Avi Rikan, played his final match at Maccabi Tel Aviv as the 34-year-old midfielder made a second half substitute appearance in the 2-1 victory away to Ashdod which ended the 2022/23 season. Moments after informing his teammates in the dressing room that this was his final match for Maccabi, Rikan revealed what went on in the dressing room: “I have been through a lot in my career and gave plenty of interviews, but this was the most emotional moment so far. I struggled, my speech wasn’t flowing, these are my teammates and people who spent time with me from morning till night over the past eight years. It is a period which had come to an end and we will move on from here.”

Rikan, who joined Maccabi at the start of the 2015/16 season and won 8 trophies, added: “I lived this dressing room and the life on the pitch every day. I worked around the clock for this profession I love so much as I am fully committed on my day to day conduct” he revealed, “I did everything for this club in the last 8 years, there were more successful moments and some less but I think I could be proud of what I gave the club. I keep saying that the club gave me a lot and made me who I am now, but I also think that I gave the club a lot, on a daily basis, with my conduct. So I am proud of that journey.”

To sum things up, Rikan said: “It is not easy to summarize a period of 8 years with all these people, with this club and I told my family beforehand , that I still struggle to believe that this is my final day here. In the last couple of days I had time to try and prepare for that, but one simply can’t prepare for such a moment. People here embraced me and the fans did the same out here as they turned up in big numbers despite a complex season. I would like to use the opportunity to thank them for their relentless and unconditional support over the past eight years. The support I got wasn’t just from family and friends but the fans have a large part in that as they deserve a lot of credit for turning up here tonight and voicing their support. I was touched. They will always have a special place in my heart.”

Preview

Maccabi arrived at the Yud Alef stadium for the MD36 final match of the ONE ZERO League season against Ashdod SC. One point adrift of second place Hapoel Be’ersheva, Maccabi are aware of the fact that a victory in Ashdod together with a Be’ersheva slip-up at home against Netanya will see the Yellow and Blue finish the season in the runners up spot.

Daniel Tenenbaum was handed a rare start in goal for his first league appearance this season allowing Daniel Peretz who protected Maccabi’s goal all season a rest.

Enric Saborit returned from injury to partner Derrick Luckassen at the heart of defence. Andre Geraldes starting his final appearance in a Maccabi shirt at right-back, with Ofir Davidzada completing the back-four on the left.

Dan Glazer also returned to the midfield anchor-man role with Dor Peretz as his midfield engine room partner wearing the captain’s armband.

Dan Biton and Gabi Kanichowsky were the two wide men in Maccabi’s four-man midfield with the task of supplying the ammunition for the front-men. The latest injury to Djordje Jovanovic saw the Serbian forward join Eran Zahavi on the injury list. As a result, Eylon Almog and Yonatan Cohen who both scored their debut goals of the season against Be’ersheva last week, kept their places aiming to replicate that against Ashdod.

On the bench, Aitor Karnaka, named Daniel Peretz, Rares Ilie, Joris van Overeem, Sheran Yeini, Avi Rikan, Eyal Golasa, Ilay Tomer, Bar Lin and Matan Hozez.

First Half

The opening stages of the match began without too much action as Maccabi couldn’t translate their dominance into a threat on Ashdod’s goal. In the 14th minute however, Dan Glzaer began an attack through the middle, found Gabi Kanichowsky who released Ofir Davidzada down the left. The 32-year-old left-back squared the ball into the danger zone and Eylon Almog reacted first to a poor attempt of a clearance and flicked the ball home to score his second goal in two matches.

Maccabi’s lead didn’t last long as Ashdod managed to level the score in the 24th minute. A Roei Levy counter attack down the right side of Maccabi’s defence saw him pick Jordan Saban on the edge ofMaccabi’s area before teeing-up Ya’acov Brihon. The Ashdod midfielder took one touch as he sent an accurate low drive which beat Daniel Tenenbaum at the far post.

