Itay Ben Hemo marked his sixth appearance for Maccabi’s senior side with a goalmouth clearance and a clean sheet in the 1-0 victory over Bnei Sakhnin. The 23-year-old central defender, who came through Maccabi’s Youth Academy, captained the U19’s and made his senior debut this season, said at the end of the victory over Sakhnin: “It was not an easy game; we knew what we were coming into. We knew it would be tough, but we didn’t let up for a moment, both in defense and in attack – with patience.” Ben Hemo, who saw another graduate of Maccabi’s Youth Academy, Ido Shahar, score the winning goal added: “I am happy that in the end we scored the goal and managed to hold on to the lead. It was a team defensive effort, and I’m glad about that.”

On his first half goalmouth clearance that kept Maccabi’s locked before the Shahar scored a second half winner, Ben Hemo said: “That is why I am here. It is my job, and it was important. I saw the ball curving toward the goal, and luckily, I was there to prevent it.”

The victory helped Maccabi string two victories in succession, as Ben Hemo said: “Every match where you play well, win, and stay on your path gives you confidence moving forward. I’m happy about the win, and I hope it helps us push further and continue in the same direction.”

Ben Hemo, who spent the last couple of seasons on loan at Bnei Sakhnin, waited until the end of November to make his senior debut in the week he signed a new 3-year deal at the club, said: “It’s not easy being on the sidelines, but as someone who grew up here, I always wanted to reach this point. That was my goal, and I never gave up for a second. I knew that when the team needed me, I’d be ready. I’m happy to help the club, it’s part of who I am, it’s what I always wanted. Truly, I couldn’t be happier, and I hope to keep working hard and helping the team.”

After playing alongside Ali Camara, Heitor dos Santos, Tyrese Asante and Raz Shlomo in the league, Cup and Europe, as his defensive partners, Ben Hemo said: “I think at the end of the day, we train together all week. Sometimes Raz (Shlomo) starts, and sometimes Héitor (dos Santos), so we’re all used to it, and each player knows what he needs to do. It doesn’t matter who’s out there, we’re all united, following the coach’s approach, and doing what needs to be done.”

On Maccabi’s defensive performance: “Today we were 100% focused in the defensive aspect, on crosses from the flanks and in one-on-one battles. I think the entire team was involved, not just the defenders, and that’s what helped us keep the clean sheet. The dressing room is always ready for every match, whether it’s a derby or a regular game, we do our preparations and stay focused on ourselves. I think there has always been belief in the locker room. We never lost faith, not in the coach, not in the staff, and not in the process. I think that’s what will keep us in the picture until the very end.”

With Maccabi six points adrift of both Hapoel Be’ersheva and Beitar Jerusalem, Ben Hemo remained confident: “A club this big can never be written off. We have strong belief in our path, and we know there’s a long season ahead. We believe we can do it.”

Ido Shahar scored the only goal of the game to lead Maccabi to victory over Bnei Sakhnin at Boomfield. The 24-year-old midfielder who scored his 9th league goal and 12th in all competitions was joined by the brothers Gali and Zivi Berman who attended the match. “It was tough, but another 3 important points” Shahar said.

Ahead of Wednesday’s Round of 16 State Cup tie against Hapoel Tel Aviv at Bloomfield, Shahar said: “We know what a derby means to us, for our club, and for the fans. We are coming in fully prepared and fired up to win the match.”

Gali and Zivi, who returned from captivity in Gaza where they were held hostage for 738 days, shared their excitement ahead of the derby: “It is indescribable, just watching football in general. Just bring on the derby!”

Shahar then added: “I want to say that for us, there’s no greater joy than seeing them (Gali and Zivi) here with us. It warms and touches the heart, we’re so happy they’ve come back to us.”

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 9^th 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.

Maccabi will play their 2,300^th league match since the State of Israel was founded.
Maccabi’s all-time league record is the best among all Israeli clubs of which 1,173 victories, 611 draws and 515 defeats. The all-time goal tally currently stands on 3864 goals scored and 2166 conceded.

