Preview

Four days after returning from Nice having missed out on a place in the Conference League Group Stages, Maccabi Tel Aviv arrived at the Netanya stadium for the match against Hapoel Hadera knowing that the league will be their main focus this season. The draining 120 minutes played at the Allianz Riviera stadium in Nice claimed its toll on Vladimir Ivic’s players, as the Serbian coach made several changes to his starting line-up in a bid to continue the perfect record achieved in last week’s 5-0 win over newly promoted side Bnei Reineh.

Daniel Peretz whose run of good form was evident during the entire European campaign, kept his place in goal. Shahar Piven who played 90 minutes against Bnei Reineh and was rested in Nice, returned to the starting line-up as one of Ivic’s three central defenders. Piven was named alongside Nir Bitton and Enric Saborit who both played a 120 minutes in France on Thursday as did Ofir Davidzada who kept his place as the left wing-back. Maor Kandil who started against Bnei Reineh completed Maccabi’s back-line as the right wing-back. Dan Glazer led the team out wearing the captain’s armband from his position as the midfield anchorman with Parfait Guiagon on the right side of the midfield engine room. Oscar Gloukh who started against Bnei Reineh and set-up one of the goals before impressing during his cameo appearance in Nice, swapped the number 37 jersey with the number 11 jersey as the youngster featured at the top of the midfield trio. A week after scoring a brace against Bnei Reineh, Djordje Jovanovic led the line aiming to add to his tally, with Eran Zahavi partnering the Serbian striker upfront.

Alongside goalkeeper Daniel Tenenbaum, Ivic named Dan Biton, Gabi Kanichowsky, Brandley Kuwas, Sheran Yeini, Avi Rikan, Dor Turgeman, Dor Peretz and Matan Hozez all waiting for their chance to make an impact.

First Half

Hapoel Hadera began the match aggressively trying to intimidate Maccabi right from the start as Enric Saborit required medical treatment following a Menashe Zalka tackle from behind in the third minute. The Spanish defender was back on his feet to rejoin his teammates as Maccabi enjoyed the majority of possession in the opening stages.

Dia Lababidi avoided a booking for a rough tackle from behind on Oscar Gloukh near the halfway line in the 15th minute. But a minute later the 18-year-old Maccabi playmaker set-up the opener for Eran Zahavi who span on the edge of the area and scored his first league goal since leaving Israel six years ago.

The hosts were stunned by the opener and within a minute Maccabi doubled their lead as Zahavi won the ball inside Hadera’s half, released Djordje Jovanovic whose square ball fell to Gloukh before the youngster slotted home past Robi Levkovich. Hadera were shell-shocked and Maccabi continued their blitz and scored a third goal in the space of four minutes. Maoer Kandil, who miscued several crosses earlier on, carved Hadera’s defence with a through ball to Zahavi whose flick released Parfait Guiagon. The Ivorian raced into the area and had his initial shot saved by Levkovich before Gloukh pounced on the rebound and two minutes after openin g his league account bagged his second and Maccabi’s third.

The 8000 Maccabi fans who traveled to Netanya and occupied the majority of the stadium were in a state of complete delirium on 25 as Saborit joined the goal-fest to complete eight minutes of footballing madness. Gloukh once again played a key role in the build-up as he cut the ball back for Zahavi who sent Saborit clear through before the Spaniard slid the ball under Levkovich to make it 4-0.

Daniel Peretz was drawn into the action as Maccabi’s custodian was at full stretch to push Zalka’s shot over the crossbar in the 27th minute.

The combination of Gloukh, Zahavi and Jovanovic kept tormenting  Hadera’s players as Maccabi came close to score the fifth on the half hour mark but the Serb was denied by the crossbar. Ivic was forced to make a change on 31 as Nir Bitton felt a groin strain and was replaced by Sheran Yeini. Jovanovic was desperate to get on the scoresheet but his effort was headed off the line by Hadera’s tall defender Jonathan Cisse.

Second Half

With a 4-0 lead at halftime, just like the score at the interval against Bnei Reineh last week, Maccabi emerged unchanged for the second half.

Ivic made a double change three minutes after the hour mark as Maor Kandil bowed out and was replaced by Matan Hozez while Gabi Kanichowsky came in for Guiagon. A Peretz long ball out of defence released Jovanovic who raced clear through in the 67^th but the Serbian forward was unlucky once again as his shot struck the side netting.

Maccabi continued to dominate as four minutes later Jovanovic cut the ball back for Zahavi but the veteran marksman had his shot deflected over the crossbar. Ivic made his final two substitutions as Dor Peretz and Avi Rikan came in for the final 14 minutes replacing both Dan Glazer and Ofir Davidzada.

