Preview:
Maccabi returned to Bloomfield stadium for the WINNER League MD18 for the early kickoff match against Bnei Sakhnin. Last week’s victory over Hapoel Jerusalem at Teddy stadium ended Maccabi’s run of four winless matches. Zarko Lazetic’s charges will aim to record a second league victory in succession, something they haven’t done since MD9 in November. With his side currently third in the table 8 points adrift of leaders Hapoel Be’ersheva, and six behind Beitar Jerusalem, Maccabi will aim to cut the gap.
Kristijan Belic and Dor Peretz remain out injured and join Denny Gropper and Ion Nicolaescu on the list of absentees which also includes Ali Mohamad Camara for family reasons.
Raz Shlomo recovered from the facial injury he sustained last week in Jerusalem and returned to the heart of defense. With Camara absent, Shlomo partnered Itay Ben Hemo as the two central defenders in front of goalkeeper Ofek Melika. Tyrese Asante whose spectacular goal at Teddy sealed Maccabi’s victory, started at right-back. Roy Revivo completed Maccabi’s defensive line on the left as the 22-year-old was handed the captain’s armband in the absence of Peretz.
Issouf Sissokho was joined in Maccabi’s midfield engine room by the joint top scorer Ido Shahar who has 8 league goals. Kervin Andrade, kept his place at the top of the midfield trio as the 20-year-old Venezuelan who played a part in both goals at Teddy will try and impress at Bloomfield as well. Helio Varela on one wing and Osher Davida on the other will supply the width to Maccabi’s formation. Elad Madmon who scored a goal and set up another will lead the line aiming to add to his tally of 3 league goals and 5 in all competitions.
On the bench alongside goalkeeper Roi Mishpati, Lazetic named: Heitor Dos Santos, Sagiv Jehezkel, Yonas Malede, Noam Ben Harosh, Ben Lederman, Itamar Noy, Saied Abu Farchi and Ilay Ben Simon.
First Half:
Maccabi began the match with pressure on Sakhnin right from the start and were awarded a free kick deep inside the visitors’ half after Varela was fouled by an opponent. Andrade stepped up but from 25 meters sent the free kick over the crossbar. Maccabi continued to press forward as in the ninth minute Asante flashed a shot across the face of Mohamad Abu Nil’s goal. In the 13th minute Sakhnin came closest to open the score directly from a corner as Ofek Melika missed Jubayer Bushnak’s cross before Itay Ben Hemo headed the ball off the line. Two minutes before te half hour mark Andrade came close as he won a challenge on the left, burst forward and sent a low right foot drive that narrowly missed the target.
Shortly before the break Ben Hemo came close at the opposite end this time rising high at the far post to meet Andrade’s corner. But from almost point-blank range the 23-year-old centra defender guided his header over.
As the fourth official signaled four minutes of added time, Maccabi reached their best chance to score. Andrade charged forward from the halfway line before releasing Davida with the outside of his boot. The winger opted not to shoot first time but instead took a touch and saw his left foot drive blocked by Karlo Brucic.
Just before the halftime whistle was sounded Davida sent a cross into the area which was headed across by Varela but a Sakhnin defender blocked before the danger was cleared.
Second half:
With no changes made after the break, Maccabi came close a minute inside the second period. Andrade sent the ball to Revivo down the left flank before the captain on the day sent pinpoint cross found Ido Shahar who dragged his header wide.
Four minutes after the hour mark, Lazetic made a double substitution as Davida and Elad Madmon bowed out and were replaced by Sagiv Jehezkel and Saied Abu Farchi.
The deadlock was finally broken in the 75th minute in an almost carbon copy of the move that opened the second half but this time with a positive outcome. Revivo ended some slick passing with another pinpoint cross into the danger zone where Shahar ghosted through and headed home to score his 9th league goal and 12th in all competitions
Lazetic made another double change in the 82nd minute as Shahar and Andrade came off to a standing ovation with Itamar Noy and Noam Ben Harush introduced for the closing stages.
Yonas Malede made his second outing this season as he replaced Varela on 87 with the Cape Verde receiving a standing ovation by the majority if the 19,795 fans.
The full-time whistle saw Maccabi celebrate a second league victory in succession. Attention now turns to the State Cup as Maccabi face arch city rivals Hapoel on Wednesday for a Tel Aviv derby.
