Three days after securing their place in the Quarter Final of the State Cup, Maccabi returned to Bloomfield stadium for the MD24 ONE Zero match against Maccabi Petah Tikva. Robbie Keane’s side that beat Hapoel Be’erseva 1-0 last week to take their point tally to 52, will aim to record a fourth successive victory in all competitions. Maccabi face an improved Maccabi Petah Tikva side that are unbeaten in their last six league matches and currently 7th with 29 points.

Keane made several changes from the side that beat Maccabi Jaffa 3-1 in the Cup, Prior to kickoff, the club held a ceremony in honor of the class of 1986/87 Maccabi side that won the State Cup that year as the entire team, staff and management staff were paraded onto the pitch wearing the shirts of that season. In traditional manner, the first team also wore the special retro set for the match against Maccabi Petah Tikva. Roi Mishpati returned to goal with Idan Nachmias and Matan Baltaxa lining up as the two central defenders in front of him. Ido Shahar slotted into the right-back role with Roy Revivo completing the back four on the left.

Joris van Overeem was named in the anchorman role as he was joined by Gabi Kanichowsky and Dor Peretz in the midfield engine room. Osher Davida on the right wing and Feicio Milson on the left supplied the width to Keane’s formation with Eran Zahavi leading the line aiming to feed off the brace he scored in the Cup to return to his scoring form.

On the bench Keane named Daniel Tenenbaum, Enric Saborit, Dor Turgeman, Dan Biton, Yonatan Cohen, Eyal Golasa, Ofir Davidzada, Kiko Bondoso and Eden Karzev.

First Half

Maccabi started the match on the front foot testing Petah Tikva’s defence with Felicio Mikson’s pace. In the opening five minutes the Angolan winger was caught offside twice, yet his threat caused but as the visitors were on the back foot Marco Wolf was penalised for picking up Abdrea Karo’s back pass. Eran Zahavi’s indirect free kick from the area was blocked and reached Ido Shahar whose half volley was deflected in by Roy Revivo. Maccabi’s celebrations were shortlived as the young left back was offside and the goal chalked off. In the 10th minute however, Osher Davida raced down the opposite flank for a counter before sending a square ball to Zahavi who slotted home from point blank range to open the score and end his goal drought in the league. Maccabi had the ball in the back of the net shortly after as Milson raced through and unselfishly teed up Dor Peretz for an easy tap in, but once again the flag was raised for offside and the one goal lead remained.

Peretz got his goal and Maccabi doubled their lead in the 27th minute at the end of a spectacular team effort. Idan Nachmias picked Ido Shahar in the middle as the diminutive midfielder released Zahavi who timed his run well to beat Petah Tikva’s high defensive line. Zahavi turned provider and claimed the assist as well as his center to Peretz was slotted home to make it 2-0.

While Keane’s gameplan was working like clockwork, his opposite number, Ran Kuzukh, made an early change near the halfhour mark as Ibrahim Jaaber replaced Mohamad Hindi. In the 35th minute Maccabi were denied a third and Zahavi his second after Davida was marginally offside before passing the ball to Zahavi. Seven minutes later, Petah Tikva’s high defensive line was caught flat as Milson raced through and released Davida but while the flag was kept down, VAR chalked off yet another goal.

On the stroke of halftime Shahar came close to send Maccabi to the dressing room with a three goal lead but his right foot drive was pushed by Wolf for a corner.

Second Half

Maccabi kept dominating the second period but were let down by the final pass which didn’t find a yellow shirt in the box. Keane made his first change in the 67th minute as Davida came off to a standing ovation as he was replaced by Dan Biton. A minute later Revivo picked Peretz with a clever pass before the midfielder left it for Zahavi whose snap shot went wide. Biton almost made an immediate impact as his accurate cross found Zahavi’s but the veteran marksmanship header was directed straight at the keeper. Maccabi continued to push forward as Wolf denied Shahar once again following a clever pass by Kanichowsky on 72.

