Two quick goals by Eden Ben Basat and Yossi Benayoun sealed the Derby early on as Maccabi defeated Hapoel Tel Aviv 2:0 as they now turn their sights on the Europa League playoff round first leg on Thursday night against Hajduk Split.

Head Coach Shota Arveladze mixed up his Toto Cup Starting XI against the Reds as Rajikovic started in goal while Avi Rikan, Yuval Shpungin, Tal Ben Haim and Egor Filipenko played in front of the Serbian shot stopper. Eyal Golasa, Eliel Peretz and Yossi Benayoun were in the midfield with a strikeforce of acting captain Barak Itzhaki, Eden Ben Basat and Orlando Sa played up front.

First Half

The Yellow & Blue opened up the match strong as they scored two goals by the 11th minute. With nine minutes gone, Rikan sent Ben Basat a beauty of a free kick from the right side of the box that number 9 headed behind Harush while two minutes later Itzhaki passed Benayoun a perfect ball in the area that the veteran stopped with his chest and then pounded into the goal for a quick two goal advantage.

Maccabi tried to add another goal before the halftime whistle but the give and go between Itzhaki and Golasa resulted in the latter’s effort from 16 meters going over the goal as the sides headed for the break with the Yellow & Blue up 2:0.

Second Half

Coach Arveladze made one substitution to open the half as Eitan Tibi was introduced in favor of Filipenko. In the 50th minute Hapoel had the first chance of half number two as Demir Subsic came in off of the left wing passed the ball to Shmuel Shaiman who gave Omri Altman a magnificent pass in the box but Rajikovic was able to get a hand on the ball before it crossed the line.

Ten minutes later Rajikovic made a brilliant one-one-one save against Sagiv Yehezkel to keep his clean sheet intact. A minute later Maccabi made a pair of changes bringing in Dor Peretz who took the captain’s armband and Oscar Scarione for Itzhaki and Shpungin.

In the 68th minute Rikan swung a ball into the box from the left side but Sa’s wild header went over the goal while one minute later Tal Ben Chaim came into the contest in favor of Benayoun. Gal Alberman joined the fray in the 77th minute as the defensive midfielder replaced Ben Basat.

Dor Peretz attempted a long shot from the right side but the ball just went wide of the left post and out in the 84th minute as Maccabi took the first Derby of the 2016/17 season 2:0.

A late Orlando Sa goal wasn’t enough to salvage a point against Bnei Yehuda as the hosts defeated Maccabi Tel Aviv by a 2:1 scoreline on Matchday Three of the Toto Cup.

Head Coach Shota Arveladze made a number of changes to his regular Starting XI for Toto Cup play as Haviv Ohayon started in goal with a defense of Eli Dasa, Omri Ben Harush, Tal Ben Haim and Dor Peretz in front of him. Shlomi Azulay making his season debut was in the midfield while Eyal Golasa, Eliel Peretz and Oscar Scarione who was making his first start manned the center of the pitch. Eden Ben Basat and winger Tal Ben Chaim who was wearing the captain’s armband provided the attack.

First Half

After a tentative start by both teams, Bnei Yehuda made good on the real first chance of the evening as Antonio Mersic put the home side on the board in the 14th minute with a blistering shot from the left side cleanly beating Ohayon for a 1:0 lead. Mersic then tried to turn the same trick again two minutes later but his chance when over the bar and out.

In the 22nd minute, an Azulay corner kick found Ben Haim’s head in the box but his effort went over the goal as Maccabi looked for the equalizer. Following a 26th minute water break, Azulay attempted a low 18 meter shot that missed the target and Ben Harush rifled a ball right over the goal in the 34th minute.

Bnei Yehuda almost doubled their lead in the 37th minute as Daniel Avital beat his defender on the left side and went in on Ohayon but the young keeper made a kick save to keep the deficit as is. In the 41st minute Ben Basat picked up a yellow card with the intensity of the match picking up as the sides went into the break with a 1:0 Bnei Yehuda advantage.

Second Half

Coach Arveladze made a pair of substitutions to open the second half as Yuval Shpungin, making his season debut and Barak Itzahki who was now wearing the captain’s armband were introduced for Scarione and Dasa. In the 51st minute Ben Basat has a long range effort that just scooted by the left post and out while two minutes later Azulay, Ben Basat, Golasa and Ben Chaim combined on a pretty passing play that resulted in the latter’s shot being collected by Bnei Yehuda’s second half substitute keeper Nikita Haikin.

