Ido Shahar, who made a second half substitute appearance, against Ashdod, said: “There is a very big and wide squad, with plenty of players – everyone could start a match on a given day so we are always fighting for a place in the squad not just the starting line-up. To have so much competition where everyone gives the maximum, creates something good in the team. I am delighted I received some minutes and that the team won the match. During the second half in particular, the team played amazing football – it was a very important victory and I am delighted I got a chance to help the team.”

Shahar, cherished the opportunity he was given as he added: “The one thing I do know, is to enter the pitch and play when I am called on and give the maximum like I do every time.”

Shahar, who missed out on this summer’s U21 European Championship Finals after being left out of the squad in the last minute due to a medical condition, added: “I received the news in total shock, but one could take it in two ways. Obviously in the first couple of days I was far from happy, but after that I reached a decision. How do I emerge better and stronger from this situation, how do I build myself ahead of the season, how do I get myself and top form which is exactly what I did.”

Maccabi kicked off their 72^nd season of top-flight football since the State of Israel was proclaimed with a 4-1 victory over Ashdod.

The 4-1 win over Ashdod was the 10^th time in history that Maccabi opened a season with a victory by a three-goal-margin.

Eran Zahavi scored Maccabi’s first goal of the season (his 119^th for the club) and by that continued a personal tradition: scoring at least one goal every time he played for Maccabi on the opening day of the season: 2013/14, 2014/15, a brace in 2015/16 and the 2023/24.

This was the second time together with the 2015/16 where Zahavi scored Maccabi’s first goal of the season. In 72 seasons, 49 different players scored Maccabi’s first goal of the season. Avi Nimni leads that list with 5 goals to his name.

Roy Revivo and Milson joined 33 different players who scored on their Maccabi league debut. Since Oscar Gloukh in April 2022, this was the first time that a player scores on his league debut.

For the 26^th time in history Maccabi opened the league season with a home match at Bloomfield stadium (15 victories, 7 draws and 4 defeats). The match against Ashdod gathered 22,108 fans – a record for the first match of the season.

Maccabi scored all the goals in the second half. Throughout the season, Maccabi scored four goals or more in the second half 62 times. The second half goals against Ashdod were the first time it happened since 5-0 derby victory in April 2022.

In the event there is no extraordinary result in the match between Hapoel Haifa and Beitar Jerusalem tonight, Maccabi could lead the league standings. This will be the second season in succession and the first time since the 1953/54 and 1954/55 Maccabi leads the table after MD1 following last season’s 5-0 win over Bnei Reineh.

Roy Revivo experienced a dream summer as he won the bronze medal with Israel at the U20 World Championships in Argentina, reached the Semi Final with the U21’s in the European Championships in Georgia and made his debut appearance for the Israel national team. But Revivo, who scored his senior debut goal admitted after the game that scoring at in front of Maccabi’s fans was a dream come true: “It is my first senior goal for the senior side and I am delighted to have scored it at Bloomfield” he said.

Revivo, who made six appearances so far this season of which five were in the starting line-up, added “At Maccabi the battle for places is not just for the starting 11 but for a place in the squad. One needs to keep on working and working hard. I am delighted the youngsters are receiving credit but this is nothing special as it happens all over the world. There are other players as well who get a chance and I hope this continues.”

Preview

Three days after the 4-1 victory over NK Celje 4-1 in the first leg of the Conference League Playoffs, Maccabi Tel Aviv returned to Bloomfield stadium for the 2023/24 ONE ZERO League opening match of the season.

Maccabi’s Head Coach, Robbie Keane, who guided the side to the Toto Cup Final with a 5-1 victory away to Sakhnin last week, will aim to begin the league campaign on a high not.

Keane, made two changes from the side that beat Celje as Roi Mishpati made his debut appearance in Maccabi’s goal replacing Daniel Peretz who completed his transfer to Bayern Munich. Derrick Luckassen was named as the defensive partner of Enric Saborit with Yvann Macon and Roy Revivo at right-back and left-back respectively. Joris vn Overeem kept his place as the anchorman as did Dor Peretz and Dan Biton who completed the midfield trio. Yonatan Cohen and Milson were named by Keane as the two wing-men with Eran Zahavi leading the line. The veteran striker wearing the captain’s armband was aiming to open his league account having started the season with 8 goals in 7 competitive matches in all competitions.

