Category: News

Playoff fixtures published

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The first two Playoff matches were announced as Maccabi host Bnei Sakhnin for MD27 on March 30th before hosting Maccabi Haifa on MD28 for a top of the table clash on April 8th.

Fixtures announced:

MD27

Saturday March 30th: Hapoel Be’ersheva vs Hapoel Haifa (Turner, 16:00)

Saturday March 30th: Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Bnei Sakhnin (Bloomfield, 20:00)

Sunday March 31st: Maccabi Haifa vs Bnei Reineh (Sammy Ofer, 20:30)

State Cup Quarter Finals:

Tuesday April 2nd Kiryat Shmona vs Hapoel Nof Hagallil (Netanya, 19:30)

Tuesday April 2nd: Maccabi Petah Tikva vs Maccabi Tel Aviv (Petah Tikva, 20:30)

Wednesday April 3rd Hapoel Petah Tikva vs Hapoel Be’ersheva (Petah Tikva, 19:30)

Wednesday April 3rd Maccabi Haifa vs Maccabi Netanya (Sammy Ofer, 20:30)

MD28:

Saturday April 6th : Bnei Sakhnin vs Hapoe Haifa (Doha, 20:00)

Sunday April 7th: Bnei Reineh vs Hapoel Be’ersheva (Nof Hagallil, 20:15)

Monday April 8th: Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Maccabi Haifa (Bloomfield, 20:30)

MD29: April 13th – 15th (TBA)

Hapoel Haifa vs Bnei Reineh (Sammy Ofer, )

Maccabi Haifa vs Bnei Sakhnin (Sammy Ofer, )

Hapoel Be’ersheva vs Maccabi Tel Aviv

MD30: April 20th – 21st (TBA)

Bnei Sakhnin vs Bnei Reineh (Doha, )

Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Hapoel Haifa (Bloomfield, )

Maccabi Haifa vs Hapoel Be’ersheva (Sammy Ofer, )

MD31: April 27th & 29th (TBA)

Bnei Reineh vs Maccabi Tel Aviv (Nof Hagallil, )

Hapoel Be’ersheva vs Bnei Sakhnin (Turner, )

Hapoel Haifa vs Maccabi Haifa (Sammy Ofer, )

MD32: May 4th & 6th (TBA)

Bnei Sakhnin vs Maccabi Tel Aviv (Doha, )

Hapoel Haifa vs Hapoel Be’ersheva (Sammy Ofer, )

Bnei Reineh vs Maccabi Haifa (Nof Hagallil, )

MD33: May 9th & 11th (TBA)

Hapoel Haifa vs Bnei Sakhnin (Sammy Ofer, )

Hapoel Be’ersheva vs Bnei Reineh (Turner , )

Maccabi Haifa vs Maccabi Tel Aviv (Sammy Ofer, )

MD34: May 18th – 20th (TBA)

Bnei Sakhnin vs Maccabi Haifa (Doha, )

Bnei Reineh vs Hapoel Haifa (Nof Hagallil, )

Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Hapoel Be’ersheva (Bloomfield, )

MD35: May 21st – 23rd (TBA)

Bnei Reineh vs Bnei Sakhnin (Nof Hagallil, )

Hapoel Haifa vs Maccabi Tel Aviv (Sammy Ofer, )

Hapoel Be’ersheva vs Maccabi Haifa (Turner ,)

MD36: May 25th – 27th (TBA)

Bnei Sakhnin vs Hapoel Be’ersheva (Doha stadium, )

Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Bnei Reineh (Bloomfield, )

Maccabi Haifa vs Hapoel Haifa (Sammy Ofer, )

Peretz: “Our role is to do our homework and show character”

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Dor Peretz paid tribute to the entire team as he praised his teammates for a professional display that helped Maccabi record their 19th league victory this season to open a 7 point lead at the top of the table. “My good performance is a testimony to a great team effort. We showed excellent football right from the start of the match. The penalty held us back a little, but we completed our job.”

When asked to share some of the feelings following the Conference League defeat to Olympiacos, Peretz said: “This is football. We learned on Thursday how unexpected it could be and we were taught a massive lesson. Our role is to bounce back, do our homework and show character so I am happy.”

