Preview
Maccabi arrived at Sammy Ofer for the MD20 WINNER League match away to Maccabi Haifa in second place, six points adrift of leaders Hapoel Be’ersheva.
Having beaten Haifa twice this season, 2-0 at the corresponding fixture which Maccabi hosted at Teddy in October as well as 3-1 in the Toto Cup Final in December, maintaining that unbeaten record is imperative for the title race and bragging rights.
Head Coach Zarko Lazetic handed goalkeeper Simon Sluga his debut league appearance as the 31-year-old Croatian custodian who featured twice for Maccabi in the State Cup, started in goal at the expense of Roi Mishpati.
Idan Nachmias and Nemanja Stojic lined-up as the two central defenders in front of Sluga with Tyrese Asante and Roy Revivo completing Maccabi’s back-four. Joris van Overeem and Issouf Sissokho were bot assigned to the engine room with Dor Peretz at the top of the midfield trio leading the team out with the captain’s armband. Osher Davida on one flank and Weslley Patati on the other supplied the width to Maccabi’s formation with Dor Turgeman leading the line seeking to add to his 9 league goals and 13 in all competitions.
On the bench alongside Mishpati, Lazetic named Stav Lemkin, Eran Zahavi, Raz Shlomo, Elad Madmon, Henry Addo, Ofir Davidzada, Hisham Layous and Ido Shahar.
First half
A packed Sammy Ofer stadium welcomed both sets of players onto the pitch as the two sides wore Tshirts marking the return from captivity of Emily Damari and Doron Steinbrecher. Two minutes from the start Dor Turgeman was sent into the area but a last gasp tackle by Abdoulaye Seck prevented the Maccabi young striker from pulling the trigger. Seconds later Haifa’s central defender Rami Gershon fell to the found clutching his hamstring and limped off before being replaced by Tomer Lans. In the 10th minute Dor Peretz found himself with only Shareef Keouf to beat but Maccabi’s captain sliced his shot wide of the post.
In the 26th minute the hosts took the lead after Dolev Haziza was given the time and space down the right before his shot bounced off the post, struck Tyrese Asante and rolled in. Weslley Patati tried his luck with a left foot shot on 36 which sailed high and wide from the edge of the area. Due to flares thrown onto the pitch from the home fans sector, the fourth official signalled 11 minutes of added time. Seconds later Osher Davida blasted a left foot drive that Haifa’s keeper punched away. Davida had another effort clawed away by Keouf a minute later as the winger continued to look dangerous from the right flank.
After a discussion in the dressing room between the local police commander, the match delegate, the referee and representatives of both clubs, the police decided to abandon the match in fear of safety for the players and fans.
