the breakthrough that would level the score.
Second Half
Van Leeuwen made a single change after the interval as Matan Hozez replaced Ben Chaim at the restart.
Ninty seconds after his introduction Hozez made himself busy as he broke down the right and sent a cross that was collected by Stekos before a Maccabi player could get a touch.
Maccabi kept dominating as an attack that began with Sheran Yeini down the left flank on 49 saw Shechter tee-up Saborit who miscued his shot wide. A long range trade mark Louis Hernandez throw in that was initially headed by Yeini in the 53rd minute, fell to Baltaxa whose snap shot from the area went high and wide.
A Hozez shot come cross on 56 threatened to creep in at the near post but Stekos reacted well as the Lithuanian keeper caught the ball. Yonatan Cohen replaced Shechter three minutes after the hour mark as Van Leeuwen made his second substitution sending Guerrero forward.
Dan Biton replaced Yeini on 69 as Ven Leeuwen made his third change of the game adding more flair into the midfield. It didn’t take long for Cohen to make his impact as in the 71st minute Dan Glazer floated a delicate chip from midfield towards the area, before Cohen ghosted in and flicked a looping header over the advancing Stekos. Bloomfield erupted in Yellow celebrations and with the score level at 1-1 Maccabi were back on the front foot.
Dan Biton had his claims for a penalty waved by referee Erez Pappir before Guerrero wasted a chance in the 86th minute as the Panamanian forward blasted high over the crossbar. On 88 Cohen rose high to head a Hernandez throw in which Setkos managed to catch on his line. A minute later Guerrero broke down the right flank and was brought down by Edi Gotlieb. Despite Pappir initially awarding a penalty, VAR corrected the decision and awarded a free kick that Biton shot straight into a Hapoel defender.
Five minutes of added time just flew by as Pappir’s full time whistle sent both teams for 30 minutes of extra time.
Extra Time
Maccabi completed the comeback in the 95th as Biton crossed a free kick into the far post where Baltaxa knocked the ball down for Hernandez who blasted a volley past Setkos from close range to make it 2-1.
Hernandez pulled a last gasp well timed tackle to block Emanuel Boateng’s dangerous shot from inside the area seconds before the first period of extra time ended.
In the 112th minute, Tenenbaum was at full stretch to push Boateng’s shot for a corner that resulted in a Maccabi counter attack that almost saw the match sealed. Cohen broke forward together with Guerrero and Peretz whose shot was saved by Setkos. A reckless tackle on Peretz inside the center circle went unpunished before Haooel scored from the counter attack. But the red’s celebrations were shortlived as VAR assisted Pappir in canceling the goal. Hell broke lose on the pitch as Hapoel protested and had Shai Aisen and coach Nir Klinger sent off consequently.