Itzahki tried his luck in the 55th minute as his chance also didn’t find the target as Maccabi continued to search for the tying goal. However, Bnei Yehuda doubled their output as Almog Bozaglo cleaned up a rebound in front of the Maccabi goal to take a 2:0 lead in the 62nd minute while Gal Alberman who took the captain’s armband from Itzhaki and Matan Hozez were inserted into the match for Azulay and Ben Chaim.

Looking for a bit more offense, coach Arveladze made his 5th and final substitute in the 66th minute as Orlando Sa came on for Eliel Peretz. And that’s exactly what the boss got. Sa put in Ben Basat’s rebound to draw the Yellow & Blue to within one goal in the 74th minute.

Shpungin took a screamer of a shot a minute later but his attempt went just wide left as Maccabi continued to threaten the Bnei Yehuda goal. Hozez lifted a gorgeous corner to Ben Basat who headed it nicely but Ben Tzeiri just cleared it off of the line in the 82nd minute.

As Maccabi continued to dig hard for an equalizer it wasn’t meant to be as the Yellow & Blue dropped their first match of the campaign. They’ll now get ready for Hapoel Raanana in Toto Cup play at home on Wednesday evening at the Netanya Stadium.

The Yellow & Blue moved on to the playoff round of the Europa League with a 2:1 (5:2 on aggregate) victory at home on goals by Nosa Igiebor and Oscar Scarione as Maccabi will find out who their opponent will be tomorrow at the draw being held in Nyon, Switzerland.

Head Coach Shota Arveladze’s Starting XI had Serbian keeper Predrag Rajikovic in goal with a defensive quartet of Eli Dasa, Eitan Tibi, Egor Filipenko and Avi Rikan in front of him. Captain Gal Alberman was in his usual defensive midfielder position as Haris Medunjanin and Nosa Igiebor rounded our the middle of the pitch. The attack featured Yossi Benayoun, Dor Micha and Orlando Sa.

First Half

Maccabi Tel Aviv came out strong with a number of chances in the opening quarter hour, however none found the back of the goal. Benayoun’s 7th minute header went wide, Sa’s effort missed the goal as well in the 10th minute, while Micha found Dasa in the box but his weak chance was easily collected by Pandurii keeper David Lazar.

In the 24th minute the Yellow & Blue broke the ice as Medunjanin gave Igibeor a wonderful pass in the box that the Nigerian midfielder easily headed home for the 1:0 lead. Number 4 tried his luck from 20 meters out in the 30th minute but his effort was saved by Lazar while Micha’s long range screamer went just wide of the mark.

Rikan’s sharp shot from the left wing was caught by the keeper in the 37th minute and two minutes later a Dasa right side effort was collected by the Lazar yet again as Maccabi continued to search for their second goal of the contest. Igibeor almost did exactly that in the 45th minute but his chance was saved as the sides headed down for the break with Maccabi holding onto a 1:0 advantage.

Second Half

Medunjanin and Igiebor tried to connect again just as they did in the first half but their 48th and 51st minute opportunities couldn’t be converted into another goal. However, Pandurii’s Marian Pleasca did make good on his solo effort going coast to coast on the right wing and then putting the ball by Rajikovic to tie up the match.

Coach Arveladze made his first substitution of the evening in the 59th minute inserting Oscar Scarione for Gal Alberman who handed the captain’s armband to Yossi Benayoun, Maccabi’s new number 5 Scarione had his first chance of the night but his shot just went wide left of the goal while Medunjanin’s ensuing free kick hit the woodwork as the Yellow & Blue continued to threaten the Pandurii goal.

After Barak Itzhaki came on for Sa in the 72nd minute, Maccabi finally broke through for their second goal of the match. Scarione scored his first for his new team, slotting home a wonderful pass by Micha in the box for a 2:1 lead in the 80th minute. Two minutes later, Arveladze made his third substitution of the evening introducing Eden Ben Basat for Yossi Benayoun who handed off the captain’s armband to Itzhaki.

Ben Basat immediately had a marvelous opportunity going one on one with Lazar after taking a brilliant Scarione pass, but number 9’s effort went right into the keeper as the score remained as is as Maccabi advanced to the playoff round of the Europa League.

