Osher Davida faced the media at the end of the 2-1 Super Cup defeat to Hapoel Be’ersheva at Bloomfield that saw his side concede the first domestic trophy of the season as well as miss a chance to defend the Toto Cup. The 24-year-old who missed a first half chance to level the score as he struck the post from close range against a Be’ersheva side which were reduced to 10 men from the 16th minute, said: “This is the first match. I think we came relatively prepared for what Be’ersheva was going to do, as they did all of last season. We conceded a strange goal from their first shot, and then they received a red card. In my personal opinion, that was the worst thing that could have happened to us, because once they were down to 10 men, they stopped pressing us and started to sit back like a small team. That made it more difficult for us. I would have preferred that there was no red card and that they had continued pressing us. Even after the red card, we weren’t good enough.”

“In the second half we picked up the pace a bit and controlled the game more,” he added. “We created enough chances to win and even leveled the score at a perfect moment. I was sure we would score the second. There were two or three half-chances we should have taken advantage of to seal the game, and unfortunately, the first time they reached the final third, they scored.”

Davida continued: “We got too nervous in the final minutes and sent too many balls forward. We didn’t play well enough, but it’s important to remember this is only the first match. We could have come away with a better result. They scored two out of two, and full credit to them. We didn’t play with patience and too often rushed balls forward. As for Stojjc’s disallowed goal? It was rightly disallowed, but there was also a penalty on Stojic at the end. Last year, we had penalties given against us for things like that. In any case, we didn’t lose because of the refereeing, but I have to say, I haven’t seen anything like this in years, where every shout results with a foul. I hope they take a closer look at that.”

Dor Peretz must have wished to begin his first season as Maccabi Tel Aviv’s captain by lifting the Super Cup in front of a packed Bloomfield stadium. But instead, the 30-year-old midfielder was forced to stand by the side of the pitch and watch how Hapoel Be’ersheva won the first title of the 2025/26 season. Be’ersheva were reduced to 10 men from the 16^th minute yet took the lead from an Eliel Peretz shot that took a wicked deflection off Raz Shomo. Weslley Patati scored a spectacular equalizer but another former Maccabi player, Eylon Almog scored the winner that also ended Maccabi’s hopes of advancing to the Semi Final of the Toto Cup. “It is hard to explain how it happened” Peretz said after the match. “We will need to analyze it, see what we did well and what we didn’t do so well. We lost the Super Cup, credit to Be’ersheva, who managed to beat us here at Bloomfield with 10 men.”

On the goal Nemanja Stojic scored which was disallowed, Peretz said: “The hand was very close to the body in the replay. But that was the referee’s decision, and I have no complaints. We will focus on what we can do on the pitch and do our best.”

After officially taking over the captaincy from Eran Zahavi, Peretz was asked on the absence of the veteran striker: “I miss him right now. But we have a new dressing room here, new players, new roles that players need to fill. We will try to lead the team into a new and good season. I hope we succeed.”

Preview

Maccabi returned to Bloomfield stadium for the first time since May 25th when they secured the league title for the 26th time in the club’s history. As the league champions, Zarko Lazetic’s side host last season’s State Cup winners Hapoel Be’ersheva for the Super Cup that opens the 2025/26 campaign. Maccabi’s Head Coach, Zarko Lazetic, named one debutant of his six new signings in the starting line-up as goalkeeper Yoav Gerafi was handed his first official start in a Maccabi shirt. Raz Shlomo and Nemanja Stojic teamed up to continue their partnership as the two central defenders in front of the 31-year-old keeper. Tyrese Asante on the right and Roy Revivo on the left, completed Maccabi’s defensive line.

Issouf Sissokho started in the anchorman role supported by Ido Shahar who joined the Mali midfielder in the engine room. Starting his 11th season with the senior side, Dor Peretz completed Maccabi’s midfield trio as he also led the team with the captain’s armband. Weslley Patati who switched to wear the number 10 shirt this season was named by Lazetic on one wing with Osher Davida on the opposite flank. Dor Turgeman, led the line as the 21-year-old who scored 19 goals in all competitions last season, received the nod with new signing Ion Nicolaescu waiting for his chance on the bench.

As his substitutes for the match Lazetic named goalkeeper Ofek Melika, Sagiv Jehezkel, Denny Gropper, Elad Madmon, Henry Addo, Ben Lederman, Itamar Noy, Itay Ben Hemo, Ion Nicolaescu. 

Prior to kickoff former Maccabi player Ofir Davidzada who left the club in the summer to join Beersheva after 8 years, was presented with a framed shirt as a tribute to winning 13 trophies at Maccabi

First Half

After a nervous 10 minutes Weslley Patati burst down the left flank and was charged down by Roy Levy whi was consequently booked. Be’ersheva managed to clear Patati’s free kick which was crossed into the area but four minutes later the visitors took the lead. Eliel Peretz picked the ball deep inside Maccabi’s half before blasting a right foot shot that deflected off Raz Shlomo’s back to beat Yoav Gerafi. Two minutes later however Be’ersheva were reduced to 10 men as dismissed for a second bookable offence after a reckless tackle on Roy Revivo near the halfway line.

In the 20th minute Dor Turgeman’s pressure on Be’ersheva’s defense resulted with Osher Davida sending a toe poke that struck the base of the post. Dor Peretz pounced on the loose ball and teed up Patati who failed to keep his shot down as his effort sailed over the crossbar. Another Patati free kick this time from the right, got Be’ersheva’s defense in all sorts of problems on 26. But neither Peretz nor Revivo could get a touch before Niv Eliasi managed to collect. A minute later Tyrese Asante was booked by referee Gal Levy for a mistimed tackle while Patati was also cautioned right on the half hour mark.

