Maccabi returned to Bloomfield stadium and host Maccabi Netanya on MD27 for the opening match of the ONE ZERO League Playoff round. Currently ranked 3rd in the table with 52 points, Maccabi will aim to return to winning ways following last week’s 1-1 draw away to Hapoel Haifa and the 2-1 home defeat to Hapoel Jerusalem.
The disappointing two recent results saw Maccabi slip within six points from 2nd place Hapoel Be’ersheva and 10 from the leaders Maccabi Haifa but with the top six teams playing each other and 30 points still left to play for and the – nothing is over.
Netanya finished the regular league season in 4th place with 37 points as last week’s 2-0 defeat to Ashdod was their first in 12 matches since the 2-0 defeat to Maccabi Haifa on MD15.
Aitor Karanka made three changes from the side which was held to a 1-1 at Haifa as Derrick Luckassen stepped into the side in place of Nir Bitton who sat out his one match touchline ban following the red card he received at Haifa. Enric Saborit partnered Luckassen as the two central defenders with Andre Geraldes and Ofir Davidzada completing the defensive line in front of goalkeeper Daniel Peretz. Dan Glazer replaced Eyal Golasa in the midfield engine room alongside Dor Peretz with Dan Biton handed a rare start in a more attacking role. Parfait Guiagon who was called to the Ivory Coast U23 national side, kept his place in support of the two front-men Eran Zahavi and Djordje Jovanovic.
On the bench, Karanka named Tomer Alon as the substitute keeper alongside Rares Ilie, Gabi Kanichowsky, Avi Rikan, Yonatan Cohen, Maor Kandil, Shahar iven, Dor Turgeman and Matan Hozez.
First Half
Just like every other encounter between Maccabi and Netanya, the match began with battles in midfield as none of the sides managed to stamp their authority from the start. In the 11th minute Parfait Guiagon charged down the left flank and broke into the area but was tackled by a Netanya defender. The resulting counter attack at the opposite end saw Ofir Davidzada booked by referee Gal Leibovic for a foul onOz Bilu. Netanya came close to draw first blood as Boris Enow flashed a fierce low drive wide of Daniel Peretz’s post.
In the 21st minute Maccabi had the ball in the back of the net after Djordje Jovanovic headed Dan Biton’s free kick across the face of goal before Dor Peretz headed home. But Maccaabi’s celebrations were short-lived as VAR intervened, spotted an offside, ruled the goal out to deny Peretz and Maccabi a goal.
Right on the half hour mark Enow was booked for pulling back Biton 25 meters away from Netanya’s goal. Biton picked himself up and unleashed a thunderbolt which rocketed into the top corner, giving Itamar Nitzan no chance at all. Eran Zahavi almost doubled the lead three minutes later as he sent a half volley which bounced past Nitzan but crept to the wrong side of the post.
Maccabi doubled their lead in spectacular fashion on 38 as a lethal counter attack saw Davidzada, Guiagon neutralise Netanya’s pressure and break out of defence. Zahavi received the ball near the halfway line and switched to Biton who charged to the byline before sending a chip to Zahavi whose volley from point blank range made it 2-0.
Inside injury time Netanya were reduced to 10 men after Jovanovic stole the ball from Plamin Galabov and charged towards the area before being tripped from behind by Raz Shlomo. Leibovic showed Shlomo an immediate red and sent him for an early shower while Zahavi sent the resulting free kick over the crossbar.
Second Half
Aitor Karanka didn’t make any changes at the interval and neither did his counterpart Ran Kozokh as the second half began where the first one left off. Jovanovic should have taken the match beyond Netanya’s reach as he was sent clear through by Biton in the 52nd minute. But the Serbian forward who only had Nitzan to beat managed to hook his effort over the crossbar.
Peretz forced Nitzan to full stretch as Maccabi’s midfielder sent a dangerous left foot shot from the edge of the area in the 53rd minute.
Maccabi kept pushing forward in an attempt to score a third but Nitzan kept Netanya in the game as he pulled a reflex save to deny Jovanovic’s close range effort on 57 following a Davidzada’s cross.
A minute after the hour mark Zahavi had an effort blocked by a Netanya defender and Biton also missing out on the lose ball. Karanka made his first changes four minutes later, with Guiagon and Jovanovic bowing out to a standing ovation as the duo were replaced by Avi Rikan and Dor Turgeman.
Karanka made another double change in the 71st minute as Maor Kandil and Rares Ilie replaced Davidzada and Biton who got the best cheer on the night by the 16,602 fans at Bloomfield. Zahavi flashed another dipping shot which narrowly missed the target in the 84th minute as Maccabi tried exploiting their numerical advantage against a Netanya side that lost their coach to a red card as well.
Turgeman showed a few nice touches as one of them took him into the area before a last gasp sliding tackle denied the youngster from directing his shot on target. Shahar Piven replaced Enric Saborit as Karanka made his fifth and final substitution inside injury time. Zahavi sent a shot which landed on the roof of the net before the final whistle ended the contest with only two goals but three points.