Maccabi played against Sakhnin 57 times in the league of which 36 were won, 6 lost and 15 others ended in a draw with a goal tally of 109-40.
The 71.9% success rate against Sakhnin is Maccabi’s highest against any of the 19 opponents they faced 40 times or more in league history.

Maccabi’s home record in 28 league matches against Sakhnin currently stands on 20 victories, 7 draws, and one defeat recorded in the 2004/05 season.
The goal difference currently stands on 62-18.
The 79.8% success rate is the highest against any of the 19 opponents Maccabi hosted for 20 league matches or more.

Maccabi are on a run of 26 successive unbeaten home matches against Sakhnin (20 victories and 6 draws), a club record against any league opponent.
The all-time league record for an unbeaten home run belongs to Hapoel Haifa against Bnei Yehuda: 28 home matches without defeat between 1963 and 2001.

The highest victory over Sakhnin was recorded in the 2023 Round of 16 State Cup tie, a 5–0 victory at Bloomfield Stadium.
Eran Zahavi (2), Oscar Gloukh (2) and Avi Rikan were on target for Maccabi.

The highest league victory against Sakhnin (4-0) was recorded three times:
2010/11 season: Haris Medunjanin, Roberto Colautti, Yuval Avidor, Eliran Atar
2012/13 season: Eliran Atar (2), Yoav Ziv, Moanes Dabour
2024/25 season: Weslley Patati, Dor Turgeman, Henry Addo, Joris van Overeem
No less than 203 Maccabi players featured throughout history in league matches against Sakhnin.
Sheran Yeini holds the club record with 27 league appearances against Sakhnin.

Over the years 53 Maccabi players scored against Sakhnin as Eran Zahavi leads the goalscorers chart with 15 goals to his name.
The only player to score a hat-trick against Sakhnin: Eran Zahavi, on MD36 (the final matchday) of the 2013/14 season.
In all competitions Zahavi found the Sakhnin net 19 times as they are the opponent he scored against most often in a Maccabi shirt.

In 55 league matches against Maccabi, Sakhnin players received 13 red cards, averaging one red card every 4.5 matches, the highest ratio among Maccabi’s 16 league opponents (minimum 50 meetings).

Eighteen players represented both Maccabi and Sakhnin in league matches.
The only member in Maccabi’s current squad to feature for both clubs is Itay Ben-Hemo.

Sakhnin’s coach, Sharon Mimer, has faced Maccabi as a head coach in 20 league matches. Maccabi’s record in these matches: 9 victories, 8 draws, and 3 defeats.

The 20-year-old defender who joined Maccabi in the summer from Hapoel Haifa and has so far made 11 appearances in all competitions, has featured in various positions on the pitch. Ben Harush expressed his pleasure with Maccabi’s 3-1 victory over Hapoel Jerusalem last Saturday that ended a run of four winless matches. Maccabi are currently third in the table with 33 points, eight behind the leaders Hapoel Be’ersheva that beat Sakhnin 5-0. “We are focused only on ourselves, one game at a time, Ben Harush said. “We prepare in the best way possible and come to win every match. It doesn’t matter what other teams do. At the end of the day, we show up ready to play and aim to come out with the three points. We had a run of draws and really wanted that win. It was a big release going into the next matches, it gave us a lot of energy moving forward.”

Ahead of Sakhnin, Ben Harush said: “No game is easy in this league. We prepare thoroughly for every team, whether it’s Sakhnin or Be’ersheva, and our goal is always to win.”

“The dressing room is very united. We’re always together and focused on succeeding as a team.”

On settling in at Maccabi, Ben Harush said: “I am at the biggest club in the country. Every game and every training session is a competition, for the squad, for my place, for the starting eleven. I fight for every minute I get, and wherever I play, I give my all. Whether the coach puts me in midfield, left back, or right back, I will play wherever he needs me.”

“What we’ve been missing lately is scoring early goals. Last season, Maccabi dominated matches because we scored early. That’s really important, there are expectations for us to get the second and third goals, and sometimes it’s not easy. What matters most is that we got the three points in the last match.”