In the 82^nd minute Jovanovic finally got his goal after Rikan’s attempt of an overhead kick was blocked before the Serbian striker beat Levkovich with a low drive that went in off the post to make it 5-0.

Maccabi scored the sixth goal in the 90^th minute at the end of a move which began with Daniel Peretz in goal and ended with Dor Peretz at the opposite goal. Maccabi’s keeper released a counter attack which was carried by the midfielder for more than half the length of the pitch. Peretz then released Kanichowsky and continued his run into the area before  whose floated cross was headed in by Dor Peretz to open his account and seal the win.

 

“I am obviously disappointed because we are out of the Conference League after being knocked out by a quality side with loads of quality players but in the end their quality made the difference. They were reduced to 10 men and we tried to exploit the fact we had one more player and score. But the difference was that we struck the post and the ball went out while they struck the post and the ball went in. It was a spectacular goal and Nice deserve congratulations for qualifying while we must now focus on the league. My players deserve a lot of credit as they worked extremely hard during the two matches. We were really close to reach the group stage at the expense of a very good team”.

Maccabi Tel Aviv ended their European season following a 2-0 defeat away to Nice in the Conference League Play-Off return leg. The defeat on the night was sealed by an extra time wonder goal by Alexis Beka Beka which saw Maccabi lose 2-1 on aggregate and denied a place in the Conference League Group phase.

Goalkeeper Daniel Peretz which could have done nothing to keep out the goal which tilted the tie in the French teams’ favor, summed up the mood in the camp. “It is really disappointing as we felt we were really in the game, created chances and dominated the play. To concede such a goal is probably from god but we remain positive and looking forward to a long season”.

The young keeper couldn’t hide his disappointment at being knocked out by a superior French side who managed to win despite being reduced to 10 men: “Nice is an excellent side and the best team we could have drawn at this stage of the competition. We made it difficult for them, we stood well, and I am proud of every single one of my teammates. Everyone gave their best and I can’t fault anyone. We believed in ourselves right from the first minute and even when we conceded we felt all along the way that we are capable of doing it. We never stopped believing until the dying seconds even after conceding the second goal, but sadly it wasn’t meant to be”.

Preview

Maccabi Tel Aviv arrived at the Allianz Riviera stadium ahead of the Conference League Play-Off return leg against OGC Nice with a 1-0 lead from last week’s first leg at Bloomfield. Maccabi’s coach Vladimir Ivic whose aim is to guide Maccabi into the Conference League group stage, made several changes from the side which beat the French outfit in the first leg.

Ivic welcomed Ofir Davidzada back into the side and on the left side of defence which otherwise remained unchanged. Sheran Yeini led the team out wearing the captain’s armband as the veteran skipper on his 81st European appearance for Maccabi, lined-up alongside Nir Bitton and Enric Saborit. Andre Geraldes on the right, completed Maccabi’s back-line in a bid to prevent Nice from breaching Daniel Peretz’s goal. After serving his one match touchline ban following the red card he received in Thessaloniki, Dan Glazer, returned to the heart of midfield. Eyal Golasa and Gabi Kanichowsky.

completed Maccabi’s engine room trio, with Joris van Overeem dropping to the bench. Upfront Ivic also made a single change as Stipe Perica who scored the winning goal at Bloomfield replaced Eran Zahavi to form a striking partnership with Djordje Jovanovic. On the bench beside goalkeeper Daniel Tenenbaum, Van Overeem and Zahavi, Ivic named: Idan Machmias, Brandley Kuwas, Parfait Guiagon, Avi Rikan, Maor Kandil, Shahar Pivin, Oscar Gloukh, Dor Peretz and Matan Hozez all waiting for their chance.

First Half

Maccabi began the match under immediate pressure from the hosts who were awarded a corner inside the opening minute after Sheran Yeini blocked an attempt of a Nice cross. Within a minute at the opposite end Maccabi showed they have intentions of their own as Gabi Kanichowsky fired a shot from the edge of the area which was also deflected for a corner. In the 15th minute, a combination of Nir Bitton and Andre Geraldes managed to block Rares Ilie in the area before the Romanian winger could cause any serious threat on goal. Eyal Golasa needed treatment from Maccabi’s medical staff after the midfielder landed awkwardly on his shoulder. Daniel Peretz got his first touch on 21 as Maccabi’s custodian was at full stretch to collect Ilie’s floating cross before Andy Delrot could get a header.

