The Israeli Proffessional League Management (IPFL) published the dates and kickoff times of the ONE ZERO League MD20 – MD25. At the same time, Maccabi’s State Cup Quarter Finals against Maccabi Petah Tikva which will be played as a two-legged tie, was also published by the Israel Football Association (IFA).

League and Satte Cup fixtures:

MD20 Saturday, January 28^th Hapoel Tel Aviv vs Maccabi Tel Aviv (Bloomfield, 20:00).

State Cup QF 1^st leg Wednesday, February 1^st Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Maccabi Petah Tikva (Bloomfield, 20:30)

MD21 Saturday, February 4^th Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Bnei Sakhnin (Bloomfield, 17:30).

MD22 Monday, February 13^th Maccabi Netanya vs Maccabi Tel Aviv (Netanya, 20:30).

MD23 Monday, February 20^th Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Hapoel Be’ersheva (Bloomfield, 20:30).

MD24 Saturday, February 25^th Sektzia Ness Ziona vs Maccabi Tel Aviv (Petah Tikva, 17:30).

State Cup QF 2^nd leg Wednesday, March 1^st Maccabi Petah Tikva vs Maccabi Tel Aviv (Petah Tikva, 20:00)

* Final kickoff time TBC

MD25 Saturday, March 4^th Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Hapoel Jerusalem (Bloomfield, 19:30)

 

Aitor Karanka’s tenure as Maccabi Tel Aviv’s new Head Coach got off to a flying start on Saturday with a 3-0 victory over Ashdod on his debut match in charge. While Djordje Jovanovic scored twice and Eran Zahavi added another, Gabi Kanichowsky had a man-of-the-match performance with some creative moves which set Bloomfield stadium alight. (watch the clip at the bottom of the article)

In addition, Kanichowsky faced the media at the end of the match and revealed the feelings in the dressing room following the arrival of the new coach, as well as his personal development since rejoining Maccabi last summer.
Watch: Kanichowsky’s magical moment

On the support he received from the fans at Bloomfield on Saturday, he said: “It really took me by surprise, but it is always fun to receive the support of the fans especially when they cheer you on. Nothing in the world beats that feeling”. 

Kanichowsky, reflected on the arrival of the new Spanish coach: “It has only been two days and one can’t predict what will happen, but at the end of the day we must win matches and and meet our targets regardless of the coach’s identity. We must simply do our job as players and as a club.”
Kanichowsky, who returned to the club at the start of the 2021/22 season and has since played under five different coaches in Patrick van Leeuwen, Barak Itzhaki, Mladen Krstajic, Vladimir Ivic and now Aitor Karnaka, added: “I initially thought that everything will be easy right from the start in the first season, but there is nothing easy in life. This is life, this is football, as you arrive at a place and imagine things will be on e thing but they end up being another. The club develops coaches in the best possible way. It was clearly said that whoever doesn’t want to be here will not be here, so we are happy that our current coach wishes to be here and we move on”.

Maccabi’s captain, Sheran Yeini, who in 17 years of first team football the 36-year-old has seen another managerial change said: “We are a good team that proved once again that we can emerge well from a managerial change. It happened to us two seasons ago and we conceded the league title only on the last day of the season. Now the new coaching staff has more than a week to work with us and I am certain we will all do a good job. They left a very good impression on us.”

On his new coach, Aitor Karanka, Maccabi’s skipper who marshalled the defence which kept a clean sheet once again this season, added: “We need to get to know each other tactically. They haven’t had the time yet to get to know every player in term of input and match tactics. He is a very communicative person with a very hungry coaching staff, so I am certain that the coming week is set to be extremely interesting”.

Yeini, who is aware of the fact his side are three points adrift of first place having played one match more, said ahead of the remainder of the season: “I am very solid with my feelings. I know that the margins in these situations are not the ones which show who wins the league title. I strongly believe in our players and our way, we are not looking at any opponent but try do our best. Even in matches where we dropped points, we missed lots of chances. We are facing a run of tough matches soon, we need to be in good form, remain together and united. I strongly believe in us.”

Preview

Two days after being unveiled as Maccabi’s new Head Coach and after holding only two training sessions with the team, Aitor Karanka, returned to Bloomfield stadium for the MD17 ONE ZERO League match against Ashdod SC.

Prior to kick-off, the Maccabi fans gave Karanka a warm welcoming reception to Tel Aviv as the former Granada, Birmingham City and Middlesbrough Spanish Manager, began a new chapter in Israel as his third country of management.

