The Yellow & Blue opened up their Europa League campaign with a disappointing 1:0 loss to Slavia Prague on a first half goal by Tomas Necid. Maccabi will now turn their sights onto Monday night’s league contest away at Maccabi Netanya.
Head Coach Jordi Cruyff’s Starting XI had a number of new twists, however, Serbian keeper Predrag Rajikovic was in goal as usual. Captain Sheran Yeini, Tal Ben Haim, Jean-Sylvain Babin and Ofir Davidzada were the defenders while Egor Filipenka, Tino-Sven Susic and Cristian Battocchio manned the midfield. Dor Micha, Eliran Atar and Vidar Kjartansson provided the attack.
Available on the bench were keeper Daniel Tenenbaum, Avi Rikan, Barak Itzhaki, Yuval Shpungin, Eitan Tibi, Omer Atzily, Nick Blackman.
First Half
With both crowds roaring away from the get go, the match remained quiet until the ’12 when an Eduard Sobol crossed the ball from the left side and found Tomas Necid in the box who headed it past a helpless Rajikovic for a 1:0 Slavia lead. The Serbian shot stopper had to be sharp four minutes later when he made a tremendous kick save off a Tomas Soucek scorcher to keep the deficit at one.
Maccabi threatened the Prague goal for the first time in the ’24 when Davidzada sent the ball into the box from the left side but he missed his intended target in Kjartansson. Babin was issued a yellow card for a reckless tackle in the ’30 while Necid just missed a brace when his header went wide left of the goal. Sobol and Necid tried to team up once again but the latter’s attempt was skied over the goal in the 36’ as the the hosts took a 1: advantage into the break.
Second Half
Slavia captain Jaromir Zmrhal had a good chance in the box but his effort went wide in the ’51 while a minute later Miroslav Stock was shown a yellow card. Maccabi finally showed some life in front of the Slavia goal as Micha sent the ball to Yeini who slotted it into Vidar but his chance went off a defender good for a corner in the ’60.
Five minutes later Davidzada got Atar the ball in the box but number 16’s attempt went wide left of the goal. Nick Blackman was Cruyff’s first substitute of the contest as the striker was introduced in favor of Filipenka to try and take advantage of Maccabi’s positive play. Avi Rikan joined him on the pitch for Babin in the ’72 and Omer Atzily was brought on in the ’80 for Micha to jumpstart the offense as Cruyff again looked to draw even.
Battocchio tried his luck from long distance in the ’85 but he missed the target while Rikan’s weak attempt 3 minutes later was easily collected by Kovar. In the ’89 Davidzada’s screamer from the top of the box just went wide left as the match ended in a 1:0 defeat to Slavia Prague.
