Maccabi Tel Aviv lost away to FC Ashdod from a Yaya Peti goal in the 59th minute

This week-end's fixtures in the 19th round of the Israeli Premiere (Winner) league saw Maccabi Tel Aviv head south to Ashdod to play local side FC Ashdod, who had lost their last match in round 18 to Maccabi Netanya. By contrast Maccabi Tel Aviv ended the same round with one of their most impressive triumphs of the season, a 5-0 home drubbing of Hapoel Beer Sheva. In the opposite league fixture in October Maccabi beat FC Ashdod 2-1 at Bloomfield.

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The first half opened with Maccabi pressing forward, and in the fourth minute Roberto Colautti saw his header deflected by Ashdod keeper Ofir Marziano. A minute later a second Marziano deflection, this time of a powerful shot by Maccabi's Eitan Tibi, was turned into the net by Colautti but then questionably ruled offside. Ashdod captain David Revivo saw two attempts in the 11th and 35th minute saved by Barak Levi. At the opposite end Maccabi's Eliran Atar suffered the same fate at the hands of Ashdod's Marziano, the first time on 34 minutes and the second just before half time.

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The second half started ominously for the Yellows, with Ashdod skipper Revivo lifting a ball in the 59th minute on to the head of Yaya Peti, who gave the locals a 1-0 lead by accurately placing it into the corner of Maccabi keeper Barak Levi's net. This prompted Maccabi head coach Oscar Garcia to strengthen his attacking options by sending on strikers Rade Prica and Moanes Dabour for Colautti and midfielder Dor Micha, but it was Ashdod that came up with the next two chances, one courtesy of Ofer Verta and the second from Amir Ben Shimon, whose face-off with Maccabi keeper Barak Levi ended in the latter's favour. In the 85th minute Maccabi's Prica failed to convert a cross and Steve Gohouri headed wide close to the final whistle, leaving Ashdod's Marziano with a clean sheet and Maccabi Tel Aviv with their fifth loss of the season. 

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Next Saturday Maccabi Tel Aviv host Hapoel Akko in the 20th round of the Israeli Premiere (Winner) league.