Preview

Maccabi arrived at Sammy Ofer stadium on the back of two winless matches aiming to get their title race back on track as they face Hapoel Haifa on MD32 of the WINNER League.

The 1-1 draw against Maccabi Haifa at Bloomfield which was followed by the 3-1 defeat to Beitar Jerusalem at Teddy, left Maccabi with 67 points, three behind leaders Hapoel Be’ersheva. With five matches still left to play, Zarko Lazetic’s side will aim to return to winning ways and increase the pressure on Be’ersheva that play at Netanya before traveling to Bloomfield a week later.

The Serbian coach made several changes to the side that lost to Beitar as Idan Nachmias and Stav Lemkin replaced Tyrese Asante and Raz Shlomo at right-back and center-back respectively. Gabi Kanichowsky returned to the engine room at the expense of Issouf Sissokho to join Joris van Overeem and Dor Peretz as Maccabi’s midfield trio. Osher Davida, who scored Maccabi’s consolation goal minutes after coming off the bench at Teddy, also returned to the starting line-up and started on the wing with Weslley Patati on the opposite flank. Dor Turgeman, returned to his role as a striker where he scored 13 league goals and 17 in all competitions.

On the bench Lazetic named goalkeeper Roi Mishpati, Tyrese Asante, Eran Zahavi, Raz Shlomo, Elad Madmon, Henry Addo, Ofir Davidzada, Issouf Sissokho and Ido Shahar.

First Half

Backed by around 5000 travelling fans who made the way to Sammy Ofer and gave their vocal support, Maccabi began the match with the intention of scoring an early goal. Three minutes after the start Maccabi could have done exactly that as Dor Malul’s attempt of a clearance was intercepted by Joris van Overeem deep inside Haifa territory as he fed Dor Peretz. The Maccabi captain on the night, fired a low drive which beat Haifa’s keeper Niv Antman but struck the base of the post. At the opposite end two minutes later, Dor Hugi forced Simon Sluga to punch his initial shot before saving the rebound as well. In the 9th minute however Itamar Noy picked Noam Ben Harush unmarked down the left of Maccabi’s penalty box. The left back sent a shot come cross which was parried by Sluga only for Hugi to react first and poke the ball home to put the hosts in front.

Four minutes later van Overeem fed Dor Turgeman on the edge of the area, but the 21-year-old striker sent his snap-shot wide of the target.

It took Maccabi 13 minutes from the moment they conceded to get back on level terms. Peretz found Osher Davida down the right before the winger slipped a clever pass to Gabi Kanichowsky. The diminutive midfielder flicked the ball with one touch towards goal, but Antman managed to save yet could do nothing to prevent Weslley Patati from tapping in the equalizer from point blank range. Maccabi were denied a penalty on 25 as Patati sent Dor Turgeman racing into the box before the striker took the ball around Antman. Turgeman went down as his foot got caught under Antman’s attempt of a save but with no reaction from referee David Fuxman. On the brink of halftime Hugi found himself behind Maccabi’s defense with only Sluga to beat, but Maccabi’s Croatian keeper charged off his line to block. A minute later Davida was sent racing with Fernand Mayembo as the pacey winger managed to strip the Haifa defender of the ball before his effort was blocked. Nemanja Stojic blocked another Hugi shot before Fuxman blew his whistle for halftime.

Second Half

With no changes to either side at halftime the second half began just like the first one as Hugi came close to restore Haifa’s lead but sent his shot wide of the post. Orel Dgani pulled Turgeman down inside the center circle when the Maccabi forward was clear through but once again Fuxman’s whistle remained silent.=

A minute after the hour mark Maccabi completed the comeback. Haifa’s defense struggled to clear a corner as the ball fell to Kanichowsky who broke into the area and cut the ball for Peretz. The 29-year-old captain side footed home to give Maccabi a 2-1 lead. Maccabi’s blitz continued as two minutes later Idan Nachmias was given the time and space down the right to curl in a pinpoint cross into the area. Nachmias’ cross picked Peretz who rose high and sent his header past Antman for his second and Maccabi’s third. VAR inspected a potential offside but a nervous two minutes ended with the goal approved and a 3-1 lead confirmed. In the 73rd minute Lazetic made a double substitution as Peretz was given a standing ovation as he was replaced by Issouf Sissokho while Eran Zahavi came on for Turgeman.

