Pre-season is finally over as Maccabi Tel Aviv lined-up for the first match of the 2021/22 season as FK Sutjeska of Montenegro were the first hurdle for Patrick van Leeuwen’s side in the Conference League second qualifying round 1st leg in Podgorica.
Last season, Van Leeuwen took charge of the team for the Europa League round of 32, this season, he will aim to guide the side into the group stages of UEFA’s new club competition.
With team captain Sheran Yeini ruled out of the trip to the Montenegrin capital having tested positive for COVID and Eyal Golasa still recovering from his knee injury, Van Leeuwen was forced to make changes.
The back injury that hampered Daniel Tenebaum’s pre-season allowed Daniel Peretz to make his European debut in goal. Louis Hernandez and Matan Baltaxa were named ad the two central defenders with Andre Geraldes and Ofir Davidzada completing the back-four on the right and left respectively. Eden Karzev and Shahar Piven were assigned to the two holding roles in midfield with Avi Rikan completing the trio wearing the captain’s armband. Matan Hozez and Eduardo Guerrero were named by Van Leeuwen as the two wingers while Yonatan Cohen led the attack for the striker’s role.
New signings Idan Nachmias and Osama Khalaila waited for a chance to make their official debut as the duo were amongst the 10 other substitutes on the bench.
First Half
Maccabi began the match on the front foot as the industrious Eduardo Guerrero cross couldn’t find Matan Hozez or Yonatan Cohen in Sutjeska’s box in the opening minutes. The hosts reached the first dangerous chance as Dragan Grivic narrowly missed the target with a close range header following a Nikola Janjic corner in the 20th minute. Two minutes earlier Eden Karzev went into the referee’s book and two minutes later (22) Hozez also received a booking. In the 26th minute however, Cohen received his first chance on goal as Ofir Davidzada sent in a cross from the left only to see the forward fire his shot high over the crossbar.
In the 40th minute Sutjeska’s towering striker Bozo Markovic miscued his shot that was blasted high and wide of Daniel Peretz’s goal. A minute later, Davizada found Hozez with a through ball, but the square ball the diminutive winger sent rolled across the facevof goal without anyone managing tonl push the ball home.
Second Half
With no goals in the first half and no changes at halftime, Maccabi came close to break the deadlock in the opening minute of the second half. Hozez stepped on the ball for Avi Rikan and whose shot from the edge of the area was blocked by a defender.
Two minutes later Karzev had a long range attempt of a shot also blocked by a Sutjeska defender as Maccabi stepped up their efforts.
Maccabi were reduced to 10 men in the 55th minute as Karzev was sent off for a second bookable offence for what seemed like a harmless challenge in the middle of the park. As a result, Van Leeuwen made his first change as Dan Glazer came in for Hozez a minute later.
Shahar Piven blasted a shot high over the crossbar following a Louis Hernandez long throw in on 70 which proved to be the midfielders final contribution on the night as he was replaced a minute later. Van Leeuwen made a double change as Piven was replaced by Maor Kandil while Osama Khalaila made his official debut for Maccabi replacing Cohen.
In the 85th minute Glazer released a counter attack into the path of Khalaila whose cross reached Guerrero but the Panamanian couldn’t find the target. A Marko Matanovic powerful shot in the 88th minute forced Daniel Peretz to a stunning save.
Despite six minutes of time added on, Maccabi couldn’t find the opening they needed to win but at the same time managed to keep a clean sheet and prevent Sutjeska from scoring.