Trying to reflect a bit more on missing out of what could have been a historic qualification to a final eight of a European competition, Peretz said: “We are the first to suffer, while the fans are with us through thick and thin. We are the first to suffer the blow and we are also the first who would like to correct it. We are happy we bounced back and continue moving forward.”

As Maccabi opened a seven point lead at the end of the regular season and on the eve of the Playoff, Peretz said: “It is great to finish the regular season in top spot but this is only regular season. We still have plenty of work to do in order to reach our targets and if we will continue to look like we did, with passion and aggression, we will achieve our goals.”

Maccabi beat Hapoel Haifa 3-1

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Maccabi Tel Aviv returned to Bloomfield stadium for the ONE ZERO League MD26 match against Hapoel Haifa, a match which will end the regular season before the Playoff gets underway.

Having secured top spot before the order of the Playoff fixtures is determined, Maccabi, will aim at least to hold onto the five point lead they have over second place Maccabi Haifa before hosting them on MD28.

Three days after the majority of his players featured for 120 minutes against Olympiacos in Serbia, Robbie Keane made several changes to his starting line up. Roi Mishpati and Enric Saborit kept their places in goal and center-back respectively and were the only two of Maccabi’s back-line to start in both matches. Matan Baltaxa partnered Saborit at the heart of defense with Avishay Cohen and Ofir Davidzada completing Maccabi’s back-four as the right and left full-backs respectively. Eden Karzev started at the anchorman role and he was accompanied by Eyal Golasa and Dor Peretz in the midfield engine room. Felicio Milson recovered from the knock that forced him to limp out of the game against Olympiacos to be named by Keane on one wing. Dan Biton, who replaced the Angolan winger in Backa Topola, started on the opposite right flank as the duo were tasked at supplying the width to Keane’s formation. Eran Zahavi led the attack as the veteran striker who scored 13 goals in Europe this season now returns to focus his attention on the domestic league where he scored 12 so far.

On the bench Keane named Daniel Tenenbaum, Roy Revivo, Idan Nachmias, Dor Turgeman, Jori van Overeem, Yonas Malede, Gabi Kanichowsky,Ido Shahar and Osher Davida.

First Half

Maccabi began the match on the front foot and created the first chance to score as early as the fourth minute. Felicio Milson charged down the left and shrugged off his defender before cutting the ball back for Dor Peretz whose effort was saved by Yoav Gerafi. At the opposite end Haifa’s Itamar Noy then Tomer Yosefi tried their luck from outside the box, but on both occasions, the ball flashed outside of Roi Mishpati’s post. Ofir Davidzada, starting at left back drove forward in the 8th minute before sending a dangerous square ball which was cleared by a Haifa defender before it could reach Eran Zahavi.

In the 11th minute and against the run of play the visitors were awarded a penalty after Filipe Santos broke into the box and flicked the ball onto Avishay Cohen’s hand. Referee Gal Leibovic pointed at the spot before Yosefi slotted home to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

In the 18th minute Eden Karzev was teed up by Davidzada on the edge of the box before drilling a low powerful drive that forced Gerafi to stretch himself and claw the ball out for a corner. Matan required medical attention as he suffered a head injury during his attempt to head the resulting corner.

In the 26th minute Milson’s quick first step took him past Noam Ben Harush before the Hapoel Haifa full-back pulled the Angolan winger down in the box. Leibovic didn’t hesitate once again asbhe awarded Maccabi a penalty which Zahavi blasted home past Gerafi to restore parity with his 13th league goal.

Three minutes after the half hour mark Dor Peretz Peretz drilled a powerful right foot dipping shot that Gerafi managed to get a hand to and punch away. Milson had another claim for a penalty waived by the referee after he was brought down by Ben Harush. Two minutes later his trickery got the majority of Bloomfield off their seats chanting the name of the Angolan wizard who toyed with the opponents defense.

