Pre Game
Maccabi arrived at the Partizan stadium in Belgrade for their first home game in the Europa League phase campaign against Danish side FC Midtjyalland. Following last week’s defeat away to Sporting Braga, Zarko Lazetic’s side will aim to bounce back and record their first victory of the new League phase. Dor Turgean who suffered an injury in Braga joined an injury list which already included Ofir Davidzada, Ido Shahar, Roy Revivo and Sagiv Jehezkel. Lazetic was also forced to be with Gabi Kanichowsky and Tyrese Asante who were sent off in the closing stages in Portugal.
As a result Stav Lemkin received his debut Maccabi appearance at right back with Idan Nachmias deputizing to the left back position he played in the league against Ironi Tiberias. Raz Shlomo and Nemanja Stojic completed Maccabi’s back four as the two central defenders in front of goalkeeper Roi Mishpati. Joris van Overeem returned to the midfield anchorman role as he was partnered in the engine room by Issouf Sissokho with Dor Peretz at the front of the midfield trio.
Osher Davida who scored Maccabi’s goal from the penalty spot in Braga last week was named by Lazetic on one wing with Hisham Layous supplying the width on the opposite flank. Elad Madmon spearheaded Maccabi’s attack as the young forward who joined the club in the summer from Hapoel Hadera was handed his chance in the striker’s role.
On the bench alongside goalkeepers Ofek Melika and Roei Amedi, Lazetic named Avishay Cohen, Eran Zahavi, Yonas Malede, Wesley Patati, Henry Addo, Roey Magor, Ido Oli, Nir Bitton, and Daniel Tishler.
First Half
Maccabi could have had a dream start inside the opening minute as Elad Madmon knocked the ball down for Dor Peretz who released Hisham Layous into the box. The winger cut inside and tried to square the ball before Kevin Mbabu blocked the attempted cross. Midtjylland had an attempt on goal at the opposite end as Jan Kuchta was played in in the 6th minute but his close range effort was equaled by Roi Mishpati.
Two minutes later Midtjylland should feel fortunate not to have conceded as goal after Nemanja Stojic was first to react to Osher Davida’s corner but had his header blocked on the goal line by Ousmane Diao. Peretz pounced on the rebound forcing a save from Midtjylland’s keeper Elias Rafn Olafsson before Stav Lemkin saw his effort bounce off the crossbar. Maccabi continued to dominate pinging Midtjylland inside their own haff with Joris van Overeem and Issouf Sissokho pushing forward and having attempts on goal as well. Osher Davida and Hisham Layous kept tormenting Midtjylland’s full backs but none of their crosses managed to find a teammate in the box.
Five minutes after the half hour mark, van Overeem won the ball inside Midtjylland’s half and released a counter attack which ended with Davida firing his shot straight at the keeper. While Maccabi couldn’t translate their dominance to a goal, Midtjylland exploited a mishit Mishpati clearance on 39 with Aral Simsir sliding the ball Dju Franculino before he swept it past Misphati to put the visitors in front.
and Peretz winning most of their duals even before the ball could reach Maccabi’s back-four. VAR checked the goal for a potential offside but the goal was left to count before the halftime whistle sent a frustrated Maccabi to regroup in the dressing room during the interval.
Second half:
With no changes at halftime Maccabi emerged for the second half determined to grab an equalizer and get back in the game. Three minutes after the restart Midtjylland’s defense struggled to clear a Davida corner which fell to Raz Shlomo before Stojic missed the target from the goalmouth scramble. Maccabi kept on pushing forward as Lauous broke into the box and cut the ball back for Peretz whose half volley shaved the side netting.
In the 55th minute Georgian referee Giorgi Kruashvili was called to the screen for a potential penalty after Lemkin collided with an opponent in the box, But Kruashvili decided to stick with his initial decision and not award Midtjylland what would have been a soft penalty.
Madmon came close to level the score on 65 as he cut inside on the right and blasted a shot which was punched away by the keeper. Nachmias went into the referee’s book for charging down Chilufya a minute later. Lazetic reacted with a triple substitution in the 72nd minute as Avishay Cohen, Henry Addo and Eran Zahavi came on for Lemkin, Layous and Madmon.
Wesley Patati replaced Davida in the 83rd minute as Lazetic added a fresh pair of legs for the closing stages. Midtjylland doubled their lead in the 88th minute at the end of a counter attack which saw Edward Chiufya beat Mishpati from close range.
