Shortly before ending their 10-day training camp in Holland, Maccabi Tel Aviv recorded a 2-0 victory over Dutch side Heerenveen this evening (Tuesday) at Putten.
Sheran Yeini scored a header to give Patrick van Leeuwen’s side an early lead before substitute Dor Turgeman secured the victory over Heerenveen that finished last season 12th in the top Dutch league.
First Half
Maccabi opened the game on the front foot and within four minutes put the 1-0 defeat to NAC Breda behind them. Matan Hozez who was brought down by a Heerenveen defender, whipped the resulting free-kick that was headed by Sheran Yeini past Heerenveen keeper Edwin Mulder to break the deadlock.
In the 15th minute, Heerenveen came close from a corner but Ofir Davidzada, playing at left back in the absence of the injured Enric Saborit, cleared the danger. Two minutes later, Mitchell Van Bergen was caught Maccabi’s defense off-guard before Maccabi’s keeper Daniel Peretz, reacted well and pushed the shot wide. Davidzada almost managed to score at the opposite end on 25 as he found himself on the end of an Eduardo Guerrero square ball, but the shot on his weaker right foot was collected by Mulder.
Tibor Halilovic should have punished Maccabi two minutes later as he ghosted into the area, but from a comfortable position miscued his shot wide of Peretz’s post.
Maccabi came close to double the score eight minutes before the interval in a counter attack that began with an Avi Rikan through ball that carved Heerenveen’s defense open to find Yonatan Cohen. The forward’s initial left-foot shot was parried by Mulder into the path of Gurrero who picked Rikan with a perfect square ball. But the veteran midfielder was let down by his finish as his shot was caught by Heerenveen’s keeper.
Second Half
With a 1-0 lead at halftime, Van Leeuwen made four changes as Bar Cohen, Eylon Almog, Novatos Miroshi and Osama Khalaila replaced Rikan, Hozez, Yonatan Cohen and Ido Shahar after the interval.
Three minutes after being introduced, Almog cut-in from the left flank and sent a shot that missed the target. Henk Veerman tried to beat Peretz with a chip on 54 but the young Maccabi keeper charged out of his qoal to squander the chance.
Van Leeuwen made two more changes in the 58th minute as he replaced Shahar Piven and Matan Baltaxa who both had a solid display at right-back and center back respectively, with Maor Kandil and Idan Nachmias.
The industrious Guerrero, who terrorized Heerenveen’s defense both in the first and second half, bowed-out together with Davidzada as Van Leeuwen handed Ronen Hanzis and Guy Mizrahi a chance to impress.
Khalaila broke free on 69 and sent a square ball that narrowly missed Almog at the far post. Van Leeuwen made his final two changes two minutes later as Nadav Nidam and Dor Turgeman came in for Louis Hernandez and Yeini.
While Heerenveen tried desperately to level the score, Maccabi seemed more dangerous on the counter attack as Almog charged forward and sent a cross that Khalaila narrowly missed ten minutes from time.
In the 88th minute however Maccabi doubled their lead at the end of a move that began with a Ronen Hanzis tackle and a quick pass to Khaliala. Almog once again used his trickery to cut inside and send a shot that was initially blocked by Heerenveen’s keeper only for Turgeman to react first and blast-in the rebound.
Maccabi:Daniel Peretz, Shahar Piven (Maor Kandil 58), Matan Baltaxa (Idan Nachmias 58),Louis Hernandez (Nadav Nidam 71),Ofir Davidzada (Guy Mizrahi 68), Sheran Yeini (Dor Turgeman 71), Ido Shahar (Novatos Miroshi 46), Avi Rikan (Bar Cohen 46), Matan Hozez (Eylon Almog 46),Eduardo Guerrero (Ronen Hanzis 68), Yonatan Cohen (Osama Khalaila 46).
