Preview
Two days after being unveiled as Maccabi’s new Head Coach and after holding only two training sessions with the team, Aitor Karanka, returned to Bloomfield stadium for the MD17 ONE ZERO League match against Ashdod SC.
Prior to kick-off, the Maccabi fans gave Karanka a warm welcoming reception to Tel Aviv as the former Granada, Birmingham City and Middlesbrough Spanish Manager, began a new chapter in Israel as his third country of management.
With his team ranked second in the table with 36 points, six adrift of Maccabi Haifa and 1 more point than third place, Hapoel Be’ersheva, Karanka, fielded his first starting line-up as Maccabi’s coach.
Daniel Peretz who conceded at Kiryat Shmona last week his seventh goal of the season, started in goal just behind the three central defenders. Karanka kept a similar defensive formation to his predecessor, Vladimir Ivic, now at Krassnodar.
Enric Saborit, who served a one-match touchline ban against Kiryat Shmona, returned to the side at the expense of Derrick Luckassen who sat out this match for the exact same reason. Sheran Yeini led the team out wearing the captain’s armband as the veteran skipper partnered Saborit and Nir Bitton.
After starting and setting up a goal during the State Cup victory over Bnei Sakhnin in midweek, Andre Geraldes kept his place at right wing-back. Ofir Davidzada also returned to the starting line-up slotted in at the opposite left flank. Dan Glazer returned the heart of the midfield engine room alongside Eyal Golasa. Gabi Kanichowsky was named in a more advanced role following Oscar Gloukh’s late omission from the squad due to illness. Upfront, Karanka stuck with Eran Zahavi and Djordje Jovanovic confident that Maccabi’s striking duo could lead him to a victory in his first match.
On the bench, Karanka named alongside goalkeeper Danil Tenenbaum, Dan Biton, Parfait Guiagon, Avi Rikan, Yonatan Cohen, Maor Kandil, Shahar Piven, Dor Turgeman and Dor Peretz.
First Half
With a new coach on the side-lines, Maccabi began the match with purpose and intention which almost saw the deadlock broken as early as the fifth minute. Eyal Golasa was released into the area by a clever Djodje Jovanovic back-heal flick before the midfielder who broke into Ashdod’s penalty area was denied by Yoav Gerafi out-stretched foot. Ashdod, that held Maccabi to a 0-0 when both teams met earlier this season, kept pressing high up the pitch and looked dangerous on counter attacks.
While Maccabi kept dominating the play as Shaked Hakmon cleared a dangerous Kanichowsky cross from the goalmouth before Jovanovic or Eran Zahavi could head the ball home, Ashdod came close to score against the run of play. Gil Cohen dribbled into the area from the right side of Maccabi’s defence on 29 before squaring to Ebenezer Mamatah who somehow managed to roll himself in goal rather than the ball.
In the 37th minute however, Bloomfield erupted as Jovanovic tore through Ashdod’s defence past five defenders and kept his balance before unleashing a powerful strike which gave Gerafi no chance.
Second Half
When both teams returned to the pitch after the interval, Karanka made his first change as Yonatan Cohen replaced Ofir Davodzada at left wing-back. Karanka’s counterpart, Ran Ben Shimon, on the other hand made a triple change with Zohar Zasno, Adir Levy and Samuel Alaby introduced for Hakmon, Mamatah and Ya’acov Brihon.
Cohen’s impact was almost instant as he sent a square ball towards Zahavi who picked the ball up on the edge of the area and fired a shot which was directed at goal. The ball deflected off Timothy Awany before striking Jovanovic’s boot and despite the fact the Serbian forward didn’t know too much about it, the ball wrong footed Gerafi and rolled in to double the score on 52. A counter attack three minutes later almost ended up with a Maccabi third but, Zahavi’s shot found Gerafi well positioned.
Zahavi was finally rewarded for his efforts on 76 after Nir Bitton won the ball just inside Ashdod’s half before carving the visitors’ defence with a perfect through ball for Golasa. The midfielder could have had a shot on goal, but he unselfishly teed-up Zahavi who toe-poked Maccabi’s third. This was Golasa’s final contribution on the night as Karanka replaced him with Avi Rikan a minute later.
In the 83rd minute Rikan flashed a header wide following an Andre Gerlades cross from the right. Kanichowsky came off to a standing ovation on 83 as he was replaced by Parfait Guiagon for the closing stages.
Guiagon could have made it four on 89 as the Ivorian midfielder came close but instead of passing the ball he opted to shoot and forcing Gerafi to a reflex save. From the resulting Cohen corner, Bitton rose high but guided his header over the crossbar.
Inside injury time, Jovanovic also got a standing ovation of his own as he was replaced by Dor Turgeman. The young striker who is still waiting for his senior debut goal will have to seek elsewhere as Nael Oudah’s final whistle ended the match and meant that he could only celebrate a team victory. Maccabi now has eight days to prepare for the tough trip to Teddy stadium where they face Beitar Jerusalem which were held to a 1-1 draw in the Jerusalem derby.
