Preview
Maccabi returned to Bloomfield stadium for Saturday’s early kickoff match against Ironi Kiryat Shmona aiming to maintain their 100% percent league record. Vladimir Ivic’s side also wanted to improve their unblemished 11-0 goal tally achieved in the opening two matches against Maccabi Bnei Reineh (5-0) and Hapoel Hadera (6-0).
Ivic made three changes from the side that won in Netanya as Andre Geraldes returned to the right side of defence at the expense of Maor Kandil. Nir Bitton who limped off in the first half against Hadera and was replaced by Sheran Yeini remained sidelined as the veteran captain lined-up alongside Shahar Piven and right in front of goalkeeper Daniel Peretz.
Enric Saborit, who completed the 8-minute demolition of Hadera by scoring Maccabi’s fourth goal was named at left-back in a four-man defensive line. Dan Glazer kept his place as the midfield anchorman as he was joined in the engine room by Gabi Kanichowsky who came in for Parfait Guiagon. Ofir Davizada pushed a little forward as a left sided midfielder with the Oscar Gloukh’s brace ensuring another start behind the forwards for the talented youngster. Eran Zahavi and Djordje Jovanovic who both got their names on the scoresheet against Hadera led Maccabi’s line upfront.
With Joris van Overeem (ankle) and Eyal Golasa (shoulder) still recovering from their injuries, Ivic named a substitutes bench which included Daniel Tenenbaum, Idan Nachmias, Dan Biton, Parfait Guiagon, Avi Rikan, Maor Kandil, Roy Revivo, Dor Peretz, Matan Hozez.
Prior to kickoff Maccabi honored the contribution of former player Yuval Shpungin, who made 246 appearances for Maccabi in all competitions during a 10-year-spell at the club.
First Half
With an almost full stadium backing them, Maccabi began the match with purpose and intention aiming to catch the visitors off guard early on. A Gabi Kanichowsky cross from the right three minutes after the start was intercepted by Kiryat Shmona’s keeper Dziugas Bartkus while four minutes later Eran Zahavi couldn’t connect onto an Andre Geraldes cross from the same position.
Maccabi increased the pressure and in the 22nd minute Bartkus charged out of his goal to try and clear a through ball but collided with one of his defenders. Kanichowsky latched onto the loose ball but instead of squaring it to the unmarked Jovanovic tried a shot which was blocked and cleared. In the 26th minute however Kanichowsky scored the opener at the end of a spectacular team effort which began with Enric Saborit who carved the visitors’ defence open with a perfect through ball to Oscar Gloukh. The youngster cut the ball back for Zahavi who forced a spectacular save from Bartkus but the Lithuanian keeper could do nothing to prevent Kanichowsky from poking in the rebound with the goal at his mercy.
Ayid Habashi limped off with an injury and was replaced by Samuel Broun as Kirtat Shmona were forced to make their first change shortly after the half hour mark. On the stroke of halftime Zahavi, Gloukh and Jovanovic combined on the edge of Kiryat Shmona’s area but the visitors managed to clear the danger as Maccabi’s narrow lead was kept at the break.
Second Half
The second half began where the first one left off as Maccabi kept pegging Kiryat Shmona back to their goal. Jovanovic rose high above the visitors’ defence in the 51st minute to head Davidzada’s pinpoint cross wide of the post.
A rare mistake in Maccabi’s defence three minutes later saw Mohammed Shaker race clear through but Daniel Peretz charged out of his goal and pulled a stunning save to keep his goal locked. The 24,880 fans at Bloomfield were on their feet celebrating Maccabi’s second right on the hour mark as Gloukh cut the ball back for Kanichowsky who fired a curling left-foot shot to score his second of the night and double Maccabi’s lead.
Vladimir Ivic made a double change on 67 as Shahar Piven and Oscar Gloukh bowed out to a standing ovation and were replaced by Dor Peretz and Parfait Guiagon. A minute later Kanichowsky was denied a hat-trick as Dzubas was at full stretch to deny the diminutive midfielder’s powerful right foot shot from the edge of the area.
Guiagon got involved almost instantly as his dribbled past a couple of Kiryat Shmona defenders before picking Kanichowsky whose cross reached Zahavi. But the 35-year-old marksman sent a weak shot which didn’t trouble Bartkus too much.
Jovanovic who was booked for a foul on Noam Cohen, saw his yellow card replaced by red following the intervention of VAR as Maccabi were reduced to 10 men for the closing stages. Kanichowsky, who scored a brace, was given his standing ovation on 89 as he was replaced by Matan Hozez.
A minute inside injury time Guiagon joined in the celebration as the talented Ivorian beat Dzubas to increase Maccabi’s lead to three goals. Ivic made two more changes as Avi Rikan and Idan Nachmias replaced Zahavi and Davidzada. But Kiryat Shmona managed to spoil the celebration as Maccabi’s defence was caught flat allowing Itamar Shviro to score a consolation from close range and end the clean sheet record.
