Preview
Maccabi arrived at the MHP Arena ahead of the Europa league MD6 away to VFB Stuttgart. On the back of four successive defeats since the 0-0 away to PAOK on MD1, Maccabi will aim to add to the solitary point they have, but against the German club currently ranked 6th in the Bundesliga the task will be extremely tough.
Head Coach Zarko Lazetic made six changes to the side that was beaten at Hapoel Be’ersheva. Roi Mishpati started in goal, with Heitor dos Santos, Ali Camara and Itay Ben Hemo lining up as three central defenders in front of him. Noam Ben Harush in the right wing-back role and Roy Revivo on the opposite left flank completed Maccabi’s defensive line. Itamar Noy and Ido Shahar were assigned to Maccabi’s engine room with Shahar leading the team out with the captain’s armband. Kervin Andrade and Helio Varela supplied the width to Maccabi’s formation in support of Saied Abu Farchi who led the line upfront.
On the bench alongside goalkeepers Ofek Melika and Shalev Saadya, Lazetic named Avishay Cohen, Tyrese Asante, Yonas Malede, Elad Madmon, Ben Lederman, Dor Peretz, Idan Weinberg, Ilay Ben Simon and Osher Davida.
First Half
The hosts took the initiative early as Lazar Jovanovic was the first Stuttgart player to threaten Roi Mishpati. Seven minutes from the start Jovanovic tried a shot from the edge of the area which Mishpati was able to catch while a minute later his dangerous dipping shot almost caught Maccabi’s keeper off his line before he was able to recover in time. At the opposite end a minute later Saied Abu Farchi and Kervin Andrade combined well to send Noam Ben Harush down the right before his attempt of a cross was cleared by Stuttgart’s defense. Stutthart continued to look damgerous as a last gasp Heitor dos Santos clearance from the goalmouth managed to hook a Maximilan Mittelstadt dangerous cross over the crossbar.
In the 25th minute Stuttgart took the lead as Lorenz Assignon was left unmarked at the far post after a Roy Revivo slip to meet Mittelstadt’s pinpoint cross with a volley that managed to find a gap between Mishpati and the post. Two minutes later dos Santos managed to clear once again after Chris Fuhrich managed to break into the box and send a square ball past Mishpati. . Saied Abu Farchi took the free kick but the 19-year-old’s attempt of a shot on goal was blocked by Stuttgart’s wall.
In the 37th minute however Stuttgart doubled their lead in controvercial circumstances as Romanian referee allowed play to continue despite Abu Farchi going down clutching his face. Tiago Tomas rifiled his shot which went in off the crossbar as Maccabi’s protests for a foul on Abu Farchi went un answered as even VAR didn’t help allowing the goal to count. Abu Farchi then saw his shot blocked for a corner on 43 but the hosts’ tall defense managed to clear Itamar Noy’s cross before any Maccabi player could have any chance of threatening the goal. Inside injury time, Varela sent a dangerous square ball into the path of Abu Farchi but the young striker failed to connect with the referee blowing the whistle for halftime seconds later.
Second Half
Lazetic made a double substitution at the restart as Osher Davida and Dor Peretz came on for Noy and Andrade. As a result Abu Farchi moved back to the right wing-back role while Ben Harush pushed into the midfield. Two minutes later Stuttgart were awarded a penalty after a Maccabi defender was judged to have handled the ball in the box. Mittelstadt stepped up and swept the spot kick past Mishpati to give Stuttgart a 3-0 lead. In the 52nd minute Maccabi cut the deficit as Revivo received a through ball from Ben Hemo controlled it with his thigh and sent a low drive that beat Alexander Nubel to make it 3-1.
Tyrese Asante replaced Ali Camara on 71 as Lazetic added a fresh pair of legs into defense. A minute later Revivo had a left foot shot saved by a combination of Nubel and his post. Madmon flashed header which shaved the side netting in the 90th minute while Lazetic made his fifth and final change introducing 16.5 year old Ilay Ben Simon for Varela. Inside injury time Stuttgart scored their fourth as substitute Josha Vagoman headed in Badrrdine Bounani’s cross tp seal the score at 4-1.
