Preview:
Maccabi arrived at Teddy stadium for the WINNER League MD7 home match against Maccabi Haifa which was relocated from Bloomfield stadium that has a 2000 capacity limit due to Home Front Command restrictions. The first top of the table clash of the 2024/25 season, saw Maccabi go into the match with a three point lead over Haifa that has a game in hand against Beitar which will be played on Tuesday.
Zarko Lazetic’s side have 16 points having won 5 and drawn 1 while Haifa are on 13 with 4 victories and a draw from 5 matches.
Injuries to several players are still keeping Lazetic from having a full squad at his disposal with Roy Revivo, Ofek Melika and Dor Turgeman still out injured. New signing Simon Sluga, who joined the club as cover for the injured Melika was named for the first time on the bench.
Raz Shlomo who recovered from a groin injury that sidelined him during the international break partnered Nemanja Stojic as the two central defenders in front of goalkeeper Roi Mishpati. Tyrese Asante was assigned to the right-back role while Ofir Davidzada completed Maccabi’s back-four on the left side of defense. Issouf Sissokho in the anchorman role sat behind Gabi Kanichowsky and Dor Peretz who completed Maccabi’s midfield trio. Following Hisham Layous’ late withdrawal due to illness, Osher Davida was named on one wing with Henry Addo on the other flank supplying the width to Maccabi’s formation. Elad Madmon led the line on his 10th Maccabi appearance and first league start aiming to score his 2nd league goal after his successful penalty against Netanya.
On the bench alongside Sluga, Lazetic, welcomed back from injury Ido Shahar who was back in the side since suffering an injury against Ashdod. Stav Lemkin, Idan Nachmias, Eran Zahavi, Joris van Overeem, Yonas Malede, Wesley Patati and Nir Bitton were the other substitutes on Maccabi’s bench.
First Half
Both teams walked onto the pitch and were welcomed by a sea of colour and a wall of noise supplied by Maccabi’s fans at Teddy. Five minutes from the start Dia Saba charged through the middle and was brought down by Elad Madmon who was consequently booked by referee Orel Grinfeld. Saba took the free kick but his left foot effort curled past the wall but shaved the crossbar.
In the 17th the deadlock was broken in spectacular fashion as Gabi Kanichowsky scored one of the goals which will compete as one of the goals of the season. Henry Addo charged down the left skipped past Dolev Haziza and sent a square ball which was intercepted by a Haifa defender before Dor Peretz pounced on the loose ball and was seemed to have been tripped by an opponent just inside the box. Grinfeld didn’t blow his whistle but Kanichowsky didn’t wait as he curled an unstoppable shot that sailed into the top corner giving Shareef Keouff no chance. Teddy stadium erupted celebrating the wonder goal but Maccabi’s fans were soon on their feet as the lead was doubled on 24. Ofir Davidzada whiped in a cross from the left into the path of Addo who ghosted through Haifa’s defense. The Ghanian’s powerful diving header saw Keouf pull a reflex save to claw the ball off his line but Madmon pounced on the rebound and swept home his second league goal.
Second Half
While Zarko Lazetic made no changes at the break, his Haifa counterpart Barak Bachar made two substitutions with Ilay Feingold and Xander Severina replacing Oleksandr Syrota and Eitan Azulay at the restart. Tyrese Asanate who was booked in the closing stages of the first half could have extended Maccabi’s lead in the 49th minute. The Dutch defender was left unmarked inside the area but from almost point blank range headed the ball over the crossbar. Addo came close to score on 52 but his right foot shot struck the side netting.
Maccabi kept on pressing for a third as Osher Davida broke from the right but saw his left foot drive which seemed a carbon copy of Kanichowsky’s goal, sail agonisingly wide. In the 58th minute Maccabi were awarded a penalty as Peretz was brought down inside the area while Grinfeld didn’t hesitate as he pointed at the spot. Davida stepped up, sent the ball to the left of the keeper but Keouf guessed right and saved the penalty to keep Haifa in the game.
Bachar made another double change as Matias Nahurel and Lior Rafaelov came on for Haziza and Vital Nsimba. Mishpati who made a similar save in the first half was at it again in the second as he kept out Saba’s effort on 65.
Lazetic reacted with a triple substitution in the 71st minute as Joris van Overeem, Ido Shahar and Eran Zahavi replaced Dor Peretz, Addo and Madmon. Din David had the ball in the back of the net as he lifted the ball over Mishpati on 75 but the goal was disallowed for offside. Haifa continued to look dangerous as a combination of Mishpati and his post denied Rafaelov from cutting the deficit in the 77th minute.
Despite his missed penalty Davida bowed out to a standing ovation as he was replaced by Wesley Patati for the closing stages. Zahavi came close in the 86th minute as he curled a right foot free kick which threatened to go in but Keouf pulled a stunning save to claw the ball out. Deep inside injury time Stav Lemkin came on for Issouf Sissokho giving man of the match Kanichowsky a standing ovation.
