Category: First Team
Maccabi departed to Gent
Maccabi’s European journey in the Conference League Group stage continues as the team flew out this morning (Wednesday) to Belgium ahead of tomorrow’s MD2 Grpup stage match away to Gent.
The team arrived at Ben Gurion Airport this morning before flying out to Ostend, Belgium. Robbie Keane’s side will aim to build on the 3-2 victory over Breidablik on MD1 as they face a tough test against the Belgians who were held to a 1-1 by Ukrainian outfit Zorya Luhansk.
Mansford: “We changed the atmosphere and the energy”
“EuroDrive is part of the family”
Maccabi Tel Aviv arrived at EuroDrive’s flagship display room this morning (Monday) at Glilot for a special sales event which marked another year of partnership between the club and Israel’s leading car leasing company.
Amongst those who attended were Maccabi’s players Sheran Yeini, Eyal Golasa, Enric Saborit, Yonatan Cohen and Nir Bitton who were accompanied by the Club’s CEO, Ben Mansford.
Mansford, said during the event: Eli (Shimrich), EuroDrive and all the guys here, were part of the team when I was here last time and I was laughing with you about the slightly different atmosphere when I was speaking to you at EuroDrive (in 2018). But it is good to be here, and nice to see the players here as well. Eli’s own family are involved in the business, EuroDrive are part of our family as any player who lands or any staff member lands he (Eli) is always there to support us. It is nice to give him some support back and it seems like a busy time of year for Eli and his business as well so it is just good to be here.
“Maccabi, and you guys know better than me it is a very special place and has very special values. It is important for us that we surround ourselves in everything that we do, in particular our key stakeholders, with people that symbolize what we are about” he added. “We are fortunate to have really good sponsors and we are looking forward to see some of them on the plane with us shortly. Eli and his company are standing by our side for a long period as sponsors”.
EuroDrive’s owner, Eli Shimrich, related to the partnership which stretches now for more than a decade: “Time travels fast when you are having fun. I am delighted with this past decade as this added a lot of value to us in terms of the image and it is fun to be a partner of Maccabi Tel Aviv. It seems to me as though this period had changed EuroDrive as over the past decade we entered the luxury cars sector which gave us a collaboration feeling with Maccabi’s fanbase, with the team and management and that is very pleasing.”
OUT OF THE BLUE: The 2023/24 fourth kit
Yellow, Blue, White now make space in your wardrobe for the Light Blue as well. Maccabi together with fashion and sportswear powerhouse FILA, teamed-up once again to bring you the new fourth kit which will accompany us during the 2023/24 season.
For the third season in succession the club launched a fourth strip that gives you once again the chance to enjoy a Maccabi shirt with a refreshing new ground-breaking design.
If you missed the activity on our social media platforms, let us tell you that hundreds of FOREVER members were surprisingly the first to be exposed to the new kit at an exclusive event that took place at Bloomfield stadium.
This season’s fourth kit takes inspiration from the Club’s famous old crest – incorporating different elements of the badge throughout the ‘half-and-half’ design.
On the new shirt one could also find the current Maccabi crest in dark blue that prominently features on the shirt and embedded for the first time.
Additional features also include:
A FIT design, a stylish V neckline, short sleeve, and a 100% polyester fabric that wicks away the sweat providing excellent breathability. The club crest made of silicone as well as the stars woven onto the shirt.
A badge signifying the originality of the 2023/24 kit.
As of Sunday, the new kit is already waiting for you at the official online store and our official store at Bloomfield stadium.
Now for the important details: The fourth kit is already waiting for you at Maccabi OFFICIAL ONLINE STORE as well as the flagship store at Bloomfield.
