Preview:
Maccabi Tel Aviv arrived at the Estádio Municipal de Braga ahead of the EUROPA League phase MD1 against local side Sporting Braga aiming to kick-start their campaign on a positive note. Maccabi’s Head Coach, Zarko Lazetic, will be hoping for a better outcome at the stadium he guided his former club TSC Backa Topola to a 3-0 defeat in the Europa League 3rd qualifying round last season. Maccabi for their part will try get a better result against Braga’s Portuguese Head Coach, Carlos Carvalhal who guided Besiktas to a 5-1 victory over Maccabi in Istanbul on the club’s first ever match at the Europa League group phase back in September 2011.
The recent additions of Roy Revivo and Ido Shahar to the injury list which already includes Sagiv Jehezkel, forced Lazetic to make changes to Maccabi’s starting line-up. Tyrese Asante started at right-back with Raz Shlomo returning to the heart of defense partnering Nemanja Stojic as the second central defender. Ofir Davidzada also returned to left side of defense, completing Maccabi’s back-four in front of goalkeeper Roi Mishpati.
Issouf Sissokho was this time named as the anchorman of Lazetic’s engine room with Gabi Kanichowsky and Dor Peretz slightly forming the midfield trio. Elad Madmon made his first European start for Maccabi on one wing with Osher Davida on the opposite flank. Dor Turgeman spearheaded Maccabi’s attack aiming to continue his good run of form.
On the bench, Lazetic named goalkeeper Ofek Melika, Avishay Cohen, Stav Lemkin, Idan Nachmias, Eran Zahavi, Joris van Overeen, Yonas Malede, Wesley Patati, Henry Addo, Hisham Layous, Ido Oli and Nir Bitton.
First Half
Maccabi could have had a perfect start to the game as Dor Peretz was found himself behind Braga’s line of defense inside the second minute. Maccabi’s captain on the night side-footed the ball to Elad Madmon who rolled it into the open net. But the referee assistant raised his flag for offside to dissallow what what would have been Maccabi’s earliest goal in the competition. Zarko Lazetic’s side were awarded two free kicks early on which were crossed in by Osher Davida. But Peretz headed the first one over while Braga’s defense managed to clear the second out of the box. The hosts started to stamp their authority on the game but Maccabi’s defense marshaled by Raz Shlomo and Nemanja Stojic squandered every the attempts to reach Roi Mishpati.
Peretz was in the thick of things once again as he broke clear through from the right but his square ball towards Ofir Davidzada had too much weight on it as the full back who was left unmarked at the far post couldn’t get at the end of. Madmon then had two good chances in the space of 2 minutes as the young forward was teed-up by Gabi Kanichowsky in the 11th minute before cutting inside and shooting wide. Two minutes later Madmon rose high to meet Davidzada’s cross but headed wide. Braga came close to break the deadlock in the 18th minute as Amine El Quazzani rattled Mishpati’s crossbar with a left foot shot. A minute later at the opposite end Davida cut the ball back for Dor Turgeman whose effort was from the centre of the area was blocked by Joao Fereira. The end yo end stuff continues as Rafik Gultane slipped Victor Gomez through in the 25th minute but Mishpati spread himself and blocked the shot for a corner.
In the 28th minute Maccabi were awarded a penalty after Madmon’s backheel flicked released Peretz who was tripped by Braga’s keeper Matheus. Davida stepped up, sent the keeper the wrong way and buried the penalty to give Maccabi a 1-0 lead right on the half hour mark. Braga pressed forward in an attempt to level the score but Maccabi’s defense managed to protect the box from all the crosses and square balls sent in. On the stroke of halftime Vitor Carvalho sent a shot which rolled wide while inside injury time Ricardo Horta blasted a shot over the crossbar. Seconds before the interval Sikou Niakate flattened Turgeman and landed on the strikers knee in tbe process as the 20 year old limped off before the halftime whistle sent both teams to the dressing rooms.
Second Half
While Lzetic kept Maccabi’s side unchanged, his Portugeuse counterpart Carlos Carvalhal made three changes as he introduced Jean- Baptise Gorby, Ismail Gharbi and Roberto Fernandez at the restart. Ferreira required medical treatment on 51 as he blocked a Kanichowsky powerful drive which was heading for goal as Maccabi continued to look dangerous.
Five minutes later Mishpati pulled a stunning save to claw Fernandez’s header and as the ball fell to Bruma with the goal at his mercy, the Braga forward somehow managed to hook it over from point blank range. Lazetic made his first change as he introduced Henry Addo for Madmon six minutes after the hour nark. Kanichowsky was caitioned for elbowing an opponent on 75 before Mishpati was at full stretch to catch Horta’s volley a minute later. As Braga continued to dominate, Lazetic, made two more changes in the 77th minute as he added the fresh legs of Wesley Patati and Hisham Layous for Davida and Turgeman.
Fernandez sent another shot wide in the 79th minute but at the opposite end Lauous broke into the box from the left and cut the ball back for Peretz whose shot bobbled onto the crossbar. In the 88th minute Braga we’re back on level terms as Bruma managed to tuck the ball from close range with Mishpati unable to keep it out. Inside injury time, Maccabi almost restored theor lead as Patati curled a left foot shot that beat the keeper but struck the crossbar. At the opposite end a Braga counter attack saw Braga charge forward and after their effort was blocked VAR called the referee to the screen as he awarded a penalty. Bruma stepped up sent Mishpati the wrong way to complete Braga’s dramatic late comeback and give the Portugeuse side a 2-1 lead at the death
Deep in injury time Tyrese Asante and Kanichowsky were both sent off for two bookable offences adding more misery to Maccabi’s defeat.
