Preview
Maccabi arrived at Teddy stadium for the MD31 WINNER League match against fourth placed Beitar Jerusalem. Zarko Lazetic whose side were held to a 1-1 draw by Maccabi Haifa would like to get back to winning ways, beat Beitar for the first time this season and cancel the three-point- gap from the leaders.
Lazetic made two changes from last week’s draw at Bloomfield as Nemanja Stojic who completed his one match touchline ban returned to partner Raz Shlomo at the heart of defense. Tyrese Asante on the right and Roy Revivo on the left completed Maccabi’s back four. Lazetic made no changes to his engine room as Issouf Sissokho, Joris van Overeem and Dor Peretz formed Maccabi’s midfield trio. Weslley Patati on one wing and Dor Turgeman on the opposite flank supplied the width to Maccabi’s formation in support of Eran Zahavi who led the line and the team out.
On the bench Lazetic named goalkeeper Roi Mishpati, Stav Lemkin, Idan Nachmias, Gabi Kanichowsky, Henry Addo, Ophir Davidzada, Hisham Layous, Ido Shahar and Osher Davida.
First Half
A sea of Yellow and Black with a touch of Blue from the visiting section but mostly a deafening wall of noise created by a sell-out Teddy stadium welcomed both sets of players onto the pitch. A minute into the game Maccabi’s keeper Simon Sluga was drawn into the action as he punched away a Timothy Muzie shot. Beitar’s keeper Miguel Silva was twice tested by Weslley Patati and on both occasions equaled the Brazilian winger. In the 15th minute Jean Marcelin stepped on Patati’s foot inside the box without a response from referee Yigal Frid. But VAR intervened, called the referee to the screen and Maccabi were awarded a penalty. Eran Zahavi stepped up and blasted the spot kick, but Beitar’s Portuguese keeper dived to his right and saved.
Six minutes after the half hour mark the ball fell to Zahavi on the edge of box but his shot was turned by Silva over the crossbar. A minute later at the opposite end a Beitar counterattack resulted with Omer Atzili shrugging of Tyrese Asante’s attempt of a tackle before firing a shot which rattled Sluga’s crossbar. Just as the fourth official signaled for 2 minutes of added time Gil Cohen released Silva Kangai down the right. The Beitar forward cut inside onto his left but saw his shot blocked by Maccabi’s defense.
Second Half
With no changes to either side at the break both teams returned for the second half which began just like the first one. Mayron George blasted a shot which struck the side netting before Kangai fired over. In the 51st minute Revivo drilled in a ball from Dor Peretz who continued with a flick towards goal, but Silva pulled a reflex save to claw the ball out and deny Maccabi the opener. Two minutes later however Teddy erupted as a Raz Shlomo’s attempt to head the ball back to Sluga fell to George who blasted a low drive to put Beitar in front.
The Beitar strike hobbled off as he injured himself during the goal celebration making way for Patrick Twumasi. Four minutes after the hour mark Sluga denied Beitar from doubling their lead as he first made a save from Atzili before diving at the feet of the winger who was deep inside his area. Maccabi’s defense struggled to clear the corner as Sissokho’s attempt of a clearance reached Jean Marcelin. The tall defender left Maccabi’s defense behind him as he skipped past Revivo to break into the area before firing low into the net to double Beitar’s lead. Zarko Lazetic reacted with a double substitution as Sissokho and Zahavi bowed out and were replaced by Gabi Kanichowsky and Osher Davida.
In the 79th minute Lazetic made a third change as Henry Addo came on for Patati who had a quiet game by his own high standards. Maccabi cut the deficit in the 83rd minute as a Davida cross from the right which was aiming to pick Peretz’s darting run into the box bounced in front of Silva and ended up in the bottom corner to make it 2-1. Ido Shahar replaced Joris van Overeem on 88 as the diminutive midfielder was introduced to try and help Maccabi score an equalizer. But inside injury time Yarin Levi blasted a powerful drive into the top corner that sealed Beitar’s victory and rounded up a miserable night overall.