The Yellow & Blue only needed one goal and they received it from Eden Ben Basat as Number 9 scored the lone marker of the evening in the 1:0 victory. Keeper Haviv Ohayon picked the shutout and Yossi Benayoun was named Man of the Match by you the fans on the Official Maccabi Tel Aviv Twitter Account @MaccabiTLVFC as the club will now prepare for the second leg of Europa League third round action on Thursday night.

Head Coach Shota Arveladze took advantage of the Toto Cup to give some of the squad who have yet to get minutes playing time. Starting in goal was youngster Haviv Ohayon with Eli Dasa, Omri Ben Harush, Eitan Tibi and Tel Ben Haim starting in front of him. Featuring in the midfield was Eyal Golasa, Eliel Peretz, Haris Medunjanin and Yossi Benayoun. Barak Itzhaki was the acting captain while Eden Ben Basat played beside him up front.

First Half

Eyal Golasa, making his first start in the Yellow & Blue picked up a yellow card after just a couple of minutes as the midfielder was cautioned for a reckless tackle. In the 17th minute some aerial action between Itzhaki, Ben Basat and Benayoun ended with number 51’s effort being blocked by Dor Elu to keep the match goalless.

As the game hit the 38th minute Golasa cut in from the left side but his screamer went flying over the goal as the contest remained 0:0. Just one minute later Itzhaki’s sharp header also went over the bar as Maccabi inched closer and closer to scoring a goal as the half came to an end.

Second Half

To begin the second half, coach Arevladze made wholesale substitutions as Dor Peretz, Egor Filipenko and Oscar Scarione all entered the match for Dasa, Tibi and Medunjanin as a total of five subs are permitted in Toto Cup play. The boss’s changes almost paid dividends immediately as Scarione’s precise right side free kick found Eliel Peretz’s head but his effort just clanged off of the bar and out to safety.

Finally in the 61st minute the Yellow & Blue broke the ice as Ben Basat put away a nifty pass by Benayoun in the box to give Maccabi a 1:0 lead. Itzhaki began the play as the acting captain found Benayoun with a fine ball deep to the right side of the area. The veteran midfielder then passed it to a wide open Ben Basat on the left side of the box who slammed it into the top shelf as Number 9 picked up the home side’s first goal of the competition.

Petach Tikva then had a pair of chances in the 68th and 71st minutes as the visitors looked for the equalizer, however, Hagai Goldenberg’s chance on a counter attack went out and Yellow & Blue keeper Ohayon made an off balance quick save that could have resulted in an own goal.

In the 78th minute Nirel Mahpod had a chance to draw his side even but his left side attempt went way wide right as Maccabi continued to hold the slim one goal advantage. The Yellow & Blue searched for an insurance marker but none was needed as they wrapped up a tidy 1:0 victory on Matchday One of the Toto Cup.

Next up is the second leg of Europa League third round qualifying as Maccabi will host Pandurii on Thursday evening, 20:30 at the Netanya Stadium with Shota Arveladze’s squad holding a 3:1 lead from the first leg that was played last week in Romania.

Maccabi Tel Aviv picked up three away goals in Romania as Tal Ben Chaim, Nosa Igiebor and Dor Micha all scored for the Yellow & Blue. However, the main story of the match was Predrag Rajikovic’s brilliant play, especially in the first half as he was voted Man of the Match by the followers of the Official Maccabi Tel Aviv Twitter Account @MaccabiTLV

Head Coach Shota Arveladze made one change to his Starting XI from the last match against Kairat inserting central defender Egor Filipenko in place of Tal Ben Haim as Eitan Tibi, Dor Peretz and Avi Rikan rounded out the balance of the Maccabi defense in front of keeper Predrag Rajikovic. Captain Gal Alberman was in his standard defensive midfield position with Nosa Igiebor and Haris Medunjanin by his side as winger Tal Ben Chaim, Dor Micha and Orlando Sa provided the attack.

First Half

After a bit of back and forth play to open up the match, Claudiu Volculet had the first chance of the contest as his sharp shot was parried away to safety at the last second by a diving Rajikovic just as the game hit the 4th minute.

However, it would be Ben Chaim who would score first as the winger picked up his second goal in as many games by following up on his own chance to beat keeper Razvan Stanca a 1:0 lead in the 7th minute.