Ten minutes later a Davida corner reached Patati who skipped past his man and curled a dipping shot which landed on the roof of the net. This was the final contribution of the duo as Lazetic made two more changes introducing Henry Addo and Elad Madmon for the final seven minutes. Nachmias got his standing ovation as he was replaced by Tyrese Asante in the 90th minute. Seconds later Roy Revivo came close to increase Maccabi’s lead even further as he was teed-up by Madmon but managed to guide his snap-shot wide of the post. Inside injury time Maccabi came close again as Madmon set up Zahavi with a pinpoint cross only for Antman to stretch himself and deny the veteran marksman. The full-time whistle confirmed Maccabi’s 21^st victory as Be’ersheva’s three-point-lead was temporarily erased at least for 24 hours as they face Maccabi Netanya. Maccabi will now have nine days to prepare for the top of the table clash at Bloomfield.

Roy Revivo is set to make his 30^th appearance this season as Maccabi will face Hapoel Haifa at Sammy Ofer. On the back of the 3-1 defeat to Beitar Jerusalem on Monday which saw Maccabi concede top spot and fall within three points from the leaders, the 21-year-old Israeli international who became a regular in Maccabi’s defense, remained confident: “I don’t feel the pressure, I feel the urge to want the championship and give everything to avoid the feeling I missed something” Revivo said ahead of the match at Sammy Ofer.

“We have Hapoel Haifa first and foremost” Revivo said. Despite the fact Maccabi collected only a point from the last two matches, Revivo insisted: “I always believe and would like to give everything regardless of what the outcome might be.”

Despite being sidelined for several weeks due to injury, Revivo will be making his 30^th appearance for Maccabi this season as he added: “This season is very long we played plenty of matches, but the championship will go all the way to the wire.”

On the feeling in the camp, Revivo added: “What the coach speaks to us about stays with us. We don’t have time to sulk as this is football and there is not much one can do. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose but I can say that the entire team will be a 100% ready, and we would like to go all the way.”

Revivo dismissed any claims that he has got his sight and a move abroad as he summed up: “All I am focused on is Hapoel Haifa and winning the championship which is the most important thing for me right now. I am not thinking about anything else.”

 

 

 

The 2025 Holocaust Remembrance Day is marked with memorial ceremonies held throughout the country. In April 2023 Maccabi’s first team visited, Yad Vashem, the World Holocaust Remembrance Centre outside Jerusalem and underwent a detailed tour where they heard about the history of the Jewish nation in its’ darkest time.

The team then continued their tour to the Wall of Honor at the Garden of the Righteous Among the Nations where the names of Aniela Dembinska as well as Mikolaj and Helena Sajowski who were instrumental in saving the life of Mitch Goldhar’s mother, Sala Armel Goldhar, from perishing during the Holocaust, are engraved.

Watch the clip covering the visit and the emotional story of Sala’s rescue:

Despite a 3-1 defeat to Beitar Jerusalem at Teddy which kept Maccabi three points behind leaders Hapoel Be’ersheva, Osher Davida who scored Maccabi’s goal remained upbeat. “This title race is far from over. I am convinced it still depends on us”.

“It is annoying to lose such a game” the 24-year-old forward said after the match at Teddy. “We were close to take the lead on several occasions in the first half and even in the second half we felt we could get back at 2-1 but in the end we lost momentum and they scored the third. We move on from here.”

On the fact Maccabi didn’t beat Beitar on three attempts, Davida said: “We come and play like in every game as even our previous visit here we were the better side so I don’t know how we lost then and how we did so now but this is football.”

Despite trailing the leaders by 3 points Davida remained confident: “Be’ersheva still have to come to Bloomfield, we can beat them 3-0 and win the title”.

