Preview:
Three days after the 5-0 victory over Hapoel Haifa in the Cup Maccabi returned to league action to host Ironi Tiberias on MD16.
Maccabi’s Head Coach Zarko Lazetic made three changes to his starting line up against the side currently ranked 11th in the table. While Tyrese Asante is sidelined with a one-match touchline ban, Ali Camara returned to the heart of defense. Raz Shlomo partnered Camara as the two central defenders in front of goalkeeper Ofek Melika. Noam Ben Harush was named on the right side of defense with Roy Revivo completing the line of defense at left-back.
Issouf Sissokho in the anchorman role was joined in the engine room by Ido Shahar who scored one and set up another against Hapoel Haifa. Dor Peretz led the team out with the captain’s armband as the 30-year-old midfielder will aim to add to his tally 8 league goals and 10 in all competitions. Helio Varela who scored his debut Maccabi goal on Saturday, was named on the left wing with Sagiv Jehezkel on the opposite right flank.
Saied Abu Farchi, led the line as the 19-year-old who just like Varela also scored against Haifa in the Cup, will try and add to his tally of 2 league goals and 5 in all competitions this season.
On the bench Lazetic named, goalkeeper Roi Mishpati, Heitor dos Santos, Kervin Andrade, Kristijan Belic, Elad Madmon, Ben Lederman, Itamar Noy, Itay Ben Hemo, and Osher Davida.
First Half
Aiming to try and score an early goal, Maccabi began the match with purpose and intention but inside the opening two minutes Issouf Sissokho stopped a visitors’ counter attack with a foul that earned him a booking. Five minutes later Maccabi got the early goal they wanted. Helio Varela burst down the left and sent a square ball into the center of the area in the direction of Ido Shahar and Dor Peretz. The initial attempts to drive the ball home were blocked by Tiberias’ defense but nothing could Sagiv Jehezkel from edging the ball past the goalline.
In the 17th minute Maccabi lost possession deep inside their own half as the ball fell to Yarin Suissa whose shot sailed wide of Ofek Melika’s post.
A minute before the half hour mark Maccabi came close to double their leas as another Varela cut back reached Shahar whose initial shot was blocked by Sambinha before Saied Abu Farchi headed the rebound against the crossbar.
In the 42nd minute Tiberias’ keeper Ido Sharon managed to push away a Varela shot before Roy Revivo fired his shot wide. Two minutes later Ali Camara was also booked by referee Snir Levy for fouling Peter Michael inside the center circle.
The halftime whistle sent both teams as well as the 15,992 fans who arrived at Bloomfield to warm up ahead of the second period.
Second half:
With no changes at halftime Maccabi emerged for the second half with the same attitude as the first one. A minute after the restart Noam Ben Harush tried his luck with a long range effort which sailed high and wide. In the 50th minute Sissokho unleashed a right foot thunderbolt which was making its way under the crossbar but forced a fingertip save by Sharon.
Two minutes after the hour mark in what was their second shot on target Tiberias were back on level terms. David Keltjens charged down the left side of Maccabi’s defense before floating a cross which was volleyed by Niv Gotlieb past Ofek Melika. Lazetic reacted with a double substitution as he introduced Kristijan Belic and Osher Davida for Shahar and Jehezkel.
In the 70th minute Revivo fired a direct free kick which seemed to have beaten Sharon but struck the crossbar.
Lazetic made another double substitution in the 78th minute as Itay Ben Hemo replaced Raz Shlomo while Elad Madmon came on for Sissokho.
Kervin Andrade replaced Peretz on 84 as the Venezuelan midfielder was introduced for the closing stages to try help win the match.
Inside injury time Madmon came close to score as he sent a powerful header towards the goal but Sharon pulled a stunning reflex save to deny the Maccabi forward what would have been the winning goal.