Maccabi had the ball in the back of the net on 36 as Dan Biton sent Almog clear through and with only Sahar Hason to beat he unselfishly side footed to Gabi Kanichowsky. The diminutive midfielder blasted the ball into the open net but his celebrations were short-lived as Almog was caught offside in the build-up and the goal was scratched off.

Tenenbaum rescued Maccabi from conceding at the opposite end on 42 as the Brazilian born custodian denied Roei Levi with his feet.

Second Half

Aitor Karanka made two changes after the break as Joris van Overeem and Avi Rikan came on for both Dan Glazer and Yonatan Cohen at the restart. Rikan almost scored in one of his first touches as he received the ball from Kanichowsky on the edge of the area but snapped his half volley wide on 47.

In the 57th minute Brihon almost scored a second but his left foot curling shot was equalled by Tenenbaum who was at full stretch to push the ball out fir a corner. Two minutes later Tenenbaum needed two attempts to catch Levy’s powerful shot before Zakaria Mugeese could pounce on the rebound.

A minute after the hour mark, Tenebaum was at his best once again as Mugeese released Cohen before Maccabi’s keeper positioned himself well to deny the Ashdod forward. Karanka made a third substitution in the 64th minute as Rares Ilie came on for the tired Almog. Matan Hozez replaced Dan Biton and Sheran Yeini came on for Davidzada as Karanka completed his substitutions in the 70th minute.

Maccabi regained the lead in the 85th minute as Dor Peretz rose above Ashdod’s defence to head in Hozez’s corner and seal the 2-1 win.

The new season is here and the Points Allocation System will allow those who accompany the club on the road from Kiryat Shemona to Beer Sheva priority to purchase tickets to away games that are in high demand.

Season ticket holders will receive double the amount of points than non-season ticket holders who buys a ticket for an away contest.

The points system is broken up into three categories:

Category 1: Maccabi Haifa, Beitar Jerusalem, Hapoel Beer Sheva, Hapoel Tel Aviv (1 point for season ticket holders, 0.5 point for non-season ticket holders)
Category 2: Hapoel Petach Tikva, Maccabi Petach Tikva, Maccabi Netanya, Hapoel Haifa, Hapoel Hadera, SC Ashdod (2 points for season ticket holders, 1 point for non-season ticket holders)
Category 3: Bnei Sakhnin, Bnei Reine, Hapoel Jerusalem (3 points for season ticket holders, 1.5 points for non-season ticket holders)

For example: If you purchase tickets to a match against Maccabi Petach Tikva and Hapoel Jerusalem, you’ll earn 2 points for Maccabi Petach Tikva and 3 points for Jerusalem for a total of 5 points if you are a season ticket holder. If you are not a season ticket holder you will earn 2.5 points for these matches.

Please note:

If Maccabi is allocated 800 tickets for sale, then the top 800 fans on the points table will have the privilege to purchase them. Should there be a number of fans with the same amount of points, a lottery will be held in the presence of an accountant to determine who will be able to purchase a ticket. For example: If there are 1500 fans with the exact same amount of points, a draw will be held amongst the 1500 fans for the right to purchase one of the 800 tickets allocated to Maccabi.

IMPORTANT! You must use your season ticket when you make a ticket purchase via the website, telephone or ticket office. Should you not purchase the ticket through your season ticket there will be no way for us to know that you purchased the ticket and you won’t receive the maximum points.

AND! You must make the purchase via your season ticket account. If you do to know your USER ID and/or password please contact support@leaan.co.il with all of your details.

If you purchase a ticket and do not attend the match there will be no refunds and you will not be allocated any points.

For the complete rules and regulations click here

Other questions:

I purchased more than one ticket, can I get more points?
No. The maximum amount of points you can receive is for one season ticket. If you have multiple season tickets, please make sure to buy each ticket via each season ticket account in order to be allocated points.

What if I purchase a ticket for my friends and my child, how does it work?
When you make the purchase, you must update the ticket representative with the season ticket numbers so the purchase will be allocated to their season ticket. If you don’t give in the season ticket number the ticket purchase will not be allocated to the season ticket holders account.

