Maccabi Tel Aviv returned to Bloomfield stadium for the MD13 ONE Zero League match against Hapoel Haifa which will sign off before heading for a 6 weeks World Cup international break. Maccabi’s coach Vladimir Ivic will aim to record a second victory on the bounce following the midweek 3-0 win over Hapoel Jerusalem at Teddy stadium.
Ivic made a three changes to his starting line-up as Maor Kandil replaced Andre Geraldes as the right wing-back. Nir Bitton, Derrick Luckassen and Enric Saborit were the three central defenders in-front of goalkeeper Daniel Peretz. Ofir Davidzada completed Maccabi’s defensive line as the left wing-back. Eyal Golasa who scored two goals in Maccabi’s last two outings against Sektzia Ness Ziona and Hapoel Jerusalem, kept his place and was assigned to the anchor-man role.
Golasa was joined in the midfield engine room by Avi Rikan with Dan Glazer and Dor Peretz waiting for their chance on the substitutes bench. Oscar Gloukh who was an unused substitute in midweek, returned to the starting line-up at the expense of Gabi Kanichowsky and at the top of the midfield trio. Djordje Jovanovic and Eran zahavi who both scored a goal each against Hapoel Jerusalem, kept their places upfront.
Prior to kick-off a ceremony was held in memory of former club chairman Eldad Bukshpan who died earlier this year at the age of 86.
First Half
It took Maccabi five minutes to create the first chance as the ball was sent to Maor Kandil down the right flank before he whipped-in a cross into the path of Djordje Jovanovic. The Serbian forward darted into the box but the ball got tangled under his feet at the goal-mouth allowing Haifa’s defence to clear the danger. Maccabi’s managed to get the ball in the back of the net four minutes later as another Kandil square ball reached Jovanovic who teed-up Avi Rikan. But as the midfielder rifled his shot home,
the linesman raised his flag for offside. Maccabi’s blitz continued in the 12th minute as the ball was in the back of Ohad Levita’s goal once again. Jovanovic rose high to meet a Rikan corner and as he sent his header towards the goal, Eran Zahavi slotted home from point blank range. The linesman raised his flag for offside and despite a lengthy check on VAR the goal wasn’t allowed to stand in controversial circumstances with Zahavi adjudged to have been offside.
Maccabi came close in the 22nd minute as well, this time with Eyal Golasa heading the ball down for Rikan whose attempt of a volley from the edge of the area was pushed beyond the post by Levita. Daniel Peretz was drawn into the action right on the half hour mark as Liran Sardal was allowed to run from the halfway line before unleashing a low drive which was equalled by Maccabi’s keeper.
As the fourth official indicated four minutes of added time Maccabi created two more chances as Rikan’s powerful left foot shot was punched by Levita. Seconds later Jovanovic wasted a chance which could contest as one of the misses of the season. The 23-year-old Serbian striker somehow managed to hook the ball over the crossbar from point blank range when it seemed easier to score.
Second Half
With no changes to personnel, Maccabi began the second half where they left off – pressure on Hapoel Haifa’s defence in a bid to carve an opening. Zahavi couldn’t get his free kick around the visitors’ wall in the 50th minute while five minutes later Oscar Gloukh sliced Haifa’s defence with a through ball to Zahavi who was clear. But with only Levita separating between him and a goal, the veteran forward lost his footing and sent his effort over the bar.
The visitors were handed a chance against the run of play a minute before the hour mark but Maccabi’s defence managed to block the ball for a corner. Vladimir Ivic made his first change in the 63rd minute as Gabi Kanichowsky replaced Golasa.
Ivic made his second change, this time introducing two players in the 70th minute as Parfait Guiagon and Matan Hozez replaced both Gloukh and Ofir Davidzada. Ivic went for broke as he made his final two changes in the 84th minute with Dor Peretz and Yonatan Cohen coming on for Kandil and Rikan.
A minute later Hozez charged down the right flank and was fouled by Dino Stiglec who was consequently booked. Yonatan Cohen who missed a chance minutes earlier, wasted the resulting free kick and he sent his shot high and wide of Levita’s goal. Four minutes inside the 9 referee Nael Oudah added to the game, Enric Saborit curled a cross into the area which Dor Peretz headed towards goal but Levita stretched himself to pull a stunning double save. Guiagon’s close control in the 97th minute saw the diminutive Ivorian break into the area before cutting the ball across the face of goal. But none of Maccabi’s forwards managed to tap the ball home as it agonizingly rolled across the face of goal.
With one minute left, the deadlock was finally broken as Derrick Luckassen found Jovanovic inside the area before turning and sending a powerful shot which beat Levita to send Bloomfield into a state of delirium. Maccabi’s ninth victory of the season took their point tally to 29 points, 1 adrift of leaders Maccabi and three more than Hapoel Be’ersheva who both play on Sunday. The league will now go into an international break due to the World Cup in Qatar and resume on December 19th for the away match against Maccabi Bnei Reineh. Maccabi will return to action on December 7th as they face Hapoel Jerusalem for a Toto Cup match at Bloomfield (20:00), before facing Hapoel Um El Fahm for a State Cup tie on December 11th (20:00).
