Pregame
Maccabi returned to league action after a two-week international break as the second match of the Playoff away to Maccabi Netanya – a side Maccabi couldn’t beat this season.
The 0-0 draw against Bnei Sakhnin at Bloomfield stadium on MD27 saw Maccabi drop two valuable points which took their point tally to 54. But victories to Hapoel Be’ersheva and Maccabi Haifa kept Maccabi four and eight points adrift of the leading duo. Maccabi that suffered a 4-2 defeat in the first round at Netanya followed by a 2-2 draw at Bloomfield will aim to return winning ways by beating their opponents for the first time this season. Maccabi’s coach Mladen Krstajic made several changes from the side that drew with Sakhnin as Shahar Piven and Ofir Davidzada were named as the two full-backs on the right and left respectively. Enric Saborit and Idan Nachmias lined-up in front of goalkeeper Daniel Peretz to complete the defensive back-four.
Dan Glazer led the team out wearing the captain’s armband as the midfield anchor-man. Eden Shamir also returned to the starting line-up as the 26-year-old made his first league start since the 3-2 derby victory on February 12th. Gabi Kanichowsky, who made his debut appearance for Israel, faced his former club aiming to add to the 3 league goals he scored this season. Injuries to Eyal Golasa and Dan Biton forced Krstajic to make further changes as Avi Rikan stepped into the midfield to make his first league start since the 3-1 victory over Hapoel Jerusalem on January 15th. Tal Ben Chaim who was deputised to a more defensive position before the international break, returned to the attack alongside Djordje Jovanovic while Stipe Perica dropped to the bench.
First Half
Prior to kick-off a minute of applause was observed in memory of the 11 victims murdered last week by terrorist attacks across Israel. The match began with plenty of aggression and at high tempo as tackles were flying thick and fast right from the off. A shoulder barge by Gabi Kanichowsky on Parfait Guigon which shook the on-loan Ivorian winger off the ball eight minutes from the start was a sign that no one intends to shy away from the battle at stake.
While Netanya enjoyed the majority of possession in the opening stages, Maccabi reached a great chance to break the deadlock in the 17th minute. Djordje Jovanovic won the ball inside the centre circle and released Avi Rikan for a counter attack down the right flank before his cut-back which reached Ben Chaim was miscued by the veteran winger. Jovanovic latched on the loose ball but the Serbian striker somehow missed the target when it seemed easier to score. In the 22nd minute however, Raz Shlomo was the first player to be booked by referee Yigal Frid for stopping a Maccabi counter attack by pulling down Rikan on the edge of the area. The veteran midfielder dusted himself up and curled a powerful low free kick that beat Amos and put Maccabi in front for his first league goal of the season.
Just like in the previous two matches against Netanya the hosts’ never-say-die attitude saw them come close as Boris Enow rattled Daniel Peretz’s crossbar with a fierce drive on 29. Ben Chaim wasted a chance seconds later at the opposite end as his shot struck the side netting. Within a minute Maccabi had the ball in the back of the net after Ben Chaim floated a pinpoint cross to Jovanovic who sent a looping header over Amos. The celebrations Jovanovic were short-lived as VAR ruled that Ben Chaim was offside and the goal was disallowed. The action continued in the 34th minute as Ben Chaim managed to take the ball around Amos and score, but once again the goal was disallowed for offside as Maccabi’s goal lead, rather than two or three, remained fragile.
In the 43rd minute, Shahar Piven was booked for a foul on Guigon just inside Maccabi’s half. Omri Gendeleman ghosted at the far post to meet the free kick that eluded Maccabi’s defence but the Israeli Under 21 international sent his header across the face of Peretz’s goal and wide of the target.
Second Half
Mladen Krastajic made a change at the interval as Piven who experienced a torrid half by Guigon was replaced by Andre Geraldes at right-back for the restart. In the 53rd minute however, Netanya were back on level terms as Patrick Tumasi flicked the ball to Hen Ezra who slid it to Aviv Avraham before Netanya’s captain raced clear through and slotted his shot past the advancing Peretz to make it 1-1.
Right on the hour mark, Krstajic reacted with a double substitution as Eden Shamir and Rikan bowed out and were replaced by Brandley Kuwas and Stipe Perica. Peretz, who was forced to a couple of saves earlier in the second half, pulled a stunning save to deny Ezra whose dangerous shot was making its’ way into the top corner on 64.
Netanya continued to look dangerous as Guigon flashed a half-volley from the edge of the area in the 66th minute that crept wide of Peretz’s post. Three minutes later, an injury Ben Chaim picked saw him limp-off and replaced by Eylon Almog.
Dan Glazer and Kanichowsky combined well with Perica in the 72nd minute only for the tall Croat to send his shot wide. Kuwas tried his luck with a long range free kick in the 75th minute but while the effort of the Curaçao international wasn’t short of power, it lacked accuracy. Krstajic made his fifth and final change in the 82nd minute as Sheran Yeini replaced the tired Jovanovic for the closing stages of the game.
Frid’s full-time whistle ensured the points were shared as Maccabi failed to beat Netanya for the third time this season thus recording their second draw in succession. Maccabi narrowed the gap from Hapoel Be’ersheva to three points and seven from leaders Maccabi Haifa. But as the two leaders face each other on Monday – the point gained is rather a missed chance that has all but put to bed any championship aspirations.
