Angelides said: “You have to trust the system that there’s a process for making the right decisions and I think on balance that over the last 15-16 years under Mitch Goldhar’s ownership of the club there is reason to trust the club. It is not my words but this is something that is proven by facts. You have an owner who has made over the years difficult decisions. He’s not shied away from making difficult decisions. He is not a person who has avoided difficult decisions. In fact, he’s made decisions that fans and others perhaps didn’t agree with. But they were the right decisions in his mind because of the long-term interest and long-term future of the Club. We have a situation where the club is now going through a difficult period like all football clubs, some bad results that none of us find acceptable, none of us are happy with, none of us are sitting quietly and accepting. But we have a system that is dealing with these things.

The club decided that the right thing to do, is to take action against the people who are responsible and no one else. I don’t see how you can defend these people, how anyone can defend these people. It is unacceptable. No matter what your view is, whether you like, anyone at the club or not. The least that you could do is stand up and say this is wrong and say it in a loud voice, in a firm voice, because what we don’t need is to encourage this kind of behavior.”

With regards to Maccabi’s Head Coach Zarko Lazetic, who returned to training, Angelides explained: “We have had discussions with him and it was a question of explaining him to look at things in a different perspective and also give some assurances. He will take training, and he will be the coach. We will continue target the achievements that we wanted from the beginning of the season. We will try and correct the mistakes that have been made but we will do it in a way maybe a right one maybe a wrong one but we will do it in a way that is according to the system that has been built with the people who have the right knowledge and with an owner who has been here right from the beginning.”

Maccabi’s Director of Football Ben Mansford added: “The most important thing is Maccabi wins every three or four days and competes for titles. Zarko is an incredibly good coach with a great staff, with a brilliant support structure around him. Of course, only 11 players can play at one time, and no one is perfect. We all make mistakes. We come together now, and we move forward as I believe that we can all help each other. As for the supporters, when we won last year, it was because we are all together and we need to work as fast as we can to get back to that. I need to help Zarko, Dominic Price, all of us. But we win and lose as a team. We win and lose as a staff and as a group of players. We all have to come together, and we all have to realize that this group, this club is good enough to win another championship. It is good enough to pick up points and succeed in Europe. It is good enough to win another State Cup. And now we come together, we really look each other in the mirror. These are tough times. It is just real hard work, real character, taking one step forward, doing the right things, doing the simple things, and making sure we get back on track. For me, it’s just real commitment and hard work and togetherness. and pushing each other and having difficult conversations. And I think we’ve got an environment and a place of work where we can have those.”

The 19-year-old striker made a second half substitute appearance to score his debut league goal for Maccabi deep inside injury time to secure a point in the dramatic 2-2 away to Ashdod. Abu Farchi shared his feelings after the game: “The first half wasn’t really good from us. I think in the second half we were really good, we played well and created chances.”.

Fellow substitute Ido Shahar canceled Ashdod’s first half lead in the 76th minute, before the hosts regained the lead in the 90th minute. Abu Farchi reflected: “At 1-1 we had chances to finish off the game, but unfortunately it didn’t happen, we conceded again. I’m happy with the character we showed, we came back from behind twice.”

Despite the turbulent circumstances which saw youth team coach Dan Roman take charge of the first team in the morning of the match, Abu Farchi said: “As you can see, Dan was with us and I don’t think our preparation was any different. We prepared like we do for every match, whether it’s a league game or a European match. I don’t think it affected us, in the end we are football players, we come to win every match. Sadly, it didn’t happen today, and we look forward now.”

The point gained cut the deficit from leaders Hapoel Be’ersheva to four points a week before both sides face each other at Turner after another midweek fixture, as Abu Farchi said: “We’re not stressed about it. There are plenty of games left until the end of the season, a whole round and then the playoffs. Even last season, I think around this matchday we were in the same situation, Be’ersheva were in first place, and in the end it finished differently, and we’ll do that this year as well.”

On the current affairs, Abu Farchi added: “In the end, the club has management and they deal with those things. We are professionals, it doesn’t matter what happens around us, that’s it.”

Ido Shahar came off the bench to score his sixth league goal and eighth in all competitions to lead Maccabi to a dramatic late comeback in Ashdod.

