Maccabi Tel Aviv chalked up an important 3-1 practice match win over Hapoel Ra’anana at Kiryat Shalom in searing conditions on Saturday and gave themselves a confidence boost after a layoff of over six weeks as they prepare for the restart of the Premier League at the end of the month.

Both teams used 12 substitutes each and none of the players played for the entire 90 minutes, allowing them plenty of recovery time as the teams gear up for the closing phase of the season.

Itay Shechter put Maccabi ahead in the seventh minute after pouncing on a rebounding ball after Ra’anana goalkeeper Niv Antman kept out a shot by Andre Geraldes.

The visitors’ Or Dasa levelled the scores in the 35th minute but Shechter added his second goal in the 41st minute after a series of passes saw Avi Rikan put him clear in front of goal and the Maccabi striker was left to slot home.

Nick Blackman, who substituted Shechter in the second half, sealed the result in the 79th minute with a left-footed strike after a good assist by substitute Parfait Guiagon, the under-19 team’s Ivory Coast striker.

Maccabi’s first match in the playoff phase of the Premier League will be against Hapoel Haifa at home on May 30. With all 26 matches in the first two phases of the league completed, Maccabi lead the table with 64 points, six ahead of second-placed Maccabi Haifa, who appear to be their only realistic title challengers. Beitar Jerusalem are third in the standings on 49 points.

Ra’anana are playing in the lower-section playoffs and will not face Maccabi again this season.

Starting lineups:

Maccabi Tel Aviv: Daniel Tenenbaum (Andreas Gianniotis, 46), Andre Geraldes (Itay Ben Hemo, 62), Jair Amador (Sheran Yeini, 46), Shahar Piven (Omer Itzhak, 75), Enric Saborit (Ophir Davidzada, 46), Dan Glazer (Dor Peretz, 46), Avi Rikan (Ruslan Barsky, 46), Dor Micha (Eyal Golasa, 46, Parfait Guiagon, 75), Omer Atzili (Matan Hozez, 46), Yonatan Cohen (Eylon Almog, 46), Itay Shechter (Nick Blackman, 46).

Hapoel Ra’anana: Niv Antman (Assaf Tzur, 46), Daryl Lahman (Adi Nimni, 46), Ido Levy (David Mattheus, 46), Amit Cohen (Shon Klimkin, 46), Yarden Cohen (Roey Herman, 46), Itay Katzav (Ben Binyamin, 46), Snir Shuker (Ben Savir, 46), Diwan Naeh (Ido Ben Yosef, 46, Golan Benny 68), Roey Levy (Lior Berkovitz, 46), Or Dasa (Eugene Ansa, 46), Idan Shemesh (Vitali Ganon, 46).

With just a week to go until the Tel Aviv Derby against Hapoel next Monday, Maccabi have delivered a crucial result and have restored their lead over Maccabi Haifa at the top of the TASE Premier League standings to six points.

The 3-0 win over Hapoel Kiryat Shmona on Sunday night came thanks to three goals scored between the 75th and 86th minutes, and a glance at the history books shows that it is the 51st time in which the club have managed to score three goals within 11 minutes. The previous occasion was during the 6-0 win over Maccabi Haifa at the end of the 2015-16 season.

But rarer still, is that this was only the third time ever that Maccabi have opened their scoring account in the 75th minute and then gone on to score two more goals. The previous two occasions were against Maccabi Netanya in January 1018 and December 1949.

This was also the 19th time this season in which Maccabi have kept a clean sheet and they are now just two games away from equalling the all time league record for a season.

In attack, Maccabi have scored at least three goals in six out of their last eight league wins and while they left it late on Sunday, individual records were also updated as Yonatan Cohen, who scored the first goal of the match, raised his season’s tally to ten league goals. This put him third overall in the league and top among Maccabi’s players.

The winger also added a third assist in his last four games and he leads the league in this category with nine overall. Cohen is also second in the league in delivering telling passes, having racked up 17 so far. 

Omer Atzili also continued his fine form, scoring the second goal and setting up the third. He has seven goals and seven assists and is third in the league.

Chico Ofoedu scored the third goal for a total of eight this season is second among the club’s scorers and fourth in the league.

Dan Glazer returned to his position in defensive midfield and has reached 92 successful dispossessions this season, putting him at the top of the list. He and Jair Amador shared nine successful dispossessions during the win over Kiryat Shmona.

Eyal Golasa registered two telling passes out of three attempts, one of which put Cohen through for the second goal that came thanks to Atzili’s cross in from the left.

Maccabi Tel Aviv notched another convincing win in the TASE Premier League on Saturday and put three goals without reply past Hapoel Haifa.

Goals by Yonatan Cohen in the first half and by Dor Micha and Itai Shechter in the second half secured the points for the hosts, although there was never any doubt throughout who were the better of the two teams.

