Preview
Maccabi returned to Bloomfield stadium for the Round of 32 State Cup tie against Hapoel Haifa putting aside the weekly league fixtures in favor of a Cup campaign.
Head Coach Zarko Lazetic made several changes from the side which was held to a 2-2 by Maccabi Netanya. With Ali Mohamad serving his one match touchline ban, Lazetic named Raz Shlomo and Itay Ben Hemo as the two central defenders in front of goalkeeper Ofek Melika. 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 in Maccabi’s engine room while Dor Peretz was named at the top of the midfield trio. Helio Varela and Osher Davida were named by Lazetic on both wings as the duo will try and supply ammunition for Saied Abu Farchi who led the line.
On the bench alongside goalkeeper Roi Mishpati, Lazetic named Heitor dos Santos, Kervin Andrade, Sagiv Jehezkel, Kristijan Belic, Elad Madmon, Noam Ben Harush, Itamar Noy and Ilay Ben Simon.
First Half
The rainy weather conditions effected the number of fans who arrived for this Cup tie as Bloomfield stadium was more than half empty despite the comfortable early kickoff time. The heavy rain which poured right from the start didn’t bother Maccabi as the wet surface was an advantage for Maccabi’s players. Eleven minutes from the start Dor Peretz found Helio Varela inside the visitors’ area before the Cape Verde winger curled a right foot shot beyond the reach of Niv Antman to break the deadlock.
Several minutes later Issouf Sissokho floated a ball over Haifa’s defense into the path of Varela who almost scored his second his second but saw his volley clear the crossbar. Maccabi kept tormenting Haifa down the left as the combination of Varela abd Roy Revivo was too much for Tamir Arbel.
In the 25th minute Maccabi doubled their lead as Varela slipped the ball to Revivo whose cross found Dor Peretz. The Maccabi captain had his initial effort saved by Niv Antman but Osher Davida pounced on the rebound to slot in the second.
Maccabi kept pushing forward and right on the half hour mark got their third. Tyrese Asante charged down the right and squared to Saied Abu Farchi who flicked the ball home from close range.
Second Half
Lazetic made two changes at the restart as Sissokho who was booked midway through the first half was replaced by Itamar Noy while Elad Madmon came on for Abu Farchi. Four minutes after the restart Maccabi were awarded a penalty as Madmon was tripped inside the area. Ido Shahar stepped up sent Antman the wrong way and buried his penalty in the bottom corner to score Maccabi’s fourth.
In the 57th minute Madmon dispossessed a Haifa player deep inside Maccabi’s half before releasing Varela who burst forward and was denied by Antman. A minute later Peretz drilled a shot which flashed across the face of goal. A minute after the hour mark Maccabi scored their fifth as Shahar turned provider sending a pinpoint cross to Davida who nodded home his second on the night from the goalmouth. Lazetic reacted with a double substitution as Varela and Peretz bowed and were replaced by Kervin Andrade and Ilay Ben Simon.
Lazetic made his fifth and final substitution on 78 as Shahar came off to a standing ovation from the 7605 fans who also cheered for the introduction of Kristijan Belic.