In the 12 minute Rajikovic was called upon once again as the Serbian keeper made a wonderful save in a one on one situation against Filip Mrzljak to keep the score as is. But as the half moved along so did the home side as they evened the contest up on a gorgeous header by Ovidiu Herea in the 30th minute breaking through the Maccabi defense to put the ball behind a helpless Rajikovic.

In the 37th minute Rajikovic made yet another brilliant save tipping the ball over the bar as Pandurii continued to threaten the Maccabi goal. After Ben Chaim was issued a yellow card a minute later, Volculet received one of his own in the 43rd minute of play as the sides headed into the break knotted up at 1:1.

Second half

Igiebor, who had been dangerous all night long finally cashed in on a gorgeous Medunjanin free kick as the Nigerian’s header beat the Pandurii keeper to give the Yellow & Blue a 2:1 lead in the 49th minute.

After a pair of wholesale substitutions by Pandurii, Rajikovic was again in the right place at the right time just tapping away a dangerous opportunity by Ioan Hora to keep Maccabi ahead in the 64th minute. Sa had a close range opportunity in the 73rd minute but his effort went over the goal as the Portuguese striker was replaced two minutes later by Eden Ben Basat.

Coach Arveladze was looking for a third goal and found it on the feet of Dor Micha as number 15 easily slotted home the ball from the right side after a fine assist by Ben Basat in the 77th minute to give Maccabi a 3:1 advantage. Barak Itzhaki was then introduced one minute later in favor of the second goal scorer Nosa Igiebor to see if the Yellow & Blue could muster one more strike before the end of the game.

However, it was not to be as Maccabi will have to be satisfied with a 3:1 away victory in the first leg of Europa League third round qualifying. They’ll head home for a Toto Cup match on Sunday against Maccabi Petach Tikva and the second leg against Pandurii on Thursday August 4th.

The Yellow & Blue moved on in Europa League play thanks to a clutch goal by Captain Gal Alberman in the 85th minute. Tal Ben Chaim opened the scoring in the 5th minute while Gerard Gohou drew Kairat even in the second half. But it was number 6 who showed his leadership to send Maccabi through to the next round.

Head Coach Shota Arveladze began the match with the same Starting XI that featured in Almaty as Predrag Rajikovic was in goal with Avi Rikan, Eitan Tibi, Tal Ben Haim and Dor Peretz in front of him. Captain Gal Alberman was the defensive midfielder while Haris Medunjanin and Nosa Igiebor played in the center of the pitch. Dor Micha, Tal Ben Chaim and Orlando Sa provided the offense up front.

First Half

Even before the fans were settled in their seats after a moving tribute to Nurit Mor Zt”l the Club’s Youth Department secretary who passed away suddenly on Wednesday, Maccabi was on the board thanks to a Ben Chaim goal.

In the 5th minute, Haris Medunjanin lifted a long cross from the right side directly to the feet of winger Ben Chaim who immediately beat the left back Stanislav Lunin and slotted home a goal past Kairat keeper Vladimir Plotnikov to give the Yellow & Blue an early 1:0 lead.

Five minutes later, Ben Chaim had a chance to score again, beating Lunin once more but this time Plotnikov made the save to keep the score as is. Referee Tiago Martins from Portugal booked Ben Chaim in the 21st minute while Lunin was handed a yellow card three minute later as play began to settle down. However, in the 29th minute Andrey Arshavin cut in from the right side but his low shot just whistled by the far post.

An active Ben Chaim then tried his luck again from the left wing in the 32nd minute but his attempt sailed over the goal. As the clock hit minute 36, Arshavin came flying in on the left side but his sharp opportunity was smartly blocked by Rajikovic as the ball went off of the Serbian’s knees and out of danger.

Ben Chaim crossed the ball into the key area and right to the head of Micha, but number 15’s header went over the goal while in the 44th minute Ben Chaim sped past Anatoliy Tymoshchuk and took a scintillating shot but the ball went off of the Kairat defense and out for a corner.

Medunjanin then lifted a ball right to Igiebor who had picked up a yellow card a few minutes earlier, but his header went off of the post just before the break as the sides went into the dressing rooms with Maccabi holding a 1:0 advantage.

