Oscar Scarione scored a brace with goals in the first and second half to lead the Yellow & Blue to victory over Bnei Sakhnin on Matchday 19 of Ligat Ha’Al action. Giorginho drew the visitors even but the Argentine’s second goal gave Maccabi the win in the 78th minute to help cut the Beer Sheva lead to six points.

Prematch
Sports Director Jordi Cruyff made a couple of changes to the Starting XI that featured against Hapoel Tel Aviv in the Derby as Oscar Scarione made his long awaited return from injury and Dor Micha also earned a spot on the pitch to start the match. Predrag Rajikovic was the keeper as Eli Dasa, Eitan Tibi, Egor Filipenka and Avi Rikan played in front of him on defense. Captain Gal Alberman was the defensive midfielder as Eyal Golasa and Scarione played beside him. Barak Itzhaki, Vidar Kjartansson and Micha provided the attack.

Available on the bench were keeper Daniel Lifshitz, Omri Ben Harush, Yossi Benayoun, Tal Ben Haim, Sagiv Yehezkel, Haris Medunjanin and Dor Peretz.

First Half
Maccabi came out fast and furious in search of a quick goal and almost got one in the 3rd minute via a Barak Itzhaki header off a cross by Dasa. Number 2 was again in the thick of things in the 9th minute as he sent Kjartansson a nice ball, but the Icelandic striker was tripped up in the box and couldn’t get a clean shot off.

Scarione, making his return from injury gave Itzhaki a magnificent pass in the 14th minute but number 10’s chance just missed the target as Maccabi looked for that elusive first strike. However, they didn’t have to look much longer as number 5 worked his magic a minute later and slotted the ball into the far right hand corner to give the Yellow & Blue a 1:0 lead.

The Itzhaki & Scarione combination worked to perfection as Maccabi swarmed the box and didn’t let up until they found the back of the goal. Terrific return for the Argentine midfielder.

Kjartansson almost doubled the score in the 26th minute but his scorcher was saved by Kandil while two minutes later Itzhaki took a nice passing play by Micha and Dasa but his effort was stopped by the Sakhnin keeper. The visitors had their first chance of the match in the 30th minute but Yuval Abidor’s header went over the bar.

In the 43rd minute, Micha had a chance from in close but his opportunity went flying over the goal as the sides went into the break with Maccabi maintaining a 1:0 lead.

Second Half
Maccabi came out of halftime looking to add to their lead and almost did just that in the 50th minute when Ramzi Sfori pulled down Golasa in the box for a penalty which Itzhaki in turn struck over the bar to keep the score as is.

Following a pair of yellow cards handed out to Itzhaki and Alberman, the former was substituted off in the 65th minute in favor of Yossi Benayoun. Sakhnin began to threaten as Sfori had a 70th minute chance that just missed the target, but Giorginhnio’s opportunity three minutes later didn’t as the visitors drew even in the 73rd minute thanks in part to Abidor’s assist.

Cruyff introduced Haris Medunjanin for Golasa immediately following the goal to find the go-ahead marker which is precisely what the Yellow & Blue did. Alberman located Scarione deep in the box as the Argentine magician again put home the ball for his second goal of the game giving the Yellow & Blue a 2:1 lead in the 78th minute.

Dor Peretz came on for Micha in the 89th minute while Sfori picked up his second yellow card in added time good for a red after a reckless tackle on Rikan as the referee blew the whistle to end the match and give Maccabi the win.

The Yellow & Blue will now prepare for a Round of 16 Israel State Cup contest on Wednesday night at Hapoel Raanana, 19:00 at the Netanya Stadium.