Preview
A week after the 3-1 defeat to Hapoel Be’ersheva in the final league match of the regular season and four days after securing a place in the State Cup Final with a 3-2 victory over Maccabi Haifa, Maccabi returned to Bloomfield stadium. The Tel Aviv derby against arch city rivals Hapoel on MD27 of the WINNER League, will kickoff the Playoff with one of the biggest fixtures in the footballing calendar. Memories of the dramatic late 2-1 defeat when both teams last met on MD20 at the end of January that ended a 12-year-long unbeaten run, are still fresh. But as Hapoel also have 49 points and trail Maccabi only on goal difference, means that is lot more than local pride at stake. Maccabi’s coach Ronny Deila will who previously coached Celtic in the Old Firm derby, will experience his first Tel Aviv derby. The 50-year-old Norwegian didn’t make too many changes from the side that beat Haifa in midweek. Goalkeeper Ofek Melika, who was rested in the Cup, returned to goal with Roi Mishpati dropping to the bench. Heitor dos Santos and Ali Camara lined-up as the two central defenders in front of Melika. Tyrese Asante and Roy Revivo who were both on target against Haifa at Teddy, completed Maccabi’s back-four on the right and left respectively.
Issouf Sissokho who recovered from his injury to make a second half substitute appearance in midweek, returned to the anchorman role. The 24-year-old Malian midfielder was named behind Maccabi’s two top goal scorers Ido Shahar (10) and Dor Peretz (11) to form the midfield trio. Emir Sahiti who scored four goals in seven appearances in all competitions, returned to the starting line-up after two appearances as a substitute. Helio Varela, who also has four goals to his name was named on the opposite flank. Upfront, Deila stuck with Elad Madmon whose man of the match performance in midweek earned him another start while Saied Abu Farchi who returned fro suspension started on the bench.
Alongside Mishpati and Abu Farchi, Deila, named Sagiv Jehezkel, Raz Shlomo, Yonas Malede, Noam Ben Harosh, Ben Lederman, Itamar Noy and Osher Davida.
First Half
A wall of sound and sea of colour welcomed the two sets of players onto the pitch at Bloomfield which was packed to its capacity for the first time since the war with Iran broke in February. A pyrotechnics display from both ends of the pitch immediately after the kickoff saw the match haulted. When the smoke had cleared and play resumed Maccabi were clearly the dominant side as Ronny Deila enjoyed most of the posession. It didn’t take long for the deadlock to be broken as Maccabi’s captain and top scorer Dor Peretz set Bloomfield alight. Issouf Sissokho sent Helio Varela down the left before the Cape Verde winger burst forward and cut the ball back from the byline. Peretz didnt even need an additional touch as he blasted a powerful shot from the edge of the area which rocketed into the bottom corner giving Assaf Tzur no chance.
In the 26th minute Hapoel came close as Loizos Loizou lost Sissokho with a drop of a shoulder and began a counter attack before slipping the ball to Emmanuel Boateng whose shot hit the upright. Four minutes after the half hour mark Varela kept tormenting Hapoel’s defense with his pace as he received a long ball out of defense and charged forward before he was brought down by Marcus Coco. Referee Yigal Frid didnt hesitate as he showed Hapoel’s defender a yellow card. Tyrese Asante rose high to meet Ido Shahar’s resulting free kick, but unlike the midweek cup match against Haifa, the Dutch defender’s header didnt trouble the keeper who collected with ease. Three minutes later at the opposite end Ofek Melika charged out of his goals to block Boateng with his feet. Asante was booked for a foul in the middle of the park shortly before the fourth official raised his sign for 7 minutes of additional time.
Second Half
Deila made his first change after the break as Shlomo came on for the injured Camara at the restart. Three minutes after the restart Hapoel were awarded a free kick which Stav Turiel curled to the back post. Fernand Mayembo sent a powerful header which Melika initially saved before the rebound was fired in by Chico Alves. Hapoel celebrated an equaliser but there celebrations were shortlived as VAR intervened and called Frid to the screen spotting a foul on the keeper as the goal was disallowed.
Two minutes after the hour mark Varela turned inside leaving Mayembo behind him but his shot sailed high over the crossbar. Deila reacted with a second substitution as Saied Abu Farchi came on for Elad Madmon who worked tirelessly upfront. A minute later Heitor dos Santos went down in the box after a head collision with Hapoel’s Xanda Silva. The Brazilian defender who needed medical treatment walked off together with Sahiti as Deila made a double substitution introducing both Sagiv Jehezkel and Osher Davida. Asante pushed into the middle with Jehezkel taking his role at right back. In the 75th minute Sissokho limped off holding his groin as Deila was forced to make his fifth and final change introducing Itamar Noy for the closing stages. In the 90th minute a foul by Doron Leidner on Davida led to a scuffle between the two sides at the end of which Frid was called to the screen and showed Davida the red card. In injury time and despite the numerical disadvantage Maccabi defended bravely and celebrated the victory at the final whistle