Second Half

Isael looked to tie up the match with a 46th minute free kick but his attempt went over the goal. In the 53rd minute Gerard Gohou was issued a yellow card and five minutes later Micha swept past three Kairat players but his screamer went just left of the goal as each side looked to a goal. And it was the visitors from Kazakhstan who found the goal first in the second half as Gerard Gohou headed in a corner in the 64th minute to draw Kairat even 1:1.

Arveladze made his first substitution of the match introducing Eli Dasa for Peretz in the 69th minute to spark the Yellow & Blue attack while Yossi Benayoun entered the fray in the 75th minute to try and find the winner.

Sa almost found it in the 82nd minute as the Portuguese striker took a magnificent pass by Medunjanin but his effort was saved by the keeper to keep the score deadlocked at 1:1.

Who would come to rescue? None other than the Captain Gal Alberman who launched an unbeliever scorcher from long range past a helpless Plotnikov to give the Yellow & Blue a 2:1 lead in the 85th minute.

To help maintain the advantage coach Arveladze brought on Egor Filipenko for Haris Medunjanin as Maccabi looked to hold the lead and win the match which they did in style as the referee blew the final whistle to send the Yellow & Blue to the next round and a date with Romanian side Pandurii.

It took 90+ minutes but Maccabi was able to come back to Israel with an away goal by Yossi Benayoun as the veteran midfielder drew his side even after Andrey Arshavin’s first half goal gave Kairat an early lead.

Head Coach Shota Arveladze had Serbian keeper Predrag Rajikovic in goal with Avi Rikan, Eitan Tibi, Tal Ben Haim and Dor Peretz in front of him. Gal Alberman was wearing the captain’s armband and was in his usual defensive midfielder’s position with Nosa Igiebor and Haris Medunjanin also playing in the center of the pitch. Winger Tal Ben Chaim, Dor Micha and striker Orlando Sa provided the attack up front.

First Half

The hosts took to the offense from the get go as the Kazakhstan side are in the middle of their domestic season. Gerard Gohou had a one on one situation with Rajikovic but was ruled to be offside in the 8th minute. However, once the match settled down after a frantic start, it was Igiebor with two header chances in the 18th and 21st minutes who almost scored first, with the second header coming on a terrific Rikan cross.

But it was veteran striker Andrey Arshavin who put Kairat on top, slotting home a perfect pass in the box by Gohou to take a 1:0 lead over Maccabi in the 29th minute. Three minutes later, Sa almost drew the Yellow & Blue even when he went in on the host keeper Vladimir Pokatilov but a Kairat defender just tipped the ball away in the box. A minute later, Igiebor’s chance was robbed again by Pokatilov frustrating the Nigerian midfielder.

In the 35th minute, Isael’s 18 meter blast was saved by Rajikovic and ten minutes later, Arshavin almost doubled his side’s output by streaking down the left wing and beating Peretz, but Tibi just headed the ball away at the last seodnd for a corner kick keeping the Maccabi deficit at only 1:0 going into the break.

Second Half

With driving rain coming down in Almaty, Maccabi came out strong to begin the second half. Ben Chaim led the attack, passed the ball off to Micha who gave it back to number 11 in the box, but his low shot skirted by the left post in the 48th minute. Five minutes later, Rikan’s 18 meter screamer was just tipped over the goal by Pokatilov for a corner as Maccabi continued to search for the equalizer.

Following an Alberman yellow card, Bauyrzhan Islamkhan’s free kick was smartly stopped by Rajikovic in the 56th minute. Ten minutes later, Igiebor took an unbelievable pass in on goal but instead of shooting he tried to pass the keeper who just got a hand on the ball to pull it in to safety.

In order to change it up a bit, Arveladze introduced Yossi Benayoun in favor of Ben Chaim in the 73rd minute. Six minutes later Medunjanin tried his luck from 18 meters but his effort was collected again by the Pokatilov. Barak Itzhaki entered the match for Igiebor in the 86th minute while Eyal Golasa came on for Medunjanin a few ticks later.

And what would you know! For the second straight week it was Yossi Benayoun to the rescue as number 51 took a deep pass from Micha and scored from inside the box drawing Maccabi even and taking an home an all important away goal. Following the Benayoun strike, Kairat captain Bauyrzhan Islamkhan was issued a red card for dissent and won’t be available for next match as the game ended 1:1.

The second leg will take place next Thursday July 21st at the Netanya Stadium while the third round Europa League qualifying draw will take place tomorrow, on Friday July 15th.