Roi Mishpati, celebrated his call-up to the Israel national team squad with a fifth clean of the season and a seventh victory in the league as Maccabi beat Bnei Sakhnin 4-0 at Acco.
After the match, the 31-year-old keeper said after the match: “The victory was extremely important for us after what happened in the last few days” Mishpati said. “It was important for us to do that at especially at a match which was played behind closed doors with no fans in attendance and with no atmosphere, as we knew they are watching us from home and wanted to make them as happy as possible. We all experienced very complex days recently. I am just glad that everyone returned to Israel safely.”
Mishpati gave an insight into how the players saw things during the tough night in Amsterdam: “We returned to our team hotel after the match and the players’ phones were just bombarded with messages. Yoav Ziv, our Team Manager set up a Headquarters and tried to assist fans as much as possible. On our flight back home we also added as many fans as we could. It wasn’t a minor issue, but the Jewish nation is being hunted and I am really relieved everyone returned home safe. I just hope that action will be taken against the perpetrators.”
On the atmosphere in the build-up ahead of the match against Sakhnin, Mishpati who was in goal as Maccabi suffered four defeats in succession said: “We had a lot of motivation to win here tonight, especially after our recent results but also after what happened in Holland. I felt the players after the final practice session, at the hotel, and in the dressing room – we just exploded. I am delighted it came at this match.”
On his first ever call-up to the Israel national team, Mishpati said: “There isa no one happier than me to be part of the nation al team squad. Every player dreams of making it to the national team and just to tick that box. I will just give everything I have got once I am there.
