Maccabi returned to winning ways and rediscovered their scoring touch on Saturday as Kenny Miller’s side beat Hapoel Haifa 6-2 on MD8 to climb to the top of the WINNER League table.
Elad Madmon made his first start of the season and repaid Miller with a goal and an assist. Madmon, reflected on his individual performance, the team’s approach and his work under the former Scottish international striker.
“The game plan hasn’t changed, this time the ball went in” Madmon said after his side went into the dressing room at halftime with the score at 1-1 and celebrated a 6-2 victory at the end.
“I’d sum up this game by looking at the way we played. That’s our approach,” Madmon said. “We simply did what we know how to do. We created scoring opportunities and this time we took them. I’m very happy with the result, and everyone showed up on the pitch today.”
On the against Haifa in comparison to the draws against Sakhnin and Beitar, Madmon added: “Our game plan was exactly the same. Nothing was different. The fact is that in our last two games, we created a huge number of chances and could have scored at least two clear goals in each match. I’d be more concerned if we weren’t creating chances, just as the coach told us. We created chances, in the previous games the ball wouldn’t go in, and this time it did.”
“I’m grateful for every minute; Kenny gives me great tips as a striker”
On the competition for places and training under one of Scotland’s top strikers, Madmon said. “I’m grateful for every minute I get here, and I’m constantly trying to prove myself, every week in training. This time, I was given the keys in the starting lineup, and I’m happy I put in a good performance. I don’t feel I received less trust in the previous games, the fact is that the coach brought me on among his first substitutions in every match. I feel the coach really believes in me as a good player, and this time he gave me the chance to start, and I proved it on the pitch.”
“He gives me and the team so many tips from his experience as a striker, about positioning in the box, how to open up passing lanes and how to get away from defenders marking you. I felt that today I got into a lot of good positions on the pitch, and that helps us a great deal.”
Ahead of Thursday’s Tel Aviv derby in the Toto Cup Final, Madmon summed up: “It’s a very important game, but we’re not going to change our approach. The way we’re playing is very good.”
