Preview
Three weeks after their 4-0 victory over Maccabi Netanya and four days after defeating Hapoel Petah Tikva by the same result, Maccabi returned to Bloomfield stadium for the MD4 WINNER League match against Hapoel Jerusalem.
Zarko Lazetic’s side scored four goals in each of their 3 league outings so far as they recorded a 4-1 win away to Ironi Tiberias last weekend, featured the new fourth kit.
Just like in the midweek match against Hapoel Petah Tikva, Lazetic made five changes to his starting line-up. Roi Mishpati kept his place in goal as did defenders Ali Camara and Tyrese Asante while Raz Shlomo returned to the heart of defense and Roy Revivo to the left back position. Issouf Sissokho kept his place as the anchorman while Ido Shahar who came off the bench to score a late penalty against Petah Tikva, returned to partner the Mali midfielder in Maccabi’s engine room. Dor Peretz continued to lead the team out with the captain’s armband as the 30-year-old will aim to continue his goal scoring form. Osher Davida who scored the opener and added an assist at Petah Tikva, kept his place while Kervin Andrade returned to the side for his home debut.
After opening his account against Maccabi Netanya at Bloomfield before adding another last weekend against Ironi Tiberias, Ion Nicolaescu, started upfront.
Yoav Gerafi who recovered from the hamstring injury he picked against Pafos, returned to the squad for the first time. On the bench alongside Gerafi, Lazetic named Sagiv Jehezkel, Denny Gropper, Kristijan Belic, Elad Madmon, Noam Ben Harush, Ben Lederman, Helio Varela and Itamar Noy.
First Half
Maccabi began the match with a blitz trying to score an early goal with Osher Davida twice bursting his way into the visitors’ box. The pacy winger tried cutting the ball back, but once it was intercepted by the keeper and the second time cleared for a corner. Maccabi came close to score from Davida’s resulting corner which was headed wide by Roy Revivo. Maccabi continued to press as Dor Peretz flashed a shot wide of the post before Revivo sent another close-range header which narrowly missed the target. Maccabi continued to dominate as Revivo and Kervin Andrade combined in the 14th minute to tee-up Ido Shahar whose shot sailed high over the crossbar.
Revivo continued to look lively down the left and in the 22nd minute he charged into the box appeared to go down after colliding with Tamir Haimovich. Referee Idan Leiba awarded Maccabi a penalty but after he was called to the screen by the VAR, cancelled the spot-kick, and booked the left back for diving.
The fourth official signaled 2 additional minutes and on the stroke of halftime Maccabi had the ball in the back of the net. A long diagonal ball found Revivo who rose at the far post and headed across the face of goal where Davida nodded home. But the referee assistant raised his flag for offside before VAR confirmed the goal should be disallowed. With the score still at a blank, the halftime whistle sent both teams to regroup in the dressing rooms ahead of the second period.
Second Half
Neither coach made changes after the interval, as the second half began like the first with Maccabi trying to grab an early goal. In the 52nd minute Revivo charged down the left and slipped the ball to Kervin Andrade who spun around his marker, but his shot was blocked by a Jerusalem defender.
Two minutes later Davida broke down the right and squared for Shahar whose attempt of a flick struck the side netting. Andrade kept causing Jerusalem all sorts of problems as the diminutive Venezuelan winger skillfully charged down the left into the touchline but saw his effort turned away by Nadav Zamir’s feet. Lazetic made a triple substitution in the 64th minute as Issouf Sissokho was replaced by Kristijan Belic, Sagiv Jehezkel came on for Davida while Elad Madmon stepped in for Ion Nicolaescu.
Two minutes later Maccabi were reduced to 10 men after Revivo was shown a second bookable offense for a tug on the shirt of Guy Badash. From the resulting free-kick the visitors took the lead as Ilay Madmon touched the ball for Badash whose powerful left foot drive found the bottom corner of Roi Mishpati. With a goal down and a numerical disadvantage Maccabi had to raise their game. The fans also reacted as they raised their decibels to give the team a massive push. In the 69th minute Bloomfield was on their feet as Belic fed Shahar who drilled in a shot which beat Zamir to level the score. Lazetic made another change as he replaced the tired Andrade with Helio Varela deputizing the Cape Verde winger to left back.
Peretz had two good chances to score after good work by Varela down the wing, but Zamir managed to claw one effort off his line while the second rolled wide. Shahar was replaced by Itamar Noy as Lazetic made his fifth and final change on 86, adding a fresh pair of legs into the midfield.
When it seemed as though all of Maccabi’s attempts to score the winner would fail, Noy broke forward shrugging four opponents in the process as he then released Jehezkel who was brought down near the corner flag. Noy stepped up and sent the free kick into the box where the towering Ali Camara rose high to nod in the winner in the 95th minute to seal a dramatic late comeback. The celebrations at Bloomfield reached a frenzy as attention now turns to the EUROPA League phase opening match away to PAOK in Thessaloniki on Wednesday. deputizing the Cape Verde winger to left back.
Peretz had two good chances to score after good work by Varela down the wing, but Zamir managed to claw one effort off his line while the second rolled wide. Shahar was replaced by Itamar Noy as Lazetic made his fifth and final change on 86, adding a fresh pair of legs into the midfield.
When it seemed as though all of Maccabi’s attempts to score the winner would fail, Noy broke forward shrugging four opponents in the process as he then released Jehezkel who was brought down near the corner flag. Noy stepped up and sent the free kick into the box where the towering Ali Camara rose high to nod in the winner in the 95th minute to seal a dramatic late comeback. The celebrations at Bloomfield reached a frenzy as attention now turns to the EUROPA League phase opening match away to PAOK in Thessaloniki on Wednesday.