Daniel Tenenbaum, who rejoined the club last week, was named by Keane on the substitutes bench as were Idan Nachmias, Dan Glazer, Dor Turgeman, Gabi Kanichowsky, Ofir Davidzada, Eylon Almog, Ido Shahar and Nir Bitton.

First Half

Maccabi began the match on the front foot with Milson causing Ashdod’s defense all sorts of trouble down the left wing. Three minutes from the start the Angolan winger was brought down inside the area, but had his claims for a penalty waived by referee Gal Leibovitz. Maccabi kept on placing Ashdod under the cosh as Milson’s speed and trickery took him past Tom Ben Zaken only for the visitors’ defenders clear his cut backs. Yvann Macon and Yonatan Cohen combined well down the right as Maccabi kept attacking through the channels.

In the 23rd minute Joris van Overeem was penalised for fouling an Ashdod opponent before Ya’acov Brihon sent the free kick wide of Roi Mishpati’s post. Ben Zaken avoided a clear booking for stopping a Milson counter attack on 25 while a minute later Dor Peretz had a header blocked for a corner.

Brihon tested Mishpati with a curling right foot shot which was pushed put for a corner by Maccabi’s debutant keeper. Eran Zahavi got his first chance to score on 37 after Cohen slid the ball to him on the edge of the area. But the veteran striker had his left foot effort blocked by Timothy Awany as Ashdod kept hanging on with Ariel Harush required to make a save.

Ashdod looked dangerous on the counter as the visitors came close to break the deadlock on the stroke of halftime as Brihon carried the ball out of defense before Shavit Mazal turned and rattled the crossbar with a powerful left foot drive.

Second Half

The second half began just like the first did with Milson constantly questioning Ashdod’s defenders as he kept on breaking into the area yet struggle to find a teammate with his crosses. In the 52nd minute however the Angolan sent a pinpoint chip into the area for Zahavi who rose high before heading the ball which Harush couldn’t keep out. Zahavi celebrated his first league goal of the season and ninth in eight competitive matches. In the 59th minute Zahavi turned provider as he dinked the ball over Ashdod’s defense into the path of Roy Revivo who slotted home his senior debut goal to double the score.

Zahavi was instrumental for Maccabi’s third in the 70th minutes as he released Dor Peretz with a clever flick. Peretz charged into the area and sent a square ball across the face of goal which was flicked by Awany into his own net to make it 3-0. Keane made a double substitution a minute later as Gabi Kanichowsky and Dor Turgeman replaced Biton and Cohen while two minutes later Peretz bowed out to a standing ovation as Ido Shahar came on for the closing stages.

Revivo and Van Overeem received their standing ovation from the 22,108 fans as the Keane made his final two changes introducing Ofir Davidzada and Dan Glazer on 78.

Milson scored his debut goal in the 84th minute as he exchanged passes with Shahar to break through before sliding the ball past Harush to make it 4-0. Two minutes later Montari Kamaheni who was booked earlier, was sent off for a second bookable offence after a tackle from behind on Milson to leave the visitors with 10 men.

Maccabi will kickoff the 2023/24 ONE ZERO league season with a match against Ashdod SC at Bloomfield tonight (Sunday, 20:15). At the end of the Conference League Playoff match against NK Celje, Robbie Keane and Yonatan Cohen spoke about the forthcoming match against Ashdod.

Keane, who needs to divert the attention of his players from Europe to the domestic competition, said: “We will make the transition in the same way that we have. We played a Toto Cup match (Bnei Sakhnin), and we also played that team (Ashdod) earlier this season for a friendly. It was a first game and of course there were loads of changes to the squads, so it wasn’t a true reflection on them or us. You always want to start the first match of the season well. It feels like I have been here for a long time and the start of the season is only happening now. Even though we played a lot of games, we have a lot of games behind us in terms of fitness and a lot of sharpness. I am looking forward for the league to start.”

Yonatan Cohen, who started the season well scoring 4 goals in the opening 7 matches in all competitions, added: “I think most of our players are in good form, good playing form, even the players who didn’t play too much so far as they are working hard in training. I believe everyone arrives focused for this game. Let us take the positive things from the match against Celje, we will fix our mistakes and come to storm the league as we really want this title. It is a long marathon, we will start, game by game, look Ashdod right in the eye and never disrespect them for one second.”