On the dramatic 24 hours which led to the game where Dan Roman took charge of the first team hours ahead of the match, Shahar said: “This isn’t a simple situation for us as players. But I can tell you that the preparation for the match was the same as for any other match. We came with maximum readiness and maximum focus. We were fully concentrated and did everything we could to win the game. It slipped away from us a bit, at the end we were in good momentum, but I really think we gave everything on the pitch today.”

On what he and his teammates take away from today’s match, Shahar said: “Of course we want to win, we are Maccabi Tel Aviv, we want to win every match. Even today we did everything to win. Even at 2–2, with only a few minutes left, we believed until the very last second that we would do it. Unfortunately, it didn’t happen. But again, as players, we promise to do everything and leave everything on the pitch for the club and for the fans. We’ll do everything we can and keep moving forward.”

With Wesldnesday’s home match against Hapoel Haifa just around the corner, Shahar said: “I can tell you that as players, we really don’t want to deal with that, it’s not our concern. Our job is to play football and win matches. We already have a game on Wednesday, and we’re coming to win it at home with our fans. I’m sure they’ll support us and push us like they know how. We’re already really looking forward to that match.”

“We are a bit disappointed, that is obvious,” Roman said after the match. “We deserved more. In the second half we created quite a few chances and had good momentum. In the end we conceded from two set pieces, but that’s football. I am happy the players showed character, came back from behind twice, and that’s what we will take from this match.”

Roman, who was called in to guide the first team in the morning and was assisted by Avi Rikan and Shura Ubarov, said: “In the first half the game was very static, Ashdod were in a low block. In the second half the substitutions and the dynamics led to a more fluid game on our side,” he added. “In football sometimes one or two set pieces are enough for a draw. Like I said, I am happy that the players, kept going in a difficult situation, believed, and pushed until the end.”

On the preparations for the match, Roman added: “I have only been with the team for a few hours, it wouldn’t be fair to analyse the situation. Obviously it’s not the most pleasant, but it is part of football. I am happy the players showed enough character, experience, and competitiveness to overcome it, and overall they played a good match.”

Finally, when asked how it felt to stand on the sidelines tonight, he said: “For me it feels natural. There’s a very strong and well-organized structure here, excellent professionals, and the best players in the country. In the end this is an organisation whose strength comes from its structure, and that’s the story.”

Preview:

Maccabi arrived at the Yud Alef stadium ahead of the MD11 WINNER League match against Ashdod SC on the back of Thursday’s 6-0 defeat to Olympique Lyon in the Europa League. In the absence of Zarko Lazetic and his coaching staff, Youth Team coach Dan Roman took charge of the team for the match assisted by Avi Rikan and veteran goalkeeping coach Shura Ubarov. Several changes were made to the starting line up with Ofek Melika making his debut league appearance in goal. Itay Ben Hemo made his Maccabi debut at the heart of defense as he partnered Heitor dos Santos as the two central defenders. Noam Ben Harush made his debut league start on the left while Tyrese Asante completed Maccabi’s defensive line on the right.

Ben Lederman made his debut league start at the heart of midfield as he was partnered in Maccabi’s engine room alongside Itamar Noy. Dor Peretz led the team out wearing the captain’s armband as the 30-year-old will try lead the team back to winning ways following the 6-2 defeat to Beitar Jerusalem in the previous round. Osher Davida and Helio Varela supplied the width to Maccabi’s formation while Ion Nicolaescu made his first league start since the 2-1 victory over Hapoel Jerusalem on September 20th.

Ali Camara and Kristijan Belic returned to the squad after recovering from their respective rib and hamstring injuries. Camara and Belic joined goalkeeper Yoav Gerafi, Avishay Cohen, Kervin Andrade, Sagiv Jehezkel, Elad Madmon, Saied Abu Farchi and Ido Shahar.

First Half:

After seven minutes of a relatively even start to the game, Maccabi created their first chance to score as Heitor dos Santos picked Helio Varela with a pinpoint pass down the left. The Cape Verde international winger chested the ball down before squaring to Dor Peretz whose shot was deflected out for a corner. A well drill set piece saw Itamar Noy whip in the cross, which was flicked by dos Santos into the path of Peretz whose header bounced wide of the post.

