Pre Match
A couple of thousand of Maccabi fans traveled all the way up North for the long trip to Kiryat Shmona in a bid to support the team that embarked on a new journey. The third victory of the season took Maccabi’s point tally to 10 from 8 matches.
Aiming to bounce back from Monday’s disappointing 2-0 home defeat to Ashdod that led to the departure of Patrick van Leeuwen, Head of Maccabi’s Football Department, Barak Itzhaki, who was appointed as interim coach – took charge of the team for the first time.
Itzhaki didn’t make too many changes to the side as he welcomed Luis Hernandez back from suspension as the Spanish central defender returned to the side while Sheran Yeini was serving a one-match-touchline ban. Shahar Piven partnered Hernandez as the second central defender in front of Daniel Peretz while Enric Saborit returned to the left side of defence and Andre Geraldes completed the back-four on the right.
Dan Glazer, led the team out with the captain’s armband as he was joined in midfield by Eyal Golasa and Dan Biton as the midfield trio. Gabi Kanichowsky, Brandley Kuwas both kept their places in the supporting role for Stipe Perica upfront.
First Half
Maccabi began the match on the front foot as Stipe Perica reached the first goal scoring opportunity after 90 seconds. Brandley Kuwas and Andre Geraldes exchanged passes down the right flank before the Portuguese full-back sent a low square ball into the path of the Croat whose shot was blocked. Enric Saborit tried a shot from 25 meters that deflected off two Kiryat Shmona defenders before Dziugas Bartkus collected with ease.
Roi Kehat directed a header on goal in the 16th minute which went straight into the hands of Daniel Peretz. Three minutes later Maccabi kept pushing forward as Dan Biton tried a long range left foot effort that sailed over Bartkus’ goal. Perica was the first player to go into the book of referee Idan Leiba on 22 for raising his foot towards Kiryat Shmona’s midfielder Nadav Nidam.
The hosts took the lead in the 28th minute against the run of play as Yadin Lugassi released Ziv Morgan with a clever through ball that carved Maccabi’s defence open. Morgan crossed the ball into the area before Itamar Shviro sent a half volley that beat Peretz to break the deadlock.
Maccabi came close on 33 as Brandley Kuwas fed Gabi Kanichowsky whose square ball found Biton unmarked at the far post before crashing his shot from a tight angle against the side netting.
Maccabi claimed for a penalty in the 42nd minute after Biton who was released by Kuwas appeared to be taken down by a defender only for Leiba to wave those claims and signal for a corner.
On the stroke of halftime Maccabi were back on level terms at the end of a move that began with Peretz. The keeper released a quick counter attack as he threw the ball to Biton before the midfielder flicked it into the path of Kuwas. The Curaçao international cut inside to his strong left foot before unleashing a powerful drive that beat Bartkus from the edge of the area to score his first goal for Maccabi.
Second Half
With no changes after the interval Kiryat Shmona had the first chance on 46 as Kehat sent a left foot volley that was equalled by Peretz who was forced to dive and collect. Perica had the ball in the back of the net in the 52nd minute after a through ball from Kanichowsky but the celebrations were short-lived as the goal was disallowed for offside.
Right on the hour mark Peretz made a double save to deny Mohammed Shaker first before keeping out Yadin Lugassi’s rebound. Two minutes later Itzhaki made his first change as Kuwas bowed out and was replaced by Matan Hozez. Maccabi began dominating as Eyal Golasa narrowly missed the target with a fierce right-foot-shot on 64.
The comeback was complete in the 67th minute at the end of a well drilled corner as Golasa had his initial effort blocked before the rebound fell to Luis Hernandez whose shot found the top corner that made it 2-1.
In the 76th minute, Perica released Hozez clear through but the winger who raced forward from the halfway line blasted a shot that cleared the crossbar. Maccabi continued pushing forward as Kanichowsky flashed a shot to the wrong side of the post on 79.
Itzhaki made his second change in the 83rd minute as Eden Shamir replaced the industrious Golasa for the closing stages. Kanichowsky blasted a powerful right foot shot that was heading under the crossbar on 85 but Bartkus managed to punch it out and rescue the danger. Bartkus kept Kiryat Shmona in the game once again as he denied Perica’s shot from inside the area in the 89th minute.
This was Perica’s final contribution on the night as Osama Khalaila was introduced as a late substitute inside injury time. In what seemed like his first touch of the ball, Khalaila latched on a poor back-pass by Stephane Acka back-pass towards Bartkus and with the slightest of touches beat the Lithuanian keeper to seal the win at 3-1.