If I purchase a ticket through the home team or at the stadium on Matchday will I receive points?
No. On Matchday the ticket windows are operated by the host club and there is no way for Maccabi to take the information. There is also no way of knowing if the ticket purchase was made through the home team and not through Maccabi’s ticket allocation (via the Leaan Ticket Agency) and therefore Maccabi can’t allocate any points.

Do the points that I earned last season roll over to the upcoming campaign?
Yes. Points earned last season (2022/23) will roll over.

Please note:

• Maccabi Tel Aviv reserves the right to cancel and end the points system at any moment
• The points allocated per match may change at the discretion of the Club
• Points will be tabulated until the end of the season and only then will it be determined if the points will continue into next season or if they will begin again from 0
• When away match details will be published the points that may be earned will be published as well
• Maccabi Tel Aviv will determine which matches the points system will be in effect for
• The amount of tickets that will be allocated to the fans will be determined by the Club
• Maccabi Tel Aviv reserves the right to change the point system including how points are earned
• Points will be allocated for advance sales only via the Leaan Ticket Agency for tickets allocated to Maccabi Tel Aviv fans
• Season ticket holders will be notified by the Club as to how long they have to purchase tickets and how they may be purchased
• If you purchase a ticket and do not attend the match there will be no refunds and you will not be allocated any points
• Maccabi Tel Aviv reserves the right to use the Points Allocation System for Toto Cup, State Cup and European matches. A notice will be released when tickets go on sale for those specific matches
• Maccabi Tel Aviv reserves the right to use the Points Allocation System for home matches that are not included in the season ticket package and the Club may determine how many points are allocated for those matches
• If there is a match that not all season ticket holders may purchase tickets to at the sole discretion of Maccabi Tel Aviv, a decision will be made if points will be allocated to not

The ONE ZERO League 2022/23 season will come to an end on Saturday (20:30) as Maccabi travels to Ashdod for the MD36 encounter against the team ranked in 6^th place. Eylon Almog, who began the season at Maccabi, joined Austrian outfit Hartberg, but returned to the club in the winter after his loan-spell wasn’t as successful as he expected – summed up the season he experienced. The 24-year-old forward who scored a goal against Hapoel Be’ersheva to complete a 3-0 victory at Bloomfield, said: “It is always feels great to score as I have been doing so from a really young age and obviously have this passion to do it time after time. It doesn’t make a difference to me whether the game is over or not, especially at Maccabi Tel Aviv, every minute is important. This is the club I grew-up at from the age of 10 and always dreamed of reaching the first team and succeeding at. It is truly an amazing feeling and I am hungry for more. We have left match left till the end of the season and I will give a 100% to show how good I am and deserve to be here and do the same next season as well.”

The victory over Be’ersheva gave Maccabi a chance to finish in the runners-up spot, as Almog was asked to sum-up what is clearly a disappointing season all around: “I was raised and educated to take championships at Maccabi, to fight for every possible title and to win every game. You don’t need me to say, this is an unsuccessful season, it is proven that Maccabi needs to clinch every possible title or to fight for it until the final second. We are in the situation that we are, sometimes things don’t work out as planned, but I can promise you that we as players give everything and know that we need to deliver on the pitch. At the end of the day we must bring results. The fans are part of us, they are the 12^th player as we feel them in matches and always wish to make them happy. Sadly it didn’t work out as we would have wished for this season but we will do everything to come back better and stronger – to fight for every possible title because this is Maccabi Tel Aviv.”

On the season he underwent, Almog said: “If I go back and tell you that I have been at Maccabi from the age of 10 and my dream was always to reach the first team. All the steps I made from a really young age, was to be at Maccabi. I had three seasons with the first team and thought that I would like to play more and on a regular basis. This is the reason why I chose to go out on loan. In addition to Maccabi, my dream has always been to play abroad and the situation allowed me to do so. Despite a good start, it ultimately didn’t work out for various reasons and the only option I had left was to return to Maccabi. I worked really hard by myself to regain my fitness and would like to thank the coaching staff and Ilan Richardson in particular for working with men and helping me along the way. I am delighted to be back and value every minute at Maccabi.”