Bitton: “I looked back, I didn’t want to watch the penalty”
Nir Bitton, who marshalled Maccabi’s defense and helped the side to another clean-sheet and a 2-0 victory over newly promoted side Hapoel Petah Tikva, faced the media at the end of the match and said: “We knew it will be a tough match, that Hapoel Petah Tikva will make it difficult for us and that we will work hard to win here. I am delighted we won. People are expecting us to dance on the pitch and crush any opponent that comes here to Bloomfield, but this league is extremely difficult. Teams know how to defend and play which was evident today. It was an extremely tough match and I am delighted we won”.
The former Celtic defender who played in numerous old firm derbies during his 9-year-long tenure in Glasgow, reflected on last week’s Tel Aviv derby: “Every match is different, during the derby the match developed in our favor. Today was a totally different match, very tight” the 31-year-old said. “Had Eran scored his penalty in the first half the match would have evolved differently. There are matches like that but the most important thing is that we won and collected the three points”.
On Zahavi’s three attempts from the penalty spot, Bitton revealed his position: “Let me say that I would never have taken a penalty for the third time. I looked back and didn’t even want to see it. I told myself that if Eran misses a penalty for the third time then we are heading for a long night. I am glad he managed to keep his calm and it went in. Eran is Eran and I am just delighted we won the match”.
Keane’s summary of the 2-0 victory
Zahavi: “One needs to know how to win matches like that.”
Eran Zahavi scored a goal, added an assist and helped Maccabi to a 2-0 victory over Hapoel Petah Tikva at Bloomfield to remain top of the ONE ZERO League table.
Zahavi, who had two penalties saved by Petah Tikva’s keeper Omer Katz, but was given a chance to redeem himself as he successfully converted the second penalty which was retaken, said after the match: “To be honest, I don’t know if something like that has ever happened to me, but sometimes these things do happen. He (Katz) saved the first penalty and deserves all the credit for it. For the second penalty I decided to shoot to the middle, and he waited for it. I don’t know whether someone had tipped him off, but he still deserves credit for it. To his misfortune though the spot kick was re-taken and I was sharper so the most important thing was that I scored it.
On the team’s over all performance, Zahavi added: “We were not that bad in terms of our form, but it is difficult to play against a side that has 10 field players behind the ball. WE struggled today, our game did not flow but one needs to know how to win matches like that. We will not dance on the pitch in every game and I am saying this so that you shouldn’t expect this every time. It was however very important to show character and desire which is exactly what we did.”
MACCABI BEAT HAPOEL PETAH TIKVA 2-0
Preview
Maccabi returned to Bloomfield stadium for the early Saturday kickoff match against newly promoted side Hapoel Petah Tikva aiming to record another victory which would keep the side at the top of the table. With 10 points from the opening 4 league matches and an impressive 13-2 goal tally, Robbie Keane made no changes to the side that beat Hapoel Tel Aviv 5-0 in midweek.
Roi Mishpati kept his place in goal with Enric Saborit and Nir Bitton lining-up as the two central defenders in front of him. Yvann Macon on the right and Roy Revivo on the left completed Maccabi’s defensive back-four. Joris van Overeem in the anchorman role was joined in midfield by Dor Peretz who scored a brace and Dan Biton who contributed a goal and an assist in the derby. Gabi Kanichowsky and Felicio Milson started once again as the two wide men with Eran Zahavi spearheading the attack and leading the team out with the captain’s armband.
On the bench, Keane named goalkeeper Daniel Tenenbaum, Avishay Cohen, Idan Nachmiass, Dor Turgeman, Yonatan Cohen, Eyal Golasa, Ofir Davidzada, Derrick Luckassen and Osher Davida.
Prior to kickoff, Maccabi held a ceremony to three of its former players: Noah Reznik who celebrated 90, as well as Etey Shechter and Avi Rikan who played for 3 and 8 seasons at Maccabi respectively.
First Half
Maccabi opened the match on the front foot and came close to score with less than two minutes on the clock. Dan Biton slid the ball through to Eran Zahavi who broke into the area before forcing Petah Tikva’s keeper Omer Katz to a double save. Three minutes later, Biton curled a free kick which fell to Enric Saborit whose flick shaved the base of the post and rolled out for a goal kick.