Maccabi kept dominating as Karzev came close with a powerful shot which Gerafi could only turn above his crossbar for a corner. Baltaxa rose high to head the resulting corner which bounced off a defender as Maccabi tried to a lead before the break.

Inside injury time the comeback was complete as Milson slipped the ball to Peretz who carved Haifa’s defence open to feed Zahavi. The 36-year-old who found himself with only Gerafi to beat blasted in his second on the night to give Maccabi a 2-1 lead at the break.

Second Half

While Robbie Keane made no changes at the restart, his Haifa counterpart Roni Levy made a double change as Dor Malul and Bar Lin replaced Naor Sabbag and Itay Buganim.

In the 57th minute, Bar Lin, who is on loan at Haifa cut inside on his left foot shot that struck the outside of the post. Within a minute a Haifa counter attack saw Lin tap the ball home from close range. But the visitors’ celebrations were shortlived as VAR spotted a foul on Eyal Golasa in the build up for the goal and Leibovic who was called to view the incident cancelled the goal. Keane reacted with a double substitution as Golasa and Biton bowed out and were replaced by Gabi Kanichowsky and Osher Davida on 62.

Keane made his third substitution in the 69th minute as Ido Shahar replaced Avishay Cohen at right back. In the 86th minute Maccabi’s victory was secured as three of the subs combined for Maccabi’s third goal. Shahar began the attack down the right and released Davida whose square ball was directed at Turgeman before Peretz pounced on the rebound to slot in the third goal.

Watch: Davidzada ahead of Hapoel Haifa

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Ofir Davizada experienced a lot during his playing career and in seven seasons and over 200 appearances for Maccabi Tel Aviv won seven trophies but also suffered some setbacks. The 32-year-old faced the media ahead of the ONE ZERO League MD26 match against Hapoel Haifa which will end the regular season before the international break which will be followed by the Playoffs. Davizada didn’t hide his disappointment from Thursday’s Conference League exit to Olympiacos as the 6-1 defeat after extra time in Serbia saw Maccabi crash out 7-5 on aggregate, and was candid: “Obviously Thursday was a massive disappointment but a big club is tested at moments like this: when you win then everything is easy and flowing, there is confidence in abundance, but as soon as you encounter an unexpected result and a big set-back then the character of the players, staff and club is put to the test.” Against an Hapoel Haifa side that is fighting for third place, and since the defeat to Maccabi on the final day of last year lost only twice in the league in 12 matches, Davidzada said: “We are facing a big game as we aim to show we have the character and confidence as players to show that we are top of the table on merit. We earned our right to be top and need to continue the good season we have been experiencing.”

 

 Davizada, who in addition to his 2 league titles with Maccabi, won the championship with Hapoel Be’ersheva as well, added: “Every team has its’ spirit and vibe. We have our coaching staff, led by Robbie Keane who experienced so much is his playing career even a crisis, and I am sure he will know how to pass on the right message to the players as we have our fair share of history as well. There are experienced players here in the squad who must show leadership and continue driving the team forward to try and continue achieving the targets we set ourselves at the start of the season. For the moment we met all our targets and need to remember it and stick by it. The match against Hapoel Haifa is a massive test of the team’s character.”

To describe the ups and downs professional players experience, Davidzada reflected on the start of his illustrious career: “At the start of my career I made a debut appearance against Maccabi Haifa, had a decent performance, and two matches later played well as well. Then we had a game away to Ashdod and lost 4-0 or 5-0. At the end of the match the assistant coach approached me and said: ‘Welcome to senior football’. At the end of the day this is life and that is in football as well. This is where big players are measured. Our players have good character, they know how to deal with results that are not that good. The blend we have here of young and experienced players, who know how to lift you up when needed, whether that is Eran (Zahavi), Sheran (Yeini) and Dor (Peretz). I can tell you that the belnd with the youngsters we have is a good one and I have a good feeling ahead of Hapoel Haifa. This is what it feels to me, and I hope we will be able to show it as well.”

