Preview
Maccabi arrived at the municipal stadium in Acco for the MD10 WINNER League match away to Bnei Sakhnin with a bid to bounce back from the recent result and return to winning ways. Zarko Lazetic’s side which suffered a 5-0 defeat away to Ajax in the Europa League on Thursday, lost their last four outings. A victory against in-form Sakhnin that ended Beitar Jerusalem’s 6-match unbeaten run, will send Maccabi into the international break on a high.
Lazetic made several changes from side that lost in Amsterdam as Raz Shlomo and Nemanja Stojic lined-up as the two central defenders. Stav Lemkin on the right and Sagiv Jehezkel on the left completed Maccabi’s back-four in front of goalkeeper Roi Mishpati. Joris van Overeem returned to the anchorman role while Gabi Kanichowsky captained the side while Wessley Patati made his second league start to complete the midfield trio. Osher Davida returned to the squad after serving his one-match-touchline ban and was positioned on one wing with Henry Addo on the opposite flank. Dor Turgeman led the line aiming to add to his tally of 3 league goals and 7 in all competitions this season.
Alongside goalkeeper Simon Sluga, Lazetic named Idan Nachias, Eran Zahavi, Elad Madmon, Ofir Davidzada, Issouf Sissokho, Hisham Layous, Ido Shahar and Dor Peretz.
First Half
With a strange backdrop of an empty Akko stadium, the birds on the roof of the main stand were the only noise competing with the players on the pitch. Wessley Patati who has yet to open his account, looked sharp in the opening stages as his shot was spilled by Mohamad Abu Nil for a corner. Several minutes later, the Brazilian winger came closer as his shot struck the base of the post. In the 23rd minute Patati was rewarded for his efforts as the 21-year-old’s shot come cross from the corner of the area eluded everyone including Abu Nil to open the score.
Maccabi doubled their lead six minutes later as Gabi Kanichowsky found himself with time and space on the right to find Dor Turgeman with an accurate pass before the striker swept the ball home.
Roi Mishpati was drawn into the action on 39 as a Mathew Cudjoe left foot drive forced Maccabi’s keeper to stretch himself and punch the ball out.
Second Half
With no changes at the after the break, Maccabi began the second half just like they did with the first pressing Sakhnin right from the off. Two minutes after the restart Maccabi increased the lead to three at the end of a spectacular team effort. Patati picked the ball deep inside Maccabi’s half and charged towards the halfway line before releasing Osher Davida down the left flank. Davida burst forward before squaring to Turgeman who slipped the ball to Henry Addo. The Ghanian still had his work cut out as he took the ball around the keeper and fired home his debut league goal and third in all competitions,
Five minutes after the hour mark, Lazetic, made a triple substitution as Sagiv Jehezkel, Kanichowsky and Davida all bowed out and were replaced by Ofir Davidzada, Issouf Sissokho and Dor Peretz. Lazetic was dismissed by referee Yigal Frid who booked him twice in the space of a minute for dissent on 69. In the 70th minute Maccabi scored the fourth from the unlikeliest of sources as Turgeman’s pressure on Abu Nil earned him the ball before the striker squared for Joris van Overeem. The 30-year-old Dutch born midfielder who hasn’t scored a goal since joining Maccabi in the summer of 2022 fired home to mark his 85th appearance for the club with a goal. Eran Zahavi and Hisham Layous replaced Addo and Turgeman for the closing stages as Maccabi completed their five substitutions in the 74th minute..