A Djordje Jovanovic square ball which was directed at Stipe Perica in the 22nd minute eluded the Nice defence and keeper Kasper Schmeichel but none of Maccabi’s players could connect as the ball rolled across the face of goal. Kanichowsky went into the book of referee Sascha Stegemann for stopping a counter attack by holding an opponent inside the Nice half. But two minutes later the hosts took the lead as Alexis Claude-Maurice ghosted at the far post to head Kephren Thuram’s cross past Peretz and level the tie on aggregate. Maccabi didn’t let their heads drop as Jovanovic rose high to head an Ofir Davidzada cross in the 27th minute over the crossbar. A minute later Sheran Yeini’s last gasp block denied Aaron Ramsey shot. Two minutes after the half hour mark, Peretz was at his best as he charged off his line to deny Delrot who raced clear on goal following a misplaced Geraldes back pass.

A bizarre incident in the 37th saw the match stopped for a couple of minutes after referee Stegemann was forced to replace his boots as one of them appeared to be torn. When play was resumed by the German official, Maccabi created a chance as Enric Saborit’s long ball out of defence was headed by Geraldes into the path of Jovanovic but Nice’s defence managed to block the Serbian striker before he could snap a shot. On the stroke of halftime Maccabi were handed their best chance as a corner fell to Saborit at the far post, but the Spanish defender, on his weaker right foot sent his close range effort to he wrong side of the post.

Second Half

With no changes after the restart to either side, the second half began with the hosts enjoying most of the possession. Peretz was forced to dive to his right and catch a Claude Maurice dipping shot in the 50^th minute. Two minutes later, Peretz was called into action once again as he needed two attempts to catch Melvin Bard’s shot which threatened to creep under the crossbar.

Perica sent a header goal-bound on 57 following a Saborit cross from the left but the ball wasn’t powerful enough to trouble Schmeichel. Saborit launched himself and prevented Delrot from doubling Nice’s lead on 62 after Thuram danced into the area. The hosts increased their pressure as Maccabi’s defence then cleared the ball from the goalmouth with Peretz making a reflex save before Nir Bitton cleared from the goalline. Ivic made his first change two minutes later as he introduced both Jorris van Overeem and Eran Zahavi for Perica and Golasa who both ran out of steam.

Bitton hooked the ball off the line once again, this time to deny Dante who rose high to head a corner past Peretz on 75. A minute later Maccabi’s keeper was well positioned on his line to catch Jeanclair’s Todibo’s header as Nice placed his goal under siege. Ivic made his third substitution as he sent in Oscar Gloukh for Kanichowsky who worked tirelessly for 78 minutes. Peretz was at full stretch in the 83rd minute as he managed to claw Thuram’s volley from under the crossbar and turn the ball for a corner. Van Overeem was stretchered off in the 85^th minute after picking an ankle injury and replaced by Dor Peretz. Within two minutes, the Maccabi midfielder joined his teammates in defending Peretz goal, as he blocked a Calvin Stengs shot. Delrot headed wide and Thuram blasted a shot over as the fourth official indicated six minutes of added time before Billal Brahimi was introduced for Nice. The hosts threw everything at Maccabi besides the kitchen sink, but Ivic’s men managed to hang until the referee blew the full time whistle and sent both teams to 30 minutes of extra time.

Extra Time

Maccabi began the first part of extra time on the front foot as Jovanovic headed a Peretz cross from the right in the 92^nd minute but the ball sailed wide of the target. Nice were reduced to 10 men in the 99th minute as Amine Gouri was sent off for a second bookable offence following a stamp on Dor Peretz.

The first part of the interval ended as it started and just before the restart Ivic made a substitution with Maor Kandil replacing the tired Geraldes. Gloukh showed his talent seconds later as he broke into the area, skipped past two defenders and unleashed a powerful strike which beat Schmeichel from the edge of the box but agonisingly rattled the crossbar.

In the 113th minute however and despite their numerical disadvantage Nice doubled their lead to go 2-1 on aggregate. Alexis Beka Beka who was introduced minutes earlier for Thuram latched onto a Kandil attempt of a clearance and blasted an unstoppable shot which went in off the crossbar giving Peretz no chance. Ivic replaced Dan Glazer with Parfait Guiagon in a last throw of the dice hoping the talented young Ivorian could help salvage something. But in the closing stages Nice managed to hold on, run the clock and celebrate qualification to the group stage at the final whistle. While the French side go into the Conference League group stage draw, Maccabi who ended their European campaign earlier than expected – will now focus on the domestic season.