Three days after being held to a 1-1 draw by Hapoel Hadera, Maccabi returned to Bloomfield stadium for the MD7 ONE ZERO LEAGUE rescheduled match against Maccabi Haifa. The point gained took Maccabi’s tally to 38 points but the gap from second place Maccabi Haifa was reduced to eight. After serving his one match suspension against Hadera, Robbie Keane returns to the touchline aiming to guide Maccabi back to winning ways. Keane wasn’t the only one to return as his two Dutch players Derrick Luckassen and Joris van Overeem recovered from their injuries and were back in the squad.
Keane made several changes to his starting line up as he welcomed Derrick Luckassen back to the heart of defense as the towering Dutch central defender partnered Enric Saborit. Avishai Cohen also returned to the right side of defense with Roy Revivo completed the back-four at left-back. Joris van Overeem who recovered from his injury was named in the anchorman role with Gabi Kanichowsky and Dor Peretz completed Maccabi’s midfield engine room. Dan Biton on one wing and Dor Turgeman on the other were assigned by Keane to supply the ammunition for Eran Zahavi who led the line and the team out.
Matan Baltaxe who rejoined the club last week, was named in the squad for the first time as the defender joined Roi Mishpati, Idan Nachmias, Yonatan Cohen, Sheran Yeini, Saied Abu Farchi, Ori Azu, Kiko Bondoso and Osher Davida amongst the substitutes.
Prior to kickoff Maccabi held two ceremonies for Ofir Davidzada who reached the 200 appearance landmark and former defender Maor Kandil currently at Maccabi Haifa.
First Half
Maccabi began the match on the back foot with the visitors applying pressure and dominating early on. A heavy touch by Orlando Mosquera almost gifted Haifa an early chance but the Panamanian keeper recovered on time to clear the danger. In the 11th minute Haifa took the lead after Anan Khalaili dribbled down the right past Roy Revivo and squared to Lior Rafaelov whose initial shot was saved by Mosquera before slotting in the rebound. Maccabi responded almost instantly as Avishai Cohen’s cross from the right reached Eran Zahavi whose spectacular overhead kick was saved by Shareef Keouf in Haifa’s goal.
The action continued at both ends of the pitch as Tjaronn Cherry blasted a left foot shot on 14 which Mosquera managed to save. Maccabi began gaining composure as Cohen’s cross in the 18th minute was cleared by Haifa’s defence into the path of Roy Revivo whose left foot volley saw Keouf dive to his left and save.
Dor Turgeman who looked lively down the left flank picked an ankle injury after a Haifa player landed on him. Minutes later Turgeman rose at the far post to meet a Cohen cross but his header was blocked by Ilay Feingold for a corner.
In the 34th minute referee Orel Grinfeld awarded Maccabi an indirect free kick inside the area after Keouf decided to catch Sean Goldberg back-pass. Dan Biton and Zahavi both stepped up but the veteran marksman blasted his shot straight at the wall.
As the fourth official signalled 5 minutes of added time Haifa’s Mahmoud Jaber was booked by Grinfeld for a foul on Turgeman that stopped a Maccabi counter attack. The halftime whistle sent both teams into the dressing rooms as Maccabi will have to bounce back and perform in the second half to get back in the game.
Second Half
With no changes at the restart to either side, the second half began with rain pouring to make the surface even faster at this high tempo match. Haifa’s Ali Mohammad was booked by Grinfeld for a foul on Biton that stopped a Maccabi counter attack. Mosquera then made a save from Din David to keep Maccabi in the game as Haifa looked dangerous on counter attacks.
Five minutes after the hour mark Haifa’s defense struggled to clear the danger as the ball reached Enric Saborit whose half volley struck the post and bounced out.
Keane made his first change as he introduced Osher Davida in the 70th minute for Joris van Overeem. Mosquera was the busiest keeper of the two as he was at full stretch to keep out David’s powerful curling effort from the edge of the area in the 74th minute.
Kiko Bondoso replaced Avishai Cohen on 79 as Keane shuffled his side pushing Kanichowsky to right back. In the 82nd minute Davida took on Haifa’s defense almost on his own before sending a dangerous cross that Zahavi and Turgeman couldn’t get a touch and convert. Haifa had the ball in the back of the net on 87 but the visitors’ celebrations were shortlived as the goal was disallowed by VAR for handball.
Grinfeld added five minutes during which Saborit was booked for a foul on Kandil before Idan Nachmias and Matan Baltaxa came on for Revivo and Biton.