Three minutes later Ofek Melika was drawn into the action as the young keeper was at full stretch to push Eugene Ansah’s dipping shot over the crossbar. The Maccabi young custodian was quick to react in the 17th minute to dive and collect another shot which was fired on target by an Ashdod player.

In the 40th minute and against the run of play Ashdod took the lead after a Roei Gordana free kick caught Maccabi’s defense flat before Jean Batoum managed to flick the ball which rolled into the bottom corner.

Second half:

As Maccabi were trailing by a goal at halftime, Dan Roman made a double substation after the break as Kristijan Belic and Kervin Andrade replaced Ben Lederman and Itamar Noy at the restart.

Three minutes later Osher Davida charged down the right and centered for Peretz who swept the ball home. But the referee assistant raised his flag for an offside against Davida as the equaliser was scratched off. The introduction of Belic gave Maccabi’s game a much the lift it needed yet the Serbian midfielder was cautioned in the 52nd  minute for a foul on Ansah.

Six minutes after the hour mark Roman made another double substitution as Varela and Ion Nicolaescu both came off and were replaced by Ido Shahar and Saied Abu Farchi with Andrade shifting to the wing. The diminutive Venezuelan received a new lifeline as within a minute he cut inside from the left and rifled a shot which was caught by Karol Niemczycki. Two minutes later Andrade picked Abu Farchi with a pinpoint cross before the 19-year-old rose high above Ashdod’s defense yet guided his header agonisingly wide.

In the 75th minute Maccabi were handed a free inside the Ashdod penalty box after Niemczycki dropped the ball and picked it up again. Davida teed up Shahar who blasted a right foot thunderbolt into the top corner to level the score and send the 2000 travelling fans in the air. Shahar almost turned provider within a couple of minutes as his cross was headed by Dos Santos wide of the post. Andrade struck the side netting and Belic rifled a shot from outside the area which narrowly missed the top corner before Sagiv Jehezkel replaced Davida. 

While Maccabi tried desperately to score, the hosts took a late in the 90th minute as a Ibrahim Diakite header came off the post, struck Melika who couldn’t keep it from rolling in to give Ashdod a 2-1 lead. Maccabi didn’t let their heads drop and pushed forward in a bit to level the score. Deep inside injury time, the two substitutes combined as a ball into the path of Jehezkel saw the winger take it first time and square it across the face of goal. Abu Farchi who so far scored in the Toto Cup and Europa League, wouldnt miss a chance from point blank range to score his debut league goal and settle the score at 2-2.

At the end of the match, Maccabi’s team captain, Dor Peretz, who couldn’t have picked a worse night to equal Sheran Yeini’s appearance club record in European competitions shared his feelings following the Europa League defeat to Lyon: “Conceding six goals to a team of such a high level is something that is difficult for me to process. It doesn’t matter who we would have played, especially after the last match before the international break. It is hard to absorb.”

Peretz who reflected on the 6-2 league defeat to Beitar Jerusalem, explained: “I think that against Beitar, our main conclusion was that even against better teams that are in better momentum, we come in aggressively and come to do our job, and that was the basis for every match.” he continued: “We will face Ashdod on Sunday, and that is also the foundation for such a match. We did not bring that today, and that is my biggest disappointment. Our foundation was not there today nor against Beitar. It is disappointing.”

When asked about conceding two sets of six goals in two successive matches, Peretz said: “We’re frustrated; we want to learn how we can improve and correct things. I think that these upsetting feelings are the ones that can produce something positive, and I hope we draw the right conclusions, as players and as a staff. If not, we will be in trouble and carry this with us.”

Peretz then spoke about what comes next: “We do our homework the way it should be done. As the team captain, we must do our very best, to show up with the fundamentals that football requires, aggressiveness, willingness, and determination. When the fundamentals are there, I am the first to take responsibility and admit that we were not there. But today it was simply the absence of basic elements, something that is unacceptable, neither for me nor for us as players.”

To conclude, Peretz spoke about the fans who attended the match: “I am sorry that this is the experience we gave them today. I dreamed of giving both the fans at home and the fans who came today a wonderful experience, some kind of uplifting feeling after the bitter taste we were left with before the break. Let’s do it on Sunday.”