Maccabi started the first half strongly and looked as if they were ready to take the game to their opponents from the opening whistle but Haifa were not cowered and mounted a few attacks of their own. 

Probably more than in any other league fixture so far this season, Maccabi were also on the back foot early as Haifa stormed forward but poor finishing ensured that  Daniel Tenenbaum, who has now kept ten consecutive clean sheets since the start of the season, was never under threat.

Cohen broke the deadlock in the 26th minute when after a string of passes on the right of the area, Eyal Golasa found him in space and the in-form forward’s curling right-foot shot evaded Haifa goalkeeper Yasmin Boric’s fingertips and ended up on the far side of the net.

Early pressure in the second half, with Maccabi’s players controlling all the play, culminated in the second goal in the 54th minute after Micha latched onto another good Golasa pass from the left and he made no mistake and struck the ball firmly into the roof of the net from 10 metres out. 

Maccabi should have added a third in the 64th minute when referee Eli Hachmon awarded a penalty after a VAR check following a foul on Chico Ofoedu, but Cohen’s spot kick was well saved by Boric as he dived to his right to parry the ball.

Itai Schechter, who came on as substitute late in the game after Ofoedu went off injured, secured the result in injury time when he slotted the ball home after Maccabi’s forward line broke free of the Haifa defence and Atzili passed an easy ball to Shechter who was unmarked and had no pressure in slotting the ball into the net.

Goals from Chico Ofoedu (10) and Yonatan Cohen (74) led Maccabi Tel Aviv to a 2-0 victory over struggling Hapoel Ra’anana in the ninth round of the Israel Premier League.

Goalkeeper Daniel Tenebaum kept another clean sheet to extend his outstanding record of not conceding a league goal to a highly impressive 810 minutes. It took Maccabi just 10 minutes to break the deadlock as Dan Glazer released Chiekluda Ofoeduwith a clever pass and the Nigerian scored with a powerful shot from the edge of the area. 

Maccabi created further chances as Eyal Golasa – on his first appearance in a year – saw his shot slide wide of the post and Enric Saborit hit the woodwork.

Golasa came off for Ruslan Barsky shortly after the interval as Ra’anana pressed, and they came close to finally beating Tenenbaum as Yoav Tomer’s shot deflected off a defender and rattled the crossbar.  

But Maccabi sealed the points in the 74th minute when a well worked goal involving seven players was neatly finished by Cohen who fired past Ra’anana keeper Assaf Tzur. 

The win sees Maccabi go six points clear at the top of the table with fellow championship hopefuls Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Beersheba yet to play their ninth games.

After the game coach Vladimir Ivic was said he was pleased with today’s performance. “We started well and got the early goal, created chances and we were in control of the game.bWe were not as dominant in the early stages of the second half and Ra’anana came at us, but we finished with confidence after the second goal went in. I am happy with the three points.”

Maccabi Tel Aviv were made to work hard by hosts Ashdod SC on Saturday but the visitors nevertheless secured an important victory with a Chico Ofoedu goal in the 70th minute in the port city.

A fast-paced match saw Maccabi secure three important points as they seek to retain their league crown and they have kept another clean sheet. 

In a generally untidy contest, Maccabi dominated the majority of play but they were unable to find a way through to the Ashdod goal as the hosts defended on their small pitch that made expansive play difficult.

The first half saw Maccabi attempt more than a handful of chances but none troubled their opponents, while Daniel Tenenbaum in goal was barely tested. 

Ofoedu finally got Maccabi on the scoreboard in the 70th minute when a rare breakaway move found him in front of the goalmouth with only Ashdod keeper Roy Mishpati to beat. He made no mistake and slotted the ball after a cross from the right by Andre Geraldes.

Ofoedu almost made it 2-0 less than two minutes later from another ball in from the right, but it was too fast and he couldn’t control it and missed the target.

Maccabi dropped the pace a little as the match drew to its conclusion and play became a little more untidy although Ashdod never appeared as if they could really threaten their visitors.

Maccabi Tel Aviv played their final preseason friendly of their training camp as Sparta Rotterdam was the opponent for the third match this past week in Mierlo, Holland just ahead of the opening of the 2019/20 campaign with a Saturday clash versus Bnei Yehuda in the Champions Cup.

Rotterdam was the first Dutch opponent of the Yellow & Blue’s Training Camp as they were just promoted to their domestic league’s first division after ending last campaign in second place and advanced via the playoff round.

Head Coach Vladimir Ivic’s Starting XI included keeper Andreas Gianniotis, Dor Peretz, Jair Amador, Ophir Davdizada, Maor Kandil, Dan Glezer, Ruslan Barsky, Avi Rikan, Eylon Almog, Chico Ofoedu, Itay Schechter.

