Three days after securing their place in the Quarter Final of the State Cup, Maccabi returned to Bloomfield stadium for the MD24 ONE Zero match against Maccabi Petah Tikva. Robbie Keane’s side that beat Hapoel Be’erseva 1-0 last week to take their point tally to 52, will aim to record a fourth successive victory in all competitions. Maccabi face an improved Maccabi Petah Tikva side that are unbeaten in their last six league matches and currently 7th with 29 points.
Keane made several changes from the side that beat Maccabi Jaffa 3-1 in the Cup, Prior to kickoff, the club held a ceremony in honor of the class of 1986/87 Maccabi side that won the State Cup that year as the entire team, staff and management staff were paraded onto the pitch wearing the shirts of that season. In traditional manner, the first team also wore the special retro set for the match against Maccabi Petah Tikva. Roi Mishpati returned to goal with Idan Nachmias and Matan Baltaxa lining up as the two central defenders in front of him. Ido Shahar slotted into the right-back role with Roy Revivo completing the back four on the left.
Joris van Overeem was named in the anchorman role as he was joined by Gabi Kanichowsky and Dor Peretz in the midfield engine room. Osher Davida on the right wing and Feicio Milson on the left supplied the width to Keane’s formation with Eran Zahavi leading the line aiming to feed off the brace he scored in the Cup to return to his scoring form.
On the bench Keane named Daniel Tenenbaum, Enric Saborit, Dor Turgeman, Dan Biton, Yonatan Cohen, Eyal Golasa, Ofir Davidzada, Kiko Bondoso and Eden Karzev.
First Half
Maccabi started the match on the front foot testing Petah Tikva’s defence with Felicio Mikson’s pace. In the opening five minutes the Angolan winger was caught offside twice, yet his threat caused but as the visitors were on the back foot Marco Wolf was penalised for picking up Abdrea Karo’s back pass. Eran Zahavi’s indirect free kick from the area was blocked and reached Ido Shahar whose half volley was deflected in by Roy Revivo. Maccabi’s celebrations were shortlived as the young left back was offside and the goal chalked off. In the 10th minute however, Osher Davida raced down the opposite flank for a counter before sending a square ball to Zahavi who slotted home from point blank range to open the score and end his goal drought in the league. Maccabi had the ball in the back of the net shortly after as Milson raced through and unselfishly teed up Dor Peretz for an easy tap in, but once again the flag was raised for offside and the one goal lead remained.
Peretz got his goal and Maccabi doubled their lead in the 27th minute at the end of a spectacular team effort. Idan Nachmias picked Ido Shahar in the middle as the diminutive midfielder released Zahavi who timed his run well to beat Petah Tikva’s high defensive line. Zahavi turned provider and claimed the assist as well as his center to Peretz was slotted home to make it 2-0.
While Keane’s gameplan was working like clockwork, his opposite number, Ran Kuzukh, made an early change near the halfhour mark as Ibrahim Jaaber replaced Mohamad Hindi. In the 35th minute Maccabi were denied a third and Zahavi his second after Davida was marginally offside before passing the ball to Zahavi. Seven minutes later, Petah Tikva’s high defensive line was caught flat as Milson raced through and released Davida but while the flag was kept down, VAR chalked off yet another goal.
On the stroke of halftime Shahar came close to send Maccabi to the dressing room with a three goal lead but his right foot drive was pushed by Wolf for a corner.
Second Half
Maccabi kept dominating the second period but were let down by the final pass which didn’t find a yellow shirt in the box. Keane made his first change in the 67th minute as Davida came off to a standing ovation as he was replaced by Dan Biton. A minute later Revivo picked Peretz with a clever pass before the midfielder left it for Zahavi whose snap shot went wide. Biton almost made an immediate impact as his accurate cross found Zahavi’s but the veteran marksmanship header was directed straight at the keeper. Maccabi continued to push forward as Wolf denied Shahar once again following a clever pass by Kanichowsky on 72.
Keane made a double change in the 76th minute as Eden Karzev and Dor Turgeman came on for Joris van Overeem who got their standing ovation. Within a Turgeman came close to get his name on the score sheet after he was released by an Idan Nachmias pass that carved Petah Tikva’s defence open. Turgeman rounded the keeper and fired his shot which struck the post, but Milson pounced on the rebound and fired home to make it 3-0. This was the final contribution of both Nachmias and Milson and Nachmias as the duo were replaced in the 80th minute by Ofir Davidzada and Kiko Bondoso.
Kanichowsky joined in the celebration as he was put through by Biton on 84 before his clinical finish beat Wolf for Maccabi’s fourth. Peretz had another goal disallowed for offside in the 86th minute as Maccabi kept trying to improve their goal record by scoring the fifth.