 

A numbers: 200 goals scored against Hapoel Haifa

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Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Haifa met each other in the league 126 times of which Maccabi won 60, lost 30 while 36 matches were drawn with total goal tally of 200-117

Maccabi’s record against Hapoel Haifa at Bloomfield is 20 victories, 7 draws and 5 defeats including 8 wins from the last 8 matches at Bloomfield.  

An existing run of 14 unbeaten matches against Haifa – 10 victories and 4 draws is Maccabi’s longest unbeaten run between the two sides.

The highest victory was recorded in the 1993/94 season as Itzik Zohar (3), Avi Nimni (2), Eli Driks and Meir Melika were all on target as Maccabi won 7-0.

Of the 93 Maccabi players who scored against Hapoel Haifa in the league, Rafi Levy (10) is leading goal scorer with Shiye Glazer and Avi Nimni are joint second with 9 goals each.

Miko Belo is Maccabi’s appearance record holder against the Haifa club with Zvika Rozen and Rachamim Talbi share second place with 23 while Sheran Yeini has 21.

Fifty players featured for both clubs throughout history. From the current Maccabi squad Dor Peretz and Ido Shahar both spent loan spells at the Haifa club.

Hapoel Haifa’s coach Roni Levy faced Maccabi as coach for 35 league matches and has a record of 16 defeats, 8 victories and 11 draws.

The two clubs played each other on MD26 of the 2022/23 season as the match at Sammy Ofer ended in a 1-1 draw.Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Haifa met each other in the league 126 times of which Maccabi won 60, lost 30 while 36 matches were drawn with total goal tally of 200-117.

Maccabi’s record against Hapoel Haifa at Bloomfield is 20 victories, 7 draws and 5 defeats including 8 wins from the last 8 matches at Bloomfield.  

An existing run of 14 unbeaten matches against Haifa – 10 victories and 4 draws is Maccabi’s longest unbeaten run between the two sides.

The highest victory was recorded in the 1993/94 season as Itzik Zohar (3), Avi Nimni (2), Eli Driks and Meir Melika were all on target as Maccabi won 7-0.

Of the 93 Maccabi players who scored against Hapoel Haifa in the league, Rafi Levy (10) is leading goal scorer with Shiye Glazer and Avi Nimni are joint second with 9 goals each.

Miko Belo is Maccabi’s appearance record holder against the Haifa club with Zvika Rozen and Rachamim Talbi share second place with 23 while Sheran Yeini has 21.

Fifty players featured for both clubs throughout history. From the current Maccabi squad Dor Peretz and Ido Shahar both spent loan spells at the Haifa club.

Hapoel Haifa’s coach Roni Levy faced Maccabi as coach for 35 league matches and has a record of 16 defeats, 8 victories and 11 draws.

The two clubs played each other on MD26 of the 2022/23 season as the match at Sammy Ofer ended in a 1-1 draw.

Zahavi’s summary of the European elimination

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“It is a massive disappointment for us” Zahavi said after the match, “We came here with a massive advantage but we simply didn’t show up. They were just all over the pitch but we were not there as one can’t concede 6 goals in Europe and continue in the competition.”

Zahavi, who scored his 13th goal in europe this season, added: “It was a long journey which began in the summer and ended now, but if we look at the entire campaign we can look at it with pride yet still we are left with a bitter taste. There are no excuses.”

When asked what didn’t work on the night, the 36-year-old veteran striker replied: “We conceded an early goal after 10 minutes which dented our plans, then Milson got injured and matters went from bad to worse. It is a shame really because we needn’t have conceded three goals and I had a feeling that we all wanted the game to end as soon as possible. One simply can’t play like that against a team like Olympiacos. It’s a real shame.”

A 4-1 defeat in regular time that cancelled Maccabi’s win in Athens to take the tie into extra time where he and his teamates conceded two more to crash out of the competition, left Zahavi struggled to find an explanation: “We weren’t mean enough, or focused as matches like that are won by winning duals. Sadly, we can’t look the way we did.”

For a campaign which began back in July and was stretched all the way to March, Zahavi was still full of praise: “We must feel proud with the campaign we did from the summer until now as this was a long journey with plenty of flights and no home matches lately. It was in our hands and we let it slip which is why this is so so painful”