Preview
Maccabi arrived at Hayud Alef stadium for the MD14 ONE ZERO LEAGUE against bottom of the table side Ashdod SC.
Robbie Keane’s charges are on an amazing run of nine league victories in succession and have an eight-point-lead at the top of the table with 34 points from 12 matches. Ashdod, on the other hand, are bottom of the table with 9 points from 13 matches and a dismal run of four defeats in succession.
Four days after beating Hapoel Haifa 1-0 at Sammy Ofer, Keane made four changes to his side as Ofir Davidzada who came on for the injured Derrick Luckassen at center back, kept his place. Idan Nachmias, who scored the winning goal against Haifa partnered Davidzada as the second central defender. Avishai Cohen on the right and Roy Revivo on the left completed Maccabi’s defensive line Infront of goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera. Joris van Overeem in the anchorman role was joined by Gabi Kanichowsky and Ido Shahar to form Maccabi’s midfield trio. In the absence of Felicio Milson who joined his national team Africa Cup of Nations, Kiko Bndoso made his first start in the league. Dan Biton was named by Keane on the opposite flank with Eran Zahavi leading the line as the striker.
On the bench, Keane, named Roi Mishpati, Dor Turgeman, Yonatan Cohen, Sheran Yeini, Yehuda Belay, Saied Abu Farchi, Dor Peretz and Osher Davida.
First Half
Maccabi started the match on the front foot with Kiko Bondoso, on his first league start, looking lively down the left flank. In the sixth minute however a mistake by Orlando Mosquera saw the Panamanian keeper concede a free kick after handling the ball just outside his area. Tom Ben Zaken sent his powerful curling free kick but Mosquera corrected his mistake by catching the ball on his line. In the 13th minute Bondoso whipped a cross into the danger zone towards Ido Shahar and Eran Zahavi. The initial attempt of a header was blocked by a defender before Dan Biton pounced on the rebound but sent his drop kick high over the crossbar. In the 20th minute Roy Revivo was booked for fouling Zohar Zasno on the edge of the area but Mohamad Kna’an’s free kick struck the wal while his rebound deflected for a corner that was cleared.
While Maccabi dominated the play, Ashdod looked dangerous on the counter attack but Ofir Davidzada deputising as a central defender alongside Idan Nachmias squandered all the hosts’ attempts. In the 26th minute Biton tried his luck with a left foot shot from the edge of the area which was blocked for a corner. Two minutes later Bondoso, Revivo and Gabi Kanichowsky combined well only for the diminutive midfielder to send his shot crashing against the side netting. Maccabi continued to look dangerous mostly down the left flank as Revivo charged on a solo effort from the halfway line but after beating four Ashdod player narrowly missed the target. Right on the half hour mark Zahavi tried curling a right foot shot that beat Ariel Harush but crept to the wrong side of the post.
In the 39th minute Robbie Keane was forced to make his first change as Joris van Overeem limped off and was replaced by Dor Peretz.
The fourth official indicated three minutes of added time before Maccabi were awarded a free kick 25 meters away from goal. Biton stepped-up and curled a left foot shot which went in off the giving Ariel Harush no chance to give Maccabi the lead shortly before the interval.
Second Half
Maccabi began the second half where the first half left off as Biton sent Kanichowsky into the area on 47 before he cut the ball back for Bondoso. The Portugeuse midfielder turned on the spot and sent the ball past Harush to double the score with his debut Maccabi goal. In the 53rd minute Peretz spotted the keeper off his line as he sent a cross from the right that landed on tbe roof of the net.
In the 55th minute Ben Zaken was allowed to rise unmarked and meet a corner but the Ashdod skipper sent his header over the crossbar. An Ashdod counter attack on 57 saw the hosts carve Maccabi’s defense open as Ebanezer Mamatah who was released beat Mosquera to cut the deficit. Avishai Cohen was booked by referee Snir Levy for preventing Kna’an from releasing what could have been a dangerous counter attack in the 59th minute. Keane reacted with a double substitution as Sheran Yeini and Enric Saborit replaced Revivo and Cohen with Davidzada returning to his left back role.
Saborit was booked in the 71st minute for a foul on Kna’an at the exact spot where Biton scored the opener. But unlike Biton, Michael Ohana sent his free kick high over Mosquera’s goal.
Keane made his two final substitutions in the 80th minute as Zahavi and Shahar both bowed out and were replaced by Yonatan Cohen and Dor Turgeman. In the 84th minute a Maccabi counter attack saw Cohen release Turgeman who kept his calm before burying the ball in the back of the net to make it 3-1.
Kanichowsky ensured the victory in the 90th minute as he carried the ball from the halfway line and fired a low drive that beat Harush for the fourth Maccabi goal on the night. The diminutive midfielder whose close friend died in action in Gaza a few days ago, paid tribute by racing to the bench and holding a banner with his photo.