In the 12th minute Milson was tripped in the box and remained on the ground while referee David Fuxman waved play on. But the intervention of VAR saw Fuxman reverse his decision and award Maccabi a penalty. Zahavi stepped-up but his dual with Katz saw the former Maccabi youth academy keeper dive to his left, save the spot kick and deny Zahavi from opening the score.
Milson continued to look lively as the Angolan winger’s trickery in the 25th minute allowed him to skip past two defenders and charge into the box. Milson’s dangerous cross which sailed across the face of goal, was cleared by a Petah Tikva defender before Zahavi could head it Home from close range. Maccabi continued to dominate as three minutes later Gabi Kanichowsky tried his luck with a shot from the edge of the area which rocketed over the crossbar.
The visitors’ first serious threat on goal came in the 38th minute when Fortune Bassey blasted a right foot shot that forced a reaction from Roi Mishpati with the ball narrowly missing the target.
Second Half
As both coaches made no changes after the break, Maccabi emerged for the restart aiming to break the deadlock. Three minutes later Kanichowsky was brought down inside the area by Matan Gosha as Fuxman didn’t hesitate and pointed at the spot. Zahavi stepped-up to take the penalty which Katz saved once again this time with his feet. But the referee assistant spotted Petah Tikva’s keeper stepping off his line and signaled a retake. Zahavi didn’t hesitate and as opposed to his previous two attempts blasted the penalty home to finally open the scoring.
Zahavi came close to double his tally on the night as the veteran marksman turned on the edge of the area and snapped a fierce low drive which struck the base of the post.
In the 68th minute Milson charged into the area and sent a cross from byline which fell to Biton whose attempt of a chip just missed the target. At the opposite end Petah Tikva managed to get the ball in the back of Mishpati’s net only for the goal to be disallowed for offside rescuing Nir Bitton from an own goal . Robbie Keane made his first change in the 73rd minute as Avishai Cohen replaced Yvann Macon at right-back.
Rikan received a standing ovation from Maccabi fans as the Petah Tikva midfielder bowed out on 77. Two minutes later, Keane made another change introducing Eyal Golasa for van Overeem and Dor Turgeman for Biton. The impact was almost instant as Maccabi increased their lead with Milson releasing Zahavi whose chip was headed in by Turgeman at the back post. Roy Revivo and Milson were replaced on 86 by Ofir Davidzada and Osher Davida who were both introduced for the closing stages.
In the 89th minute Turgeman came close to score his second and Maccabi’s third but after skipping past two Petah Tikva defenders the 19-year-old’s shot was caught by Katz.
The final whistle confirmed Maccabi’s fourth victory in five matches as the team will turn their attention to Thursday’s trip to Gent in the Conference League before returning to face Hapoel Jerusalem at Teddy on Sunday.
Kanichowsky: “This is an important test of character after the derby”
Two days after the 5-0 derby victory over Hapoel Tel Aviv and two days before hosting Hapoel Petah Tikva on MD5, Maccabi’s midfielder Gabi Kanichowsky spoke about the feelings in the camp as he faced the media. “The victory (in the derby) was important but the three points gained are more important. But if we will not continue then we achieved nothing. We must continue with our good form and win in order to keep the ourselves at the top. Maccabi proved until now who we are. I am delighted we bounced back from the draw against Bnei Reineh by collecting three points in the derby. So far this season we in Europe and in the league we managed to achieve what we wanted and we just have to continue.”
On Petah Tikva where he spent a season long loan during the 2016/17 campaign, Kanichowsky said: “They are a good team, I think their fans will give them a good push. When I was playing for them in the second division their dream was to return to the top flight. I am happy this club are where they are now as they fully deserve it. There are no easy matches in this league as we must prove ourselves first and foremost. This derby is part of the past and the next game will be an important test of character for us all.”