With his team ranked second in the table with 36 points, six adrift of Maccabi Haifa and 1 more point than third place, Hapoel Be’ersheva, Karanka, fielded his first starting line-up as Maccabi’s coach.

Daniel Peretz who conceded at Kiryat Shmona last week his seventh goal of the season, started in goal just behind the three central defenders. Karanka kept a similar defensive formation to his predecessor, Vladimir Ivic, now at Krassnodar.

Enric Saborit, who served a one-match touchline ban against Kiryat Shmona, returned to the side at the expense of Derrick Luckassen who sat out this match for the exact same reason. Sheran Yeini led the team out wearing the captain’s armband as the veteran skipper partnered Saborit and Nir Bitton.

After starting and setting up a goal during the State Cup victory over Bnei Sakhnin in midweek, Andre Geraldes kept his place at right wing-back. Ofir Davidzada also returned to the starting line-up slotted in at the opposite left flank. Dan Glazer returned the heart of the midfield engine room alongside Eyal Golasa. Gabi Kanichowsky was named in a more advanced role following Oscar Gloukh’s late omission from the squad due to illness. Upfront, Karanka stuck with Eran Zahavi and Djordje Jovanovic confident that Maccabi’s striking duo could lead him to a victory in his first match.

On the bench, Karanka named alongside goalkeeper Danil Tenenbaum, Dan Biton, Parfait Guiagon, Avi Rikan, Yonatan Cohen, Maor Kandil, Shahar Piven, Dor Turgeman and Dor Peretz.

First Half

With a new coach on the side-lines, Maccabi began the match with purpose and intention which almost saw the deadlock broken as early as the fifth minute. Eyal Golasa was released into the area by a clever Djodje Jovanovic back-heal flick before the midfielder who broke into Ashdod’s penalty area was denied by Yoav Gerafi out-stretched foot. Ashdod, that held Maccabi to a 0-0 when both teams met earlier this season, kept pressing high up the pitch and looked dangerous on counter attacks.

While Maccabi kept dominating the play as Shaked Hakmon cleared a dangerous Kanichowsky cross from the goalmouth before Jovanovic or Eran Zahavi could head the ball home, Ashdod came close to score against the run of play. Gil Cohen dribbled into the area from the right side of Maccabi’s defence on 29 before squaring to Ebenezer Mamatah who somehow managed to roll himself in goal rather than the ball.

In the 37th minute however, Bloomfield erupted as Jovanovic tore through Ashdod’s defence past five defenders and kept his balance before unleashing a powerful strike which gave Gerafi no chance.

Second Half

When both teams returned to the pitch after the interval, Karanka made his first change as Yonatan Cohen replaced Ofir Davodzada at left wing-back. Karanka’s counterpart, Ran Ben Shimon, on the other hand made a triple change with Zohar Zasno, Adir Levy and Samuel Alaby introduced for Hakmon, Mamatah and Ya’acov Brihon.

Cohen’s impact was almost instant as he sent a square ball towards Zahavi who picked the ball up on the edge of the area and fired a shot which was directed at goal. The ball deflected off Timothy Awany before striking Jovanovic’s boot and despite the fact the Serbian forward didn’t know too much about it, the ball wrong footed Gerafi and rolled in to double the score on 52. A counter attack three minutes later almost ended up with a Maccabi third but, Zahavi’s shot found Gerafi well positioned.

Zahavi was finally rewarded for his efforts on 76 after Nir Bitton won the ball just inside Ashdod’s half before carving the visitors’ defence with a perfect through ball for Golasa. The midfielder could have had a shot on goal, but he unselfishly teed-up Zahavi who toe-poked Maccabi’s third. This was Golasa’s final contribution on the night as Karanka replaced him with Avi Rikan a minute later.

In the 83^rd minute Rikan flashed a header wide following an Andre Gerlades cross from the right. Kanichowsky came off to a standing ovation on 83 as he was replaced by Parfait Guiagon for the closing stages.

Guiagon could have made it four on 89 as the Ivorian midfielder came close but instead of passing the ball he opted to shoot and forcing Gerafi to a reflex save. From the resulting Cohen corner, Bitton rose high but guided his header over the crossbar.

Inside injury time, Jovanovic also got a standing ovation of his own as he was replaced by Dor Turgeman. The young striker who is still waiting for his senior debut goal will have to seek elsewhere as Nael Oudah’s final whistle ended the match and meant that he could only celebrate a team victory. Maccabi now has eight days to prepare for the tough trip to Teddy stadium where they face Beitar Jerusalem which were held to a 1-1 draw in the Jerusalem derby.