Preview

Maccabi arrived at Teddy stadium for the MD31 WINNER League match against fourth placed Beitar Jerusalem. Zarko Lazetic whose side were held to a 1-1 draw by Maccabi Haifa would like to get back to winning ways, beat Beitar for the first time this season and cancel the three-point- gap from the leaders.

Lazetic made two changes from last week’s draw at Bloomfield as Nemanja Stojic who completed his one match touchline ban returned to partner Raz Shlomo at the heart of defense. Tyrese Asante on the right and Roy Revivo on the left completed Maccabi’s back four. Lazetic made no changes to his engine room as Issouf Sissokho, Joris van Overeem and Dor Peretz formed Maccabi’s midfield trio. Weslley Patati on one wing and Dor Turgeman on the opposite flank supplied the width to Maccabi’s formation in support of Eran Zahavi who led the line and the team out.

On the bench Lazetic named goalkeeper Roi Mishpati, Stav Lemkin, Idan Nachmias, Gabi Kanichowsky, Henry Addo, Ophir Davidzada, Hisham Layous, Ido Shahar and Osher Davida.

First Half

A sea of Yellow and Black with a touch of Blue from the visiting section but mostly a deafening wall of noise created by a sell-out Teddy stadium welcomed both sets of players onto the pitch. A minute into the game Maccabi’s keeper Simon Sluga was drawn into the action as he punched away a Timothy Muzie shot. Beitar’s keeper Miguel Silva was twice tested by Weslley Patati and on both occasions equaled the Brazilian winger. In the 15th minute Jean Marcelin stepped on Patati’s foot inside the box without a response from referee Yigal Frid. But VAR intervened, called the referee to the screen and Maccabi were awarded a penalty. Eran Zahavi stepped up and blasted the spot kick, but Beitar’s Portuguese keeper dived to his right and saved.

Six minutes after the half hour mark the ball fell to Zahavi on the edge of box but his shot was turned by Silva over the crossbar. A minute later at the opposite end a Beitar counterattack resulted with Omer Atzili shrugging of Tyrese Asante’s attempt of a tackle before firing a shot which rattled Sluga’s crossbar. Just as the fourth official signaled for 2 minutes of added time Gil Cohen released Silva Kangai down the right. The Beitar forward cut inside onto his left but saw his shot blocked by Maccabi’s defense.

Second Half

With no changes to either side at the break both teams returned for the second half which began just like the first one. Mayron George blasted a shot which struck the side netting before Kangai fired over. In the 51st minute Revivo drilled in a ball from Dor Peretz who continued with a flick towards goal, but Silva pulled a reflex save to claw the ball out and deny Maccabi the opener. Two minutes later however Teddy erupted as a Raz Shlomo’s attempt to head the ball back to Sluga fell to George who blasted a low drive to put Beitar in front.

The Beitar strike hobbled off as he injured himself during the goal celebration making way for Patrick Twumasi. Four minutes after the hour mark Sluga denied Beitar from doubling their lead as he first made a save from Atzili before diving at the feet of the winger who was deep inside his area. Maccabi’s defense struggled to clear the corner as Sissokho’s attempt of a clearance reached Jean Marcelin. The tall defender left Maccabi’s defense behind him as he skipped past Revivo to break into the area before firing low into the net to double Beitar’s lead. Zarko Lazetic reacted with a double substitution as Sissokho and Zahavi bowed out and were replaced by Gabi Kanichowsky and Osher Davida.

In the 79th minute Lazetic made a third change as Henry Addo came on for Patati who had a quiet game by his own high standards. Maccabi cut the deficit in the 83^rd minute as a Davida cross from the right which was aiming to pick Peretz’s darting run into the box bounced in front of Silva and ended up in the bottom corner to make it 2-1. Ido Shahar replaced Joris van Overeem on 88 as the diminutive midfielder was introduced to try and help Maccabi score an equalizer. But inside injury time Yarin Levi blasted a powerful drive into the top corner that sealed Beitar’s victory and rounded up a miserable night overall.