Preview
A week after recording a dramatic 2-1 victory in Malta over Hamrun Spartuns, Maccabi returned to the TSC Arena in Backa Topola for the return leg of the Europa League 3rd qualifying round. Zarko Lazetic’s side that were knocked out of the Champions League campaign by Pafos, have one task on their minds – advancing past the Maltese to the Playoffs where they will face Dynamo Kyiv that were also beaten by the same Pafos in the corresponding round. Lazetic made three changes from the side that won in Malta as Raz Shlomo Shlomo teamed up with Nemanja Stojic as the two central defenders in front of goalkeeper Roi Mishpati. Tyrese Asante on the right and Roy Revivo on the left completed Maccabi’s back-four. Issouf Sissokho in the anchorman role was joined by Ido Shahar i the engine room while Dor Peretz at the top of the midfield trio led the team out with the captain’s armband. Elad Madmon who scored the late winner in Malta, was handed a place in the starting line up, as was Osher Davida who was named on the opposite flank. Ion Nicolaescu led the line as the Moldovan striker is still seeking his first goal in a Yellow and Blue shirt.
On the bench alongside goalkeeper Ofek Melika who completed his one match touchline ban following his dismissal against Pafos a fortnight ago, Lazetic named fellow keeper Shalev Saadya, Heitor, Ali Camara, Dor Turgeman, Weslley Patati, Denny Gropper, Noam Ben Harush, Ben Lederman, Itamar Noy, Saied Abu Farchi, Itay Ben Hemo.
First Half
Maccabi tried scoring an early goal as they looked dangerous right from the start. Inside the opening minute Roy Revivo whipped in a cross from the left which was directed at Dor Peretz before Marcelina Emerson managed to get a touch and deflect the ball out for a corer. The resulting corner almost resulted with an opener as Nemanja Stojic rose unmarked above Hamrun’s defense but sent his header over the crossbar from close range. In the 10th minute Osher Davida cut inside from the left and was brought down by Ryan Camenzuli who was consequently booked by Norwegian referee Rohit Saggi. Maccabi almost scored from the resulting free kick which was crossed by Davida and reached Revivo whose right-foot volley forced goalkeeper Henry Bonello to make his first save.
A last gasp Tyrese Asante tackle in the 25th minute rescued Maccabi from conceding but from the resulting corner Hamrun were awarded a penalty following the intervention of VAR after Davida was adjudged to have handled the ball in the area. Emerson stepped up to take the spot kick but blasted his shot which shaved the crossbar and sailed high. A water break called by the referee due to the hot weather conditions allowed Maccabi to regroup on the touchline. Three minutes after the hour mark Maccabi came close to break the deadlock as Issouf Sissokho picked Revivo whose square ball found Peretz whose flick went wide of the post.
In the 37th minute Maccabi finally took the lead as Raz Shlomo split Hamrun’s defense open with a long pass into the path of Ido Shahar. The diminutive midfielder shrugged off a defender on the edge of the area and with only the keeper to beat buried his shot in the bottom corner. The visitors almost leveled the score two minutes later as Jovan
Čadjenović sent a volley crashing against the post before Rafael Compri had his effort blocked by Shahar. Čadjenović was booked for a foul on Revivo on 41 but two minutes later Hamrun. Joseph Mbong broke into the box and rolled the ball past Mishpati and into the bottom far corner to take the score to 1-1 on the night but 2-3 on aggregate. Inside stoppage time Davida’s good work down the right saw him beat his man and square to Shahar who flicked the ball home with one touch to score his second on the night which restored Maccabi’s two-goal aggregate lead.
Second Half
Lazetic made two substitutions after the break as Elad Madmon and Ion Nicolaescu were both replaced by Weslley Patati and Dor Turgeman at the restart. In the 54th minute Peretz was sent clear through but as he tried going around the keeper Bonello blocked with his feet only for Issouf Sissokho to clip the rebound which landed on the roof of the net. Seconds later at the opposite end Mishpati denied N’Dri Philippe Koffi as the veteran Maccabi custodian charged off his line to save with his feet.
Four minutes after the hour mark Lazetic made another double substitution as Shlomo made way for Heitor while Peretz came off and was replaced by Itamar Noy. Noy made an immediate impact as he dominated the midfield winning the ball off the Hamrun opponents. In the 69th minute Shahar turned provider as he picked the ball from Noy and released Davida who broke into the area before curling a low drive into the bottom corner to make it 3-1 and 5-2 on aggregate. In the 80th minute Lazetic added a fresh pair of legs as Ben Lederman came on for Sissokho.
In the 87th minute Turgeman unselfishly fed Patati who tried lifting the ball over the advancing keeper but somehow managed to miscue his shot and clear the crossbar. Turgeman came close himself as he was put through by Davida but despite beating the keeper a Hamrun defender cleared the ball off his goal line.