In the 36th minute Maccabi had the ball in the back of the net as a well drilled corner came off Dor Peretz’ knee to strike tbe post before Nemanja Stojic managed to get the ball in. But Maccabi’s celebrations were short-lived as VAR intervened to reverse the initial decision and the goal was disallowed.

Second Half

Both Zarko Lazetic and his counterpart Ran Kuzukh didn’t make any changes after the break as the two sides returned for the second half unchanged. A clever Ido Shahar first touch in the 50th minute released Peretz to a counter attcak but the skippers’ effort from the edge of the area lacked the power it needed to beat Eliasi who plucked it with relative esse.

An unnecessary Revivo foul near the touchline saw Be’ersheva receive a free kick which Biton fired yet Gerafi and the crossbar prevented the ball from heading in. The resulting corner saw another former Maccabi player Matan Baltaxa, send a free header which narrowly cleared the crossbar. Two minutes after the hour mark Maccabi were back on level terms in spectacular fashion as Davida floated a perfect cross which was met by a Patati volley that beat Eliasi to open his account for the season.

A minute later Lazetic made his first change as Ion Nicolaescu was handed his Maccabi debut replacing Shahar. Turgeman came off and was replaced by Sagiv Jehezkel as Lazetic added a fresh pair of legs on 73.

Three minutes later however Be’ersheva restored their lead as Eylon Almog volleyed Zahi Ahmad’s cross past Gerafi to make it 2-1. Revivo and Issouf Sissokho came off on 84 with Elad Madmon and Itamar Noy introduced as the midfielder made his Maccabi debut.

Patati blasted a left foot piledriver from outside the area that Eliasi managed to equal and catch on his line as Maccabi tried desperately to level once again

Ido Oli joins Hapoel Jerusalem after an agreement was reached between the two clubs for a season-long loan deal.

The 19-year-old midfielder who scored 2 league goals in 19 appearances in all competitions during a six-month long loan-spell with Ramat Hasharon last season, will join Hapoel Jerusalem on loan for the 2025/26 campaign.

Oli who made his Israel U21 debut appearance earlier this summer, represented the young national sides at U19, U17 and U16 levels in a total of 25 appearances during which he scored 6 goals.

Good luck Ido!

Anis Porat Ayash and Roy Nawi join Hapoel Haifa on loan after an agreement was reached between the two clubs for a season-long loan deal of the two players.

Porat Ayash (20) will rejoin Hapoel Haifa for the 2025/26 campaign after scoring a goal in 10 appearances during a loan spell at the club in the second part of last season. The winger who joined Maccabi from Bnei Sakhnin earlier this year, is a member of Israel’s U21 squad for which he made 3 appearances and has also 7 appearances and 2 goals for the U19’s young national side.

Nawi (21) will also rejoin Hapoel Haifa for a second loan spell after recovering from the injury which sidelined him since the beginning of the 2024/25 season. Nawi who made 5 appearances for Haifa last term, has 4 appearances for Israel’s U21’s and an additional total of 25 international appearances at U20, U19 and U18 level.

Good luck Anis and Roy.

 

Yehoda Belay joins Hapoel Petah Tikva after an agreement was reached between the two clubs for a season-long loan deal.

The 19-year-old winger scored 11 goals in 20 appearances for Maccabi’s Youth team last season before joining Ramat Hasharon in January where he made 7 appearances and scoring 1 goal.

Belay who scored 2 goals in 17 international appearances for Israel’s U19’s national side, will join the newly promoted side on loan for the 2025/26 campaign.

Good luck Yehoda

At the age of 30 Maccabi’s captain Dor Peretz is starting his 11th season in Yellow and Blue. Peretz who last season scored 18 goals in 52 appearances to win the Player of the Season award, also helped the team win three domestic trophies: the Super Cup, Toto Cup and League Championship. On Sunday evening, Peretz is set to lead Maccabi out at Bloomfield as the first domestic title will be on offer with last season’s runners up and State Cup winners Hapoel Be’ersheva supplying the opposition.

“Ending the season on a high note just like last season, to win every title, and participate in a European competition and hopefully the most prestigious one.” Peretz said when speaking about his expectations from the forthcoming season. “We are in the early stages of preparation, there are new players, some are returning to the system, so we will start getting ready step by step. It begins with the Super Cup against Hapoel Be’ersheva a very important match for us, it’s for a title and qualification to the Semi Final of the Toto Cup. It is a game between two teams that competed to the end last season. So, we will start with that game and move forward toward our goals.”

On his opinion of the new kit, which was unveiled minutes earlier, Peretz said: “I think they’re very nice. I like them a lot.”

Following the departure of several experienced players, Peretz is by far the most experienced member of the team, as her reflected on the transition in the dressing room: “Factually, it is true. Anchors from last season are currently missing. Hopefully some of them will return, they can help me and the team this year as well. In any case, when there is a void, a gap, it can be filled by new players who can become influential and leaders in this team. We are already working on that, on a new generation, on leaders, on players who will start taking small steps toward leading the team.”

On the fact preparations for the season were disrupted by the war with Iran as the team split between Serbia where the coaching staff and foreign players began training until the Israeli contingent could travel and meet up in Hungary for pre-season, Peretz said: “Honestly, I was in touch with some of them, not extensively. Once I saw them at the training camp, I realized they had returned and that everything was okay, that they were calm and felt safe. I am happy about that.”