Category: News
ZAHAVI VOTED AS KOPELL GROUP PLAYER OF THE MONTH
Eran Zahavi scored from every angle to capture top spot of the league’s goal-scoring chart as you voted for him as the KOPELL Group sponsored Maccabi Player of the Month of January.
The veteran forward who plays with number 7 on his shirt, scored no less than 7 goals to receive most of your votes. Parfait Guiagon, who also had a good month with a goal against Maccabi Haifa came second with Dor Peretz voted in third place.
Voted for Zahavi? Now comes the part you have been waiting for
Whoever voted for Zahavi should receive a text message containing the prize question. The first person to send a correct answer will receive a signed shirt by Maccabi’s Player of the Month, Eran Zahavi, as well as an official Maccabi scarf.
Kanichowsky: “we are already focused on Saturday”
Gabi Kanichowsky, who began the match with an assist then won a penalty and rounded off the man-of-the-match performance with a spectacular goal to lead Maccabi to a 4-0 victory in the first leg of the State Cup Quarter Final, admitted: “It is fun to score. I could have possibly scored another and in the end the most thing is the result but we are already focused on Saturday’s forthcoming match.
The 25-year-old midfielder, who set up Djordje Jovanovic’s opener, was brought down in the area for Maccabi’s second and scored a solo effort for the 3rd against second division side Maccabi Petah Tikva, added: “We must prepare against every team regardless of their name or position. One must never disrespect any opponent at such situation – its a clear must. Maccabi Petah Tikva are a good tough team, and I am delighted we completed our job the way we had to. There is a still another game to play, but today we really came to work and it showed. In the first minute Daniel Tenenbaum rescued us with a top save, but we recovered quickly and got a good result.”
On life under coach, Aitor Karanka, Kanichowsky added: “It is true as swapping a coach midway through the season is not easy, but he brought with him a good spirit and plenty of positive energy. Us players must also prove themselves to the new coach and must raise their game to show what they are worth.”
Karanka: “The players attitude was very good today”
STATE CUP: MACCABI BEAT PETAH TIKVA 4-0
Preview
Maccabi arrived at the Netanya stadium for the State Cup Quarter Final first leg against second division side Maccabi Petah Tikva. The match was relocated from Bloomfield stadium to Netanya due to a radius ban punishment the club received for the fans’ misconduct in the previous round against Bnei Sakhnin.
Maccabi’s coach, Aitor Karanka, made seven changes to the side which was held to a 0-0 draw by Hapoel Tel Aviv at the weekend. Daniel Tenenbaum was handed a rare start in goal with Daniel Peretz allowed to rest on the substitutes bench. Sheran Yeini led the team out wearing the captain’s armband as the veteran skipper lined-up alongside Derrick Luckassen who recovered from the ankle injury which sidelined him last week.
The Dutchman replaced Enric Saborit who served a one-match-touchline-ban due to his dismissal in the derby while Ofir Davidzada kept his place at left back and Maor Kandil completed the back-four as he replaced Andre Geraldes at the opposite right flank. Dor Peretz in the anchorman role partnered Eyal Golasa in the midfield engine room while Avi Rikan was named ahead of the duo as Karanka sent out a 4-2-3-1 formation. Gabi kanichowsky on one flank and Yonatan Cohen on the other supplied the width to Karanka’s midfield while Djordje Jovanovic led the line as the lone striker allowing Eran Zahavi a much needed rest on the bench.
Alongside Daniel Peretz and Zahavi, Karanka also named Dan Glazer, Dan Biton, Joris van Overeem, Andre Geraldes, Shahar Piven, Dor Turgeman and Nir Bitton on the substitutes bench.
Prior to kickoff, Maccabi held a ceremony to former forward Tal Ben Chaim who left the club in the summer and joined his boyhood club Petah Tikva, honoring his services to Maccabi where he won six trophies in six seasons.
First Half
Maccabi began the match on the back foot with Petah Tikva coming close to draw first blood as early as the second minute. A misplaced Eyal Golasa back-pass towards Sheran Yeini left the captain chasing Idan Toklomati who raced clear through. Petah Tikva’s young striker shot from the edge of the area but Daniel Tenenbaum stretched himself to push the ball for a corner.
Maccabi’s custodian was influential in the opening goal which was scored within a minute as he released a quick counter attack by throwing the ball into the path of Yonatan Cohen. The winger shrugged off Tal Ben Chaim whose attempt of a back-pass to his keeper was intercepted by Gabi Kanichowsky whose pinpoint square ball was slotted home by Djordje Jovanovic. Petah Tikva’s claims for a foul on Ben Chaim were waived by referee Ohad Asulin as well as the VAR which let the goal stand and Maccabi lead 1-0.
Maccabi kept pressing and were rewarded for their efforts in the 25th minute as Avi Rikan’s flick into the path of Kanichowsky saw the midfielder pushed down in the area by Petah Tikva’s Gideon Akaouwa. Asulin awarded a penalty before Jovanovic stepped up and successfully converted the spot kick past Marco Wolf to double the lead and score his second on the night.
In the 36th minute the combination of Tenenbaum and Kanichowsky led to Maccabi’s third and one of the solo efforts scored by any player this season. Kanichowsky collected a Tenenbaum long throw near the halfway line before charging forward and sending a toe-poke past Wolf to make it 3-0.
On the brink of halftime, Maccabi came close to increase the lead even further, as Ofir Davidzada’s cross saw Cohen skip over the ball and left it for Eyal Golasa. The 31-year-old midfielder who was free on goal at the center of the area, had his shot was saved by Wolf.
Second Half
While Karanka made no changes at halftime, his Petah Tikva counterpart, Benny Lam, made a double substitution at the restart. Tal Ben Chaim and Branko Vrgoc made way for Ilya Shkurin and Moshe Mulah but the second half seemed exactly like the first one.
In the 56th minute Cohen tried a left foot shot from the edge of the area which was turned by Wolf for a corner. A minute later Karanka made his first change as Sheran Yeini was replaced by Nir Bitton at the center of defence.
Maccabi toyed with Petah Tikva’s defence and right on the hour mark Kanichowsky and Peretz exchanged flicks before the midfielder’s effort was saved by the keeper. The resulting Kanichowsky corner was headed by Derrick Luckassen into the path of Jovanovic who volleyed home. But the Serbian striker was denied his hat trick as he was just to have been caught offside. This was the final contribution of Jovanovic and Peretz as they were replaced in the 63rd minute by Joris van Overeem and Dor Turgeman.
Four minutes after his introduction, Turgeman released Kanichowsky who raced clear through before he unselfishly teed-up Cohen whose weak shot was saved by the keeper. Kanichowsky was given a standing ovation by the 3,950 fans as he came off and was replaced in the 70th by Dan Biton.
Biton had a left foot shot struck the base of the post before Rikan had the rebound saved by the keeper. A minute inside injury time however, Biton dribbled on the edge of the area and found Rikan who added his name to the scoresheet with an unstoppable shot which gave Wolf no chance to seal the score at 4-0.
Petah Tikva will host the return leg on February 25th as Maccabi seem all but through to the Semi Final.
Rares Ilie joins Maccabi on loan
Rares Ilie (183cm) joined Maccabi Tel Aviv from French outfit OGC Nice after an agreement was reached between the two clubs for the loan deal of the 19 year old winger.
After successfully undergoing his medical, Ilie, who will wear the number 11 jersey at Maccabi, told the club’s official website: “I am happy to join Maccabi and looking forward to help my new teammates challenge for trophies. When I played here with Nice in the summer, I remember an amazing atmosphere at Bloomfield stadium and I can’t wait to play in front of those fans again”.
Head of Maccabi’s Football Department, Barak Itzhaki, added: “We are delighted to have succeeded in landing Ilie at Maccabi Tel Aviv after beating strong competition and attractive offers from clubs in Europe. After Ilie and his agents learned about Maccabi Tel Aviv, the club’s high standards and our commitment to success, they reached the conclusion that Maccabi is the best home for a talented and promising player of his caliber. We have no doubt that Ilie will be a significant addition to Maccabi and wish the best of success”.
Nine goals and 12 assists in 60 appearances for Rapid Bucharest, led OGC Nice to buy Ilie in the summer of 2022. Ilie played for Nice in the two Conference League Playoff matches against Maccabi, and made 8 appearances for the French outfit this season.
A member of Romania’s Under 21 squad, Ilie also scored 2 goals in 10 international appearances for his country’s Youth (U19) team.
Medunjanin, Melika and Yonatan: 5 spectacular QF goals
A numbers game: Maccabi’s success rate in the Quarter Finals
Maccabi reached the Quarter Final stage of the State Cup 54 times – 12 of which before the establishment of the State of Israel and 42 times since 1948.
Of all the 89 clubs to have reached the Quarter Finals, Maccabi Tel Aviv is the club to have done so more than any Israeli club. Hapoel Tel Aviv are second with 49 appearances while Maccabi Haifa are third with 48.
Maccabi advanced from the Quarter Finals to reach the Semi Finals on 49 of the 54 attempts and has a 91% success rate.
Of the 41 club to have reached the QF for three times or more, Maccabi failed to reach the SF only four times since 1948. Shimshon Tel Aviv have the second best success rate with 73% while Hapoel Tel Aviv are third with 71%.
Maccabi played the Quarter Final stage as two legged tie or a match which was replayed 13 times. Besides the State Cup Quarter Finals of the 1973 season when Maccabi were held to a 0-0 draw by Maccabi Petah Tikva and lost the replay 2-1, Maccabi advanced to the Semi Final on 12 attempts.
The last time Maccabi played against a second division side in the Quarter Final was against Hapoel Haifa in 1984.
A 0-0 draw at Haifa on 14.4.84 led to a return leg at Bloomfield nine days later which Maccabi convincingly won 1-4 with Moti Iwanir and an Eli Drix hatrick deciding the tie.
Maccabi faced Maccabi Petah Tikva in the State Cup 19 times 15 of which as single match and 4 over two legs. Maccabi advanced 13 times and were knocked out by Petah Tikva on 6 occasions.
The last time Maccabi played Maccabi Petah Tikva in the Cup was in the 2016/17 season. Tal Ben Chaim, who joined Petah Tikva from Maccabi in the summer scored the only goal of the first leg at Petah Tikva while Vidar Kjartansson and Oscar Scarione scored a goaleach in the return leg which Maccabi won 2-1 at Netanya.
Welcome back: Juanpa
Juan Pablo Colinas returns for a second tenure at Maccabi Tel Aviv, as the 44-year-old Spaniard who made a 100 appearances for club, was appointed as goalkeeping coach.
Juan Pablo, joined Maccabi as a goalkeeper in the summer of 2013, reached the EUROPA League round of 32 and won the league title at the end of the season.
The following year, Juan Pablo was part of the treble winning side while in 2015/16 he helped Maccabi qualify to the Champions League group stage before returning to Spain and playing for Numancia.
After one more season at Cypriot outfit AEK Larnaca, Juan Pablo announced his retirement and worked as a GK coach at Sporting Gijon.
The club wishes to thank Shura Ubarov for covering up as interim GK coach, Shura will return to his role at the Youth Academy
The Youth department’s State Cup draw
Maccabi’s Youth Academy teams were drawn for their respective State Cup ties at the Israel Football Association Headquarters. Maccabi Tel Aviv ‘Shachar’ were drawn away to Maccabi Haifa in the Quarter Final of the U19’s State Cup. Dedi Ben Dayan’s side began their journey in the Cup with a 7-0 victory at Haifa over Maccabi Neve Sha’anan in the round of 32 before knocking Hapoel Be’ersheva out on penalties in the round of 16.Youth Department teams State Cup draw:Under 19’s Quarter Finals:7.2.23 Maccabi Haifa vs Maccabi Tel Aviv ‘ShaharUnder 17’s Semi Final:4.4.23 Maccabi Tel Aviv ‘Oded’ vs Hapoel Ra’ananaUnder 14’s Quarter Finals:18.2.23 Maccabi Tel Aviv ‘Baruch Ezrati’ vs Maccabi Netanya18.2.23 Hapoel Jerusalem vs Maccabi Tel Aviv ‘Shlomo’ Under 13’s Quarter Finals:18.2.23 Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Maccabi HaifaUnder 12’s Round of 16:Beitar Jerusalem ‘Tzav Piyus’ vs Maccabi Tel Aviv ‘Oz’
