Category: Match day program EN

Know your opponent: Hapoel Acre

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Coach
After a 2:0 loss last Matchday to Hapoel Raanana, the club decided to make a change on the sidelines as Shlomi Dura was removed as Head Coach after just 8 Matchdays following promotion last season. For the first time Eldad Shavit was named as a Head Coach after being an assistant at Bnei Sakhnin.

Comings and Goings
Just like other teams that has been promoted from the Leumit League to the Premier League, there were many changes to the squad in order to compete with the other top division clubs. Some of the names that you can find on their roster include Siraj Nasar, Amit Bitton, Gal Shaish and Gaby Kanikovski who has been loaned by Maccabi Tel Aviv. Some of the foreigners that can be found up north are central defender Mohamadou Sissoko, midfielders Dylan Damraoui, Bruno Ibeh and strikers Fejsal Mulic and Peter Onyekachi.

What have they done so far?
Acre comes into the matchup with Maccabi in last place with 3-points, but it’s important to note that the club had two points deducted due to a budgetary control issue. The Northern city side began the season well with 4 points in 3 matches but then lost 3 of their last 4 contests which led to the dismissal of the Head Coach.

Under the magnifying glass
One of the players to watch out for on attack is Amran Elkrinawi who has scored one goal and assisted on three others. The youngster also has a lethal free kick so it would be recommended that Maccabi be careful when committing fouls near the box. Peter Onyekachi is a speedster and according to the Football League Administration, he is the player who has run the fastest at 35.11 kmh.

Yuval Shpungin’s Fabulous Five

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Keeper: Manuel Neuer
“I had the fortunate opportunity to play against him with the National Team when we played Germany. First off, he is a great keeper and a player that could probably be a regular in other positions on the pitch. Technical, strong, stone cold, athletic. His abilities are something that you don’t see every day.”

Defender: Sergio Ramos
A great central defender and also a winner. In difficult times when he is needed most, he always comes to the forefront and can also score a critical goal. Add to that his patriotism, technique and how he knows how to take the ball up with style. It’s always great to see him play.”

Defensive midfielder: Xavi
“He doesn’t stop moving and doesn’t lose balls and it always seems that he has two sets of eyes. He knows how to manage a game and control the pace, when to play long and when to play short. I can also remember how he could turn in place and his ability to open up a match. Of course he was also an important part of one of Barcelona’s greatest teams.”

Attacking midfielder: Mesut Ozil
“I also had the chance to play against him and he was terrific. This is a player with the highest technical ability. He wasn’t a big scorer but he was able to make plays look simple that in reality weren’t. Not everyone can play that way with a lot of smarts and game vision.”

Striker: Cristiano Ronaldo
“Ronaldo was another player that I had the opportunity to play against. What can I say. He is strong, great right foot, good from the left, terrific head game, fantastic runs, great when he receives the ball on his foot and fabulous in one-on-one situations. In short, he’s a machine. The complete footballer.”

Susic: “We’re ready for the Derby. After 2 draws we must win.”

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After two league draws, Maccabi will look to get back onto the winning track when they face Bnei Yehuda in the Little Derby. Midfielder Tino Susic looked ahead to the contest in what will be the only Tel Aviv Derby this season. The Bosnian also sums up his first three months in Yellow & Blue while also discussing Rajikovic and Kjartansson advancing to the World Cup. WATCH

טינו סושיץ’ לקראת המשחק נגד בני יהודה

The numbers tell the story: Facts & Stats about matches against Bnei Yehdua

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  • To date there gave been 126 league matches between the clubs: 58 Maccabi wins, 30 draws, 38 wins for Bnei Yehuda. Goal differential 185:136 in favor of Maccabi.
  • Home record against Bnei Yehuda in 63 league matches: 34 Maccabi wins, 14 draws, 15 losses. Goal differential 97:56 in favor of Maccabi.

  • Biggest win over Bnei Yehuda: 6:0 in the 1998/99 season at Shechunat HaTikva. Goal scorers: Moshe Glam (2), Kfir Edri, Avi Nimni, Alexei Kosulapov, Andrzej Kubica.
  • Avi Nimni is the scoring leader against Bnei Yehuda with 17 goals. Itzik Zohar is in second place with 9 goals while Giora Spiegel had 8 in third.
  • Maccabi has 12 comeback wins against Bnei Yehuda. The biggest comeback was in the 2012/13 season when Rada Prica scored in the 93rd minute and Moshiko Lugassi found the back of the goal in the 99th minute for the win.

  • The last goal in injury time was against Bnei Yehuda when Vidar Kjartansson scored on Matchday 24 last season. Maccabi has scored 13 of their 106 goals against Bnei Yehuda in injury time – the most against any one club.

מחזור 25 – תקציר הניצחון על בני יהודה

  • This is the third season in history that there is only one other Tel Aviv club in the league other than Maccabi (2001/2, 2014/15 was Hapoel Tel Aviv). The most in one single season was 5 (Maccabi, Hapoel, Beitar, Shimshon, Bnei Yehuda).

Dor Peretz’s Fabulous Five

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Goalkeeper: Oliver Kahn
“I believe that something in the energy that he brought to the pitch and how he always knew how to push his team forward, showed a tremendous amount leadership, plus of course his play on the field is why I chose him. He was incredible at the 2002 World Cup and even though I was very young at the time and I believe this was his final World Cup if I remember correctly, it’s one tournament that’s hard to forget.”

Defender: Carlos Puyol
“This is my favorite player. The way he battled, his character and professionalism are all characteristics that I can identify with. Of course, he was part of the great Barcelona team as well as the Spanish National Team, he knew how to be a winner and I can especially remember the goal he scored in the 2010 World Cup semifinal.”

50/50 Midfielder: Steven Gerrard
“Gerrard is yet another player that offers a number of different characteristics than the others that I have already chosen. They are all of the highest caliber, but they also have that something extra. He was a true leader both in terms of his play on the pitch with his amazing shot and the fact that he was a winner with the ability to score decisive goals. Gerrard also was able to push his teammates to be as best that they could be.”

Attacking midfielder: Ronaldinho
“The one and only. I’m not going to say anything new here, but the man was a magician and it was an amazing experience to see him dance around the pitch. You could see how much he enjoyed the game and how he took everything so positively with a smile and that’s without even mentioning his talent.”

Striker: Thierry Henry
“He was a player in a different class. The way he combined his speed and ball control was lethal and I can always remember the goals that he scored into the far corner. The way he would turn with the ball, there was nothing anyone could do against it. He was an amazing striker.”

Know your opponent: Bnei Yehuda

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Coach
There’s no question that one of the biggest additions to Bnei Yehuda happens to be on the sidelines. After plying his trade at Bnei Sakhnin, where he led the club to the Championship Playoffs, Yossi Abukasis became one of the most wanted coach’s in Israeli football and decided to return to the “Shechuna” for his third term with the team. He’ll be looking to take them back to the pinnacle of the Ligat Ha’Al after battling relegation last season.

Comings and Goings
Due to last year’s disappointing campaign there were plenty of changes in the Bnei Yehuda squad and there are some very familiar names as well. Of course, we are talking about Maccabi players that were loaned to the city rival including Eliel Peretz, Mavis Tchibota, Matan Hozez and Marcelo. In addition, Dan Mori, Dovev Gabbay, Ayed Hbshe and Ali Blility all joined the team, while Alon Turgeman, Ben Tzieri, Amir Agaev and Pedro Galvan departed.

What have they done so far this season?
Bnei Yehuda has begun the season with 8 points after 6 matches. Last Matchday, Abukasis and his side defeated Hapoel Raanana 1:0 while they beat Maccabi Haifa to open the campaign. Along the way they fell to Hapoel Beer Sheva and Hapoel Haifa and drew with Ashkelon and Hapoel Acre. Maccabi has already faced Bnei Yehuda this season in the Toto Cup competition with the Yellow & Blue winning by a score of 2:0 while they will meet once again when they kickoff at the end of October in the quarterfinals of the tournament.

Under the magnifying glass
One of the best players this season has been without a doubt, keeper Emilijus Zoubas. The 27-year old Lithuanian arrived at the “Shechuna” last summer and turned into one of the top shot stoppers in the Israel Premier League Ligat Ha’Al giving up only 0.83 goals per match, tied with Kiryat Shemona for the least in the league. In addition, the Maccabi players who were loaned to Bnei Yehuda are of interest to all Yellow & Blue fans as Matan Hozez has already scored two goals so far this season.