Maccabi Tel Aviv returned to Bloomfield stadium for the MD13 ONE Zero League match against Hapoel Haifa which will sign off before heading for a 6 weeks World Cup international break. Maccabi’s coach Vladimir Ivic will aim to record a second victory on the bounce following the midweek 3-0 win over Hapoel Jerusalem at Teddy stadium.

Ivic made a three changes to his starting line-up as Maor Kandil replaced Andre Geraldes as the right wing-back. Nir Bitton, Derrick Luckassen and Enric Saborit were the three central defenders in-front of goalkeeper Daniel Peretz. Ofir Davidzada completed Maccabi’s defensive line as the left wing-back. Eyal Golasa who scored two goals in Maccabi’s last two outings against Sektzia Ness Ziona and Hapoel Jerusalem, kept his place and was assigned to the anchor-man role.

Golasa was joined in the midfield engine room by Avi Rikan with Dan Glazer and Dor Peretz waiting for their chance on the substitutes bench. Oscar Gloukh who was an unused substitute in midweek, returned to the starting line-up at the expense of Gabi Kanichowsky and at the top of the midfield trio. Djordje Jovanovic and Eran zahavi who both scored a goal each against Hapoel Jerusalem, kept their places upfront.

Prior to kick-off a ceremony was held in memory of former club chairman Eldad Bukshpan who died earlier this year at the age of 86.

First Half

It took Maccabi five minutes to create the first chance as the ball was sent to Maor Kandil down the right flank before he whipped-in a cross into the path of Djordje Jovanovic. The Serbian forward darted into the box but the ball got tangled under his feet at the goal-mouth allowing Haifa’s defence to clear the danger. Maccabi’s managed to get the ball in the back of the net four minutes later as another Kandil square ball reached Jovanovic who teed-up Avi Rikan. But as the midfielder rifled his shot home,

the linesman raised his flag for offside. Maccabi’s blitz continued in the 12^th minute as the ball was in the back of Ohad Levita’s goal once again. Jovanovic rose high to meet a Rikan corner and as he sent his header towards the goal, Eran Zahavi slotted home from point blank range. The linesman raised his flag for offside and despite a lengthy check on VAR the goal wasn’t allowed to stand in controversial circumstances  with Zahavi adjudged to have been offside.

Maccabi came close in the 22^nd minute as well, this time with Eyal Golasa heading the ball down for Rikan whose attempt of a volley from the edge of the area was pushed beyond the post by Levita. Daniel Peretz was drawn into the action right on the half hour mark as Liran Sardal was allowed to run from the halfway line before unleashing a low drive which was equalled by Maccabi’s keeper.

As the fourth official indicated four minutes of added time Maccabi created two more chances as Rikan’s powerful left foot shot was punched by Levita. Seconds later Jovanovic wasted a chance which could contest as one of the misses of the season. The 23-year-old Serbian striker somehow managed to hook the ball over the crossbar from point blank range when it seemed easier to score.

Second Half

With no changes to personnel, Maccabi began the second half where they left off – pressure on Hapoel Haifa’s defence in a bid to carve an opening. Zahavi couldn’t get his free kick around the visitors’ wall in the 50^th minute while five minutes later Oscar Gloukh sliced Haifa’s defence with a through ball to Zahavi who was clear. But with only Levita separating between him and a goal, the veteran forward lost his footing and sent his effort over the bar.

The visitors were handed a chance against the run of play a minute before the hour mark but Maccabi’s defence managed to block the ball for a corner. Vladimir Ivic made his first change in the 63rd minute as Gabi Kanichowsky replaced Golasa.

Ivic made his second change, this time introducing two players in the 70^th minute as Parfait Guiagon and Matan Hozez replaced both Gloukh and Ofir Davidzada. Ivic went for broke as he made his final two changes in the 84th minute with Dor Peretz and Yonatan Cohen coming on for Kandil and Rikan.

A minute later Hozez charged down the right flank and was fouled by Dino Stiglec who was consequently booked. Yonatan Cohen who missed a chance minutes earlier, wasted the resulting free kick and he sent his shot high and wide of Levita’s goal. Four minutes inside the 9 referee Nael Oudah added to the game, Enric Saborit curled a cross into the area which Dor Peretz headed towards goal but Levita stretched himself to pull a stunning double save. Guiagon’s close control in the 97^th minute saw the diminutive Ivorian break into the area before cutting the ball across the face of goal. But none of Maccabi’s forwards managed to tap the ball home as it agonizingly rolled across the face of goal.

With one minute left, the deadlock was finally broken as Derrick Luckassen found Jovanovic inside the area before turning and sending a powerful shot which beat Levita to send Bloomfield into a state of delirium. Maccabi’s ninth victory of the season took their point tally to 29 points, 1 adrift of leaders Maccabi and three more than Hapoel Be’ersheva who both play on Sunday. The league will now go into an international break due to the World Cup in Qatar and resume on December 19^th for the away match against Maccabi Bnei Reineh. Maccabi will return to action on December 7^th as they face Hapoel Jerusalem for a Toto Cup match at Bloomfield (20:00), before facing Hapoel Um El Fahm for a State Cup tie on December 11^th (20:00).       

 

“It was a tough match right from the beginning as we scored two goals in the first half but they were both disallowed and after that it became more and more difficult. We were lucky to win it in the end as this victory is extremely important” Jovanovic said.

On being left out of the Serbia squad for the World Cup, Jovanovic added: “I am not disappointed as I was in the preliminary squad but didn’t make the final squad as I only wish to thank the coach and the rest of the staff”.

The 23-year-old who scored his 7th league goal, summed up: “I can say that this is a victory which brings titles. One needs to record such victories during the season if you want to win titles”.

 

 

Preview

Maccabi Tel Aviv arrived at Teddy stadium for the MD12 league match against Hapoel Jerusalem desperate to return to winning ways following the two winless matches against Hapoel Be’ersheva (0-2) and Sektzia Ness Ziona (1-1). With 23 points from 11 matches, Maccabi were aiming to cut the four point gap from leaders Maccabi Haifa. Their opponents on the night Hapoel Jerusalem experienced a good start to the season which saw them climb up the table to fourth, three points adrift of Maccabi.

After serving his one-match touchline ban against Ness Ziona, Vladimir Ivic returned to guide his team and made three changes from the side which was held to a 1-1 draw at the weekend.

Daniel Peretz who conceded his sixth goal so far this season, kept his place in goal with Nir Bitton, Derrick Luckassen and Enric Saborit lining-up as the three central defenders in front of him. Andre Geraldes replaced Maor Kandil as the right wing-back while Ofir Davidzada completed the defensive line on the opposite left-flank. Dan Glazer was named in the midfield anchor-man role with Avi Rikan making his first start in the league this season. Gabi Kanichowsky completed the midfield trio with Oscar Gloukh dropping to the bench. Eran Zahavi led the team out wearing the captain’s armband as the veteran forward together with Djordje Jovanovic led the attack.

Daniel Tenenbaum, Oscar Gloukh, Joris van Overeem, Parfait Guiagon, Sheran Yeