Preview
Four days after returning from Nice having missed out on a place in the Conference League Group Stages, Maccabi Tel Aviv arrived at the Netanya stadium for the match against Hapoel Hadera knowing that the league will be their main focus this season. The draining 120 minutes played at the Allianz Riviera stadium in Nice claimed its toll on Vladimir Ivic’s players, as the Serbian coach made several changes to his starting line-up in a bid to continue the perfect record achieved in last week’s 5-0 win over newly promoted side Bnei Reineh.
Daniel Peretz whose run of good form was evident during the entire European campaign, kept his place in goal. Shahar Piven who played 90 minutes against Bnei Reineh and was rested in Nice, returned to the starting line-up as one of Ivic’s three central defenders. Piven was named alongside Nir Bitton and Enric Saborit who both played a 120 minutes in France on Thursday as did Ofir Davidzada who kept his place as the left wing-back. Maor Kandil who started against Bnei Reineh completed Maccabi’s back-line as the right wing-back. Dan Glazer led the team out wearing the captain’s armband from his position as the midfield anchorman with Parfait Guiagon on the right side of the midfield engine room. Oscar Gloukh who started against Bnei Reineh and set-up one of the goals before impressing during his cameo appearance in Nice, swapped the number 37 jersey with the number 11 jersey as the youngster featured at the top of the midfield trio. A week after scoring a brace against Bnei Reineh, Djordje Jovanovic led the line aiming to add to his tally, with Eran Zahavi partnering the Serbian striker upfront.
Alongside goalkeeper Daniel Tenenbaum, Ivic named Dan Biton, Gabi Kanichowsky, Brandley Kuwas, Sheran Yeini, Avi Rikan, Dor Turgeman, Dor Peretz and Matan Hozez all waiting for their chance to make an impact.
First Half
Hapoel Hadera began the match aggressively trying to intimidate Maccabi right from the start as Enric Saborit required medical treatment following a Menashe Zalka tackle from behind in the third minute. The Spanish defender was back on his feet to rejoin his teammates as Maccabi enjoyed the majority of possession in the opening stages.
Dia Lababidi avoided a booking for a rough tackle from behind on Oscar Gloukh near the halfway line in the 15th minute. But a minute later the 18-year-old Maccabi playmaker set-up the opener for Eran Zahavi who span on the edge of the area and scored his first league goal since leaving Israel six years ago.
The hosts were stunned by the opener and within a minute Maccabi doubled their lead as Zahavi won the ball inside Hadera’s half, released Djordje Jovanovic whose square ball fell to Gloukh before the youngster slotted home past Robi Levkovich. Hadera were shell-shocked and Maccabi continued their blitz and scored a third goal in the space of four minutes. Maoer Kandil, who miscued several crosses earlier on, carved Hadera’s defence with a through ball to Zahavi whose flick released Parfait Guiagon. The Ivorian raced into the area and had his initial shot saved by Levkovich before Gloukh pounced on the rebound and two minutes after openin g his league account bagged his second and Maccabi’s third.
The 8000 Maccabi fans who traveled to Netanya and occupied the majority of the stadium were in a state of complete delirium on 25 as Saborit joined the goal-fest to complete eight minutes of footballing madness. Gloukh once again played a key role in the build-up as he cut the ball back for Zahavi who sent Saborit clear through before the Spaniard slid the ball under Levkovich to make it 4-0.
Daniel Peretz was drawn into the action as Maccabi’s custodian was at full stretch to push Zalka’s shot over the crossbar in the 27th minute.
The combination of Gloukh, Zahavi and Jovanovic kept tormenting Hadera’s players as Maccabi came close to score the fifth on the half hour mark but the Serb was denied by the crossbar. Ivic was forced to make a change on 31 as Nir Bitton felt a groin strain and was replaced by Sheran Yeini. Jovanovic was desperate to get on the scoresheet but his effort was headed off the line by Hadera’s tall defender Jonathan Cisse.
Second Half
With a 4-0 lead at halftime, just like the score at the interval against Bnei Reineh last week, Maccabi emerged unchanged for the second half.
Ivic made a double change three minutes after the hour mark as Maor Kandil bowed out and was replaced by Matan Hozez while Gabi Kanichowsky came in for Guiagon. A Peretz long ball out of defence released Jovanovic who raced clear through in the 67th but the Serbian forward was unlucky once again as his shot struck the side netting.
Maccabi continued to dominate as four minutes later Jovanovic cut the ball back for Zahavi but the veteran marksman had his shot deflected over the crossbar. Ivic made his final two substitutions as Dor Peretz and Avi Rikan came in for the final 14 minutes replacing both Dan Glazer and Ofir Davidzada.
In the 82nd minute Jovanovic finally got his goal after Rikan’s attempt of an overhead kick was blocked before the Serbian striker beat Levkovich with a low drive that went in off the post to make it 5-0.
Maccabi scored the sixth goal in the 90th minute at the end of a move which began with Daniel Peretz in goal and ended with Dor Peretz at the opposite goal. Maccabi’s keeper released a counter attack which was carried by the midfielder for more than half the length of the pitch. Peretz then released Kanichowsky and continued his run into the area before whose floated cross was headed in by Dor Peretz to open his account and seal the win.
