Preview
Maccabi returned to the Partizan stadium for the final home match of the EUROPA League phase as they hosted Portugeuse giants FC Porto on MD8.
After seven matches Maccabi were ranked 29th with six points knowing that only a miraculous victory over Porto together with other results going their way would see them squeeze into the top 24 places and the knockout phase.
Maccabi’s Head Coach Zarko Lazetic made several changes from the side that played in Mondays’ match at Haifa which was abandoned after 45 minutes due to crowd trouble.
Goalkeeper Simon Sluga kept his place to make his debut European appearance for Maccabi with Stav Lemkin and Raz Shlomo lining up as the two central defenders in front of the Croatian custodian. Tyrese Asante on te right and Roy Revivo on the left completed Maccabi’s defensive back-four. Issouf Sissokho was named in the anchorman role with Ido Shahar and Gabi Kanichowsky who were back in the side to form the midfield trio. Kanichowsky, who returned after a foot injury, led the team out with the captain’s armband. Weslley Patati and Osher Davida supplied the width to Maccabi’s formation with Dor Turgeman leading the attack seeking his 14th goal in all competitions this season.
On the bench Lazetic named goalkeepers Roi Mishpati and Idan Trau, Idan Nachmias, Joris van Overeem, Nemanja Stojic, Elad Madmon, Henry Addo, Ofir Davidzada, Hisham Layous, Roey Magor and Dor Peretz
First Half
Some 150 fans who travelled from Israel and 300 from Portugal welcomed both teams to the Partizan stadium in Belgrade for the match that would end the league phase,
Maccabi avoided an early scare as a throw in caught the defense not [prepared and left Danny Namaso clear through. But Simon Sluga charged off his line and dived at the feet of the Porto striker to clear the danger.
In the 41st minute a perfectly timed through ball released Dor Turgeman but as the young striker pulled the trigger his shit sailed wide of the target.
The halftime whistle sent both teams into the dressing room with the result still goalless.
Second half
Zarko Lazetic made his first change after the interval as he introduced Joris van Overeem for Gabi Kanichowsky at the restart.
In the 50th minute Osher Davida charged down the right but saw his cross cleared by Porto’s defense. At the opposite end a minute later Joao Mario’s carved Maccabi’s defense open as he released Namaso who rolled his effort narrowly wide. In the 58th minute however, the visitors took the lead after João Mário crossed into the area before Nico Gonzalez flicked with his head beyond the reach of Sluga to break the deadlock. A minute after the hour mark Davida managed to beat Diogo Costa in Porto’s goal but saw his effort strike the woodwork. Lazetic made a triple substitution in the 70th minute as he introduced Nemanja Stojic for Tyrese Asante, Dor Peretz for Ido Shahar and Elad Madmon for Turgeman.
In the 86th minute Peretz had the ball in the back of the Porto net as he reacted first to a Madmon header which crashed against the post, but the referee assistant raised his flag for offside and the goal was disallowed.