First Half
Maccabi pressed Sparta and created chances in the 7’ by Shechter and a minute later by Rikan but the Rotterdam keeper made the stops. The Yellow & Blue’s Dutch opponent began to control the pace of play and pressured the Maccabi goal which resulted in a goal in the 21’ when Ragnar Ache scored from in close for a 1:0 lead.

Rotterdam continued to maintain possession but Almog had a chance for Maccabi from 17 meters in the 35’ but wasn’t able to beat the Sparta keeper Tim Coremans. Kandil also had an opportunity to draw Maccabi even a minute later thanks to an Ofoedu cross but his effort came up short as Sparta held a slim one goal lead after 45 minutes of action.

Second Half
Ivic made four substitutes to start the second half as Sheran Yeini, Matan Baltaxa, Dor Micha and Yonatan Cohen all came on in favor of Amador, Davdizada, Almog and Ofoedu. Maccabi began the second half on the right foot and in the 49’ Kandil sent Rikan a ball from the right side that he put home to draw the Yellow & Blue even at 1:1.

Maccabi continued to press and in the 56’ Micha gave Shechter a beauty of a through ball that he easily converted as Ivic’s squad took a 2:1 lead. Cohen’s header off a Rikan cross just missed the target and in the 70’ Aaron Schoenfeld was introduced in favor of Shechter.

In the 75’ Omer Atzili made his training camp debut since his injury and immediately following the substitute Cohen surprised Sparta’s second choice keeper Michael Fabrie from 25 meters but made the save. Eden Kartzev replaced Dor Peretz in the 81’ and three minutes later Schoenfeld sent Atzili a nice ball but the latter couldn’t take advantage of the opportunity as Maccabi wrapped up a 2:1 victory to end training camp on a high note.

Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Ashdod 2:0 thanks to an Omer Atzili brace at the Yud Alef Stadium on Matchday 25 of the Israel Premier League Ligat Japanika. Atzili scored two tremendous second half goals, the first off a Dor Micha assist and the second deep into injury time from an 18 meter free kick. The Yellow & Blue collected the 3 points and will now ready themselves for the State Cup semifinal draw on Sunday while next week they’ll host Bnei Yehuda on the final Matchday of the regular season.

Head Coach Vladimir Ivic’s Starting XI included Predrag Rajkovic, Enric Saborit, Shahar Piven, Sheran Yeini, Eli Dasa, Dor Micha, Dor Peretz, Avi Rikan, Omer Atzili, Eliran Atar, Chico Ofoedu.

Available on the bench: Daniel Tenenbaum, Jair Amador, Ophir Davidzada, Maor Kandil, Ruslan Barsky, Itay Shechter and Aron Schoenfeld.

First Half
Nir Bardea had the first chance for Ashdod but his attempt just went by the post in the 2’ and just a minute later Atzili’s opportunity was blocked by the host keeper Yoav Gerafi. Saborit left the ball for Rikan in the 5’ but his shot went over the goal and two minutes later Ofoedu’s chance from 17 meters was caught by the keeper.

Atar’s 10 attempt was parried by an active Gerafi and 15 minutes later Saborit again left the ball for Rikan but his opportunity went over the bar. In the 37’ Chico sent Atar the ball but his one on one attempt was taken care of by Gerafi who went out to grab the ball.

Rikan’s 45’ shot was again saved by Gerafi while Atar’s chance went off the outside netting of the goal as it looks like it will just be a matter of time before Maccabi will break through the Ashdod keeper as the side’s went into the break deadlocked at 0:0.

Second Half
In the 48’ Atzili’s attempt from a sharp angle went out and his second chance in two minutes from 20 meters was caught by Gerafi. Chico’s 52’ opportunity went over the bar and finally eight minutes later Atzili found the back of the goal thanks to a Micha assist.

#15 found Atzili at the top of the box as he turned and with his right foot he sent a scorcher into the far corner for a 1:0 Yellow & Blue lead. Rikan was issued a yellow card in the 62’ and Dan Bitton’s ensuing free kick was beautifully blocked by Rajkovic to keep the score as is. Ivic made a pair of substitutions in the 72’ as Ruslan Barsky and Itay Shechter came on for Eliran Atar and Avi Rikan.

In the 76’ Atzili’s corner was headed by Ofoedu but just missed the target while Aron Schoenfeld entered the match in the 87’ as Maccabi’s third substitute. A minute later Dasa was issued a yellow card and Bitton’s free kick was taken care of by Rajkovic.

However, Maccabi wasn’t finished yet as Atzili scored his second of the contest deep into injury time off a gorgeous 18 meter free kick as the Yellow & Blue wrapped up a 2:0 win at the Yud Alef Stadium.