Preview
Maccabi returned to Bloomfield stadium for the first league home match of the 2024/25 season as they host Hapoel Be’ersheva for MD3. of the WINNER League.
Maccabi will aim to maintain their 100% success rate following the 3-0 victory over Maccabi Petah Tikva on MD2 against a side that also played 1 match. While Maccabi’s opening match of the season against Hapoel Jerusalem was rescheduled for Wednesday, Be’ersheva’s match against Bnei Sakhnin was called off due to a riot prior to kickoff with the IFA disciplinary court to decide the outcome of the result.
Head Coach Zarko Lazetic welcomed his players back from international duty, made two changes from the side that beat Petah Tikva. Roi Mishpati kept his place in goal while Tyrese Asante and Raz Shlomo were the two central defenders in front of the Maccabi custodian. Sagiv Jehezkel and Ofir Davidzada completed Maccabi’s back-four on the right and left, respectively. Issouf Sissokho in the anchorman role joined Gabi Kanichowsky and Dor Peretz to form the midfield engine room with the latter leading the team out wearing the captain’s armband.
Henry Addo on one wing and Osher Davida on the other, supplied the width to Maccabi’s formation with Dor Turgeman leading the line upfront.
On the bench Lazetic named new Brazilian signing Wesley Patati while Stav Lemkin who also joined during the international break was left out of the squad. Goalkeeper Osher Melika, Roy Revivo, Idan Nachmias, Eran Zahavi, Joris van Overeem, Nemanja Stoic, Hisham Layous and Ido Shahar completed the substitutes on the bench.
Prior to kickoff Maccabi held a ceremony for former defender Matan Baltaxa who joined Be’ersheva last week. Another emotional ceremony saw Maccabi CEO Ben Mansford present the family of Ziv and Gali Berman – the Maccabi fans held hostage in Gaza, shirts with the number 27 following their birthdays which took place last week.
First Half
Despite being welcomed onto the pitch by a sea of color and a wall of noise, Maccabi, enjoyed total dominance in the stands as Be’ersheva were banned from bringing any travelling fans. The visitors for their part began the match with pressure on Maccabi’s players right from the start. In the 5th minute King’s Kangawa picked the ball deep inside Maccabi’s half before blasting a right foot powerful drive that rocketed past Roi Mishapti and into the top corner. Maccabi’s players complained thatg Issouf Sissokho was fouled in the build-up for the goal with Dor Turgeman cautioned by referee Gal Leibovic for dissent. Beersheva’s celebrations were short-lived as the intervention of VAR called Leibovic to the screen before the initial decision was overturned and the goal disallowed.
Lifted by the fact the score was restored and still goalless, Maccabi began to stamp their authority on the game. Henry Addo looked lively down the left while on the opposite flank Osher Davida curled a left foot shot that crept wide of the post in the 17th minute. Maccabi’s best move to that stager, saw an exchange of passes between Addo and Gabi Kanichowsky who cut inside and sent a shot which was equaled by Niv Eliasi. Two minutes later the 25,032 fans were all on their feet to cheer one of the best goals this stadium has ever seen. Turgeman received the ball just inside Be’ersheva’s half as he chested it down losing Matan Baltaxa in the process. Despite being surrounded by three defenders, Turgeman cut inside leaving all trio behind him as he found himself with only the keeper to beat. Turgeman slotted the ball into the bottom corner to put Maccabi in-front and open his account in the league for the season.
Inside injury time Turgeman almost added an assist as he was released by Dor Peretz but his cut back which was directed as Sagiv Jehezkel was cleared for a corner. Davida could have doubled Maccabi’s lead from the resulting corner which comfortably fell to him, but his shot cleared the crossbar before the halftime whistle was sounded.
Second Half
Maccabi’s coach Zarko Lazetic made his first change after the break as Kanichowsky who picked an injury in the first half didn’t emerge for the second and was replaced at the restart by Ido Shahar.
In the 51st minute Sagiv Jehezkel suffered a facial injury after colliding with an opponent and was replaced by Nemanja Stojic for his debut appearance in a Maccabi shirt. Three minutes after the hour mark Be’ersheva had the ball in the back of the net once again. Eliel Peretz’s free kick was flicked by Zahi Ahmed towards the back post where Matan Baltaxa nodded it in. Be’ersheva’s celebrations were dampened fror the second time as VAR spotted Ahmed in an offside position and the goal was scratched off. Peretz was cautioned for a foul on 69 and was replaced by Joris van Overeem while Hisham Layous came on for Addo as part of the double substitution.
Lazetic made his fifth and final substitution with Idan Nachmias replacing Tyrese Asante in the 75th minute. Van Overeem received medical treatment after Kangwa’s powerful free kick struck him in the head while Maccabi fans cheered Avi Rikan who retired last week. In the 82nd minute Davida and Shahar exchanged passes to break down the right before the pacey winger sent a cross into the box. Layous met the ball with a powerful diving header, but Eliasi stretched himself across the goal-line to produce a stunning reflex save. Eliasi was at full stretch once again on 88 to turn Stojic’s header for a corner following a Shahar free kick.
Be’ersheva tried desperately to level the score but Maccabi defended bravely to celebrate the three points at the final whistle.
