Preview
A week after suffering their first defeat in the league, Maccabi Tel Aviv returned to Bloomfield stadium for the MD7 league encounter against Hapoel Tel Aviv. With an extraordinary unbeaten record against their bitter city rivals, stretching to 8 years and over 3000 days, Maccabi were aiming to maintain that record. The defeats of Maccabi Haifa away to Bnei Reineh and Hapoel Jerusalem at home to Bnei Sakhnin will see Vladimir Ivic’s side return to the summit in the event of a fifth league win this season.
Ivic made several changes from the side which lost last week, as Nir Bitton returned to the centre of defence at the expense of Sheran Yeini. Shahar Piven and Enric Saborit partnered Bitton as the three central defenders in front of goalkeeper Daniel Peretz. Maor Kandil returned to the right wing-back role with Ofir Davidzada completed the defensive line on the opposite left flank. Dor Peretz was assigned to the midfield anchor-man role alongside Gabi Kanichowsky with Dan Glazer and Eyal Golasa dropping to the substitutes bench. Oscar Gloukh returned to the starting line-up, as did Djordje Jovanovic with the duo supporting Eran Zahavi in a three-prong attack.
On the bench Ivic named alongside Daniel Tenenbaum, Glazer and Golasa, Joris van Overeem, Guiagon Parfait, Avi Rikan, Derrick Luckassen, Andre Geraldes and Matan Hozez.
First Half
The electric atmosphere at a sold out Bloomfield stadium was infused seconds after kick-off by an arsenal of flares and smoke grenades was lit-up at both ends of the pitch forcing the game to be stopped. When the smoke eventually cleared the match was renewed, only for the visiting fans to repeat the pyrotechnics display and force the match to be stopped once again.
In the 23rd minute when the match was finally resumed, Maccabi attempted to play while Hapoel’s fans kept disrupting the game by throwing balls into the penalty area every time there was any sign of danger.
Maccabi’s first clear chance came in the 20th as Gabi Kanichowsky teed-up Dor Peretz whose attempt of a shot reached Djordje Jovanovic. The Serbian forward blasted his shot high over the crossbar before the fourth official indicated 25 minutes of added time. Enric Saborit headed a Kanichowsky corner over the bar as Maccabi kept threatening Stefan Marinovic’s goal.
Maor Kandil broke into the area and found Peretz who couldn’t keep his shot down before Alen Ozbolt forced Daniel Peretz to make a save at the opposite end. Hapoel’s Hisham Layous blasted over the bar shortly before Bloomfield erupted as Kandil beat Marinovic after Kanichowsky unselfishly released him. But the celebrations were short-lived as VAR cancelled the goal with claims of an offside against Ofir Davidzada in the build-up for the goal. On the stroke of halftime, Dan Einbinder was booked by referee Roei Reinshrieber for a high tackle on Dor Peretz and with no goals to either side the first half ended at a blank.
Second Half
With no changes after the interval Maccabi returned to the field and began the second period where they left off. Peretz shot high over the bar on 47 before Jovanovic who was put through by Eran Zahavi rattled Marinovic’s crossbar two minutes later with a fierce right-foot volley.
Right on the hour mark, Jovanovic who missed a close range effort earlier on, rose high to meet Davidzada’s cross from the left only to head over the bar. Two minutes later, Oscar Gloukh floated a ball into the path of Zahavi whose attempt of a volley was saved by Marinovic on his goal-line.
In the 64th minute, Peretz was forced to dive at the feet and Ben Biton who exploited a mistake in Maccabi’s defence to race clear on goal. Vladimir Ivic made his first substitution in the 71st minute as Kanichowsky made way for Guiagon Parfait
The deadlock was finally broken in the 75th minute as Hapoel’s defence attempted to clear a Kandil cross which fell to Gloukh who blasted a powerful left foot half volley which gave Marinovic no chance. This was the final action of the diminutive youngster who pulled his calf muscle in the goal celebrations, was stretchered off and replaced by Eyal Golasa with Andre Geraldes coming on for Kandil.
Within a minute Maccabi doubled the lead as Jovanovic carried the ball half the length of the pitch, passed it to Guiagon whose flick released Zahavi. The veteran striker needed one touch as he blasted a right foot shot beyond the reach of Marinovic to make it 2-0 in the 80th minute.
Jobanovic could have increased the lead and join in the goal fest as he was put through by Zahavi in the 86th minute but missed the target. Maccabi continued to toy with Hapoel and Ivic made two more changes as Peretz and Zahavi bowed out to a standing ovation with Dan Glazer and Avi Rikan introduced for the closing stages. Ivic’s substitutes made an immediate impact as inside injury time Guiagon released Rikan whose square ball was volleyed by Jovanovic into the roof of the nhet to seal the 3-0 victory.