Keane made a double change in the 76th minute as Eden Karzev and Dor Turgeman came on for Joris van Overeem who got their standing ovation. Within a Turgeman came close to get his name on the score sheet after he was released by an Idan Nachmias pass that carved Petah Tikva’s defence open. Turgeman rounded the keeper and fired his shot which struck the post, but Milson pounced on the rebound and fired home to make it 3-0. This was the final contribution of both Nachmias and Milson and Nachmias as the duo were replaced in the 80th minute by Ofir Davidzada and Kiko Bondoso.

Kanichowsky joined in the celebration as he was put through by Biton on 84 before his clinical finish beat Wolf for Maccabi’s fourth. Peretz had another goal disallowed for offside in the 86th minute as Maccabi kept trying to improve their goal record by scoring the fifth.

Four days after the victory over Hapoel Be’ersheva in the league, Maccabi returned to Bloomfield stadium for the State Cup Round of 16 tie against second division side Maccabi Jaffa.

Maccabi’s Head Coach, Robbie Keane, made several changes as he allowed some of his players gain valuable minutes in the Cup while others were handed much needed rest.

Daniel Tenenbaum, whose last appearance in goal was in May last season, was named in the starting line-up for the first time in this campaign. Idan Nachmias and Matan Baltaxa were both named as the two central defenders with Avishai Cohen and Ofir Davidzada completing Maccabi’s back-four in front of the Brazilian born custodian. Eden Karzev was assigned to the anchorman role with Dor Peretz and Kiko Bondoso completing Maccabi’s midfield engine room. Yonatan Cohen and Osher Davida supplied the width on the right and left while Dor Turgeman spearheaded Keane’s attack.

On the bench, Keane, named Orlando Mosquera, Roy Revivo, Eran Zahavi, Dan Biton, Joris van Overeem, Gabi Kanichowsky, Felicio Milson, Eyal Golasa and Ido Shahar.

First Half

Maccabi began the match with purpose and intention as Osher Davida looked lively down the left wing causing Jaffa’s defence all sorts of problems. Three minutes from the start Davida whipped in a cross from the left which was directed at Dor Turgeman. But as the young forward couldn’t connect the ball reached Yonatan Cohen whose attempt bounced wide of the target.

In the 14th minute Dor Turgeman tried curling a right foot shot from the edge of the area which was equalled by Jaffa’s keeper Adi Nasa who was at full stretch to push the ball out. While the visitors sat back soaking the pressure and protecting their goal, Yonatan Cohen tried to find an opening with a left foot drive that sailed high and wide.

Maccabi were back on level terms in the 43rd minute as Davida tore Jaffa’s defence from the left and sent the ball across the face of goal where Turgeman tucked it home from close range.

Second Half

When no change to either side at the restart, Maccabi began the second half just like they did with the first – a siege on Jaffa’s goal right from the off. Six minutes after the restart Kiko Bondoso broke into the area and floated a cross which was volleyed by Cohen forcing Nasa to a fingertip save.

Robbie Keane made his first two changes as Gabi Kanichowsky and Felicio Milson came on for Bondoso and Cohen shortly before the hour mark. Kanichowsky almost made an instant impact as he sent a free kick into the area on 66 which was headed by Turgeman onto the roof of the net.

Ido Shahar and Eran Zahavi were introduced for Peretz and Turgeman in the 78th as Keane made his third and fourth change. Less than a minute later Milson crossed from the touchline to Davida whose volley saw Nasa pull a reflex save on his goalline. But while Jaffa struggled to clear the danger Zahavi rifled a low drive from the corner of the area which eluded the visitors’ defence and their keeper to complete the comeback in the 80th minute to end his goalscoring drought.

A combination of the post freak misses denied Maccabi a third as the ball seemed reluctant to go in. Eyal Golasa replaced Karzev for the final substitution on the night but Zahavi still had his point to prove. An accurate strike in the 85th made it 3-1 with his second on the night. In the 89th minute Maccabi rounded the keeper and blasted the ball into the roof of the net but the linesman raised his flag for offside denying him a hattrick.