Prematch
After arriving at their training camp in Poland early Sunday morning, Maccabi Tel Aviv played their first friendly match against Poland First Division outfit Arka Gdynia on Monday. Head Coach Vladan Ivic split the squad up and started different players in each half while Itay Shechter made his debut for the Yellow & Blue in the first half of play.
Highlights: Maccabi Tel Aviv – Arka Gdynia
Starting XI – Daniel Tenenbaum, Sean Goldberg, Shachar Fiban, Dor Peretz, Or Dasa, Dan Glazer, Mavis Tchibota, Dor Micha, Omer Atzili, Vidar Kjartransson, Itay Shechter.
First Half
Over the course of the first twenty minutes of the match, play was quite even as Maccabi had a pair of chances thanks to a couple of stolen balls while Arka also had two opportunities on attempts from long distance that missed the target. In the 24’ Ivic’s side had a quality chance when Atzili’s free kick made its way to Glazer, but his header was parried away by the Arka keeper.
In the 27’ the Yellow & Blue opponent found the back of the goal thanks to a free kick from 18 meters by Michał Janota as his ball made its way over the Maccabi wall and behind Tenenbaum for a 1:0 Arka lead. Seven minutes later, Vidar’s 16 meter attempt missed the target while Atzili had a pair of chances but the Arka keeper made the save in the 38’ and again off of a free kick in the 45’.
Second Half
Starting XI – Haviv Ohayon, Eli Dasa, Eitan Tibi, Eyal Golasa, Avi Rikan, Roslan Bersky, Eliel Peretz, Yonatan Cohen, Matan Hozez, Aaron Schoenfeld, Eliran Atar.
Ivic’s side opened up the second half well as Cohen, Schoenfeld and Atar all had chances that missed the target early on. In the 55’ Eliel Peretz had an opportunity in the box but his ball just missed the post while two minutes later Hozez found Schoenfeld’s head but his attempt went out.
Maccabi found the tying goal in the 72’ when Atar took a through ball and slotted it home from the left side to even up the score at 1:1. The Yellow & Blue continued to pressure the Polish squad as Hozez tried his luck in the 84’ with an attempt from outside of the box but missed the target. Atar had a last gasp effort to win the match but his header just went out as the contest ended in a 1:1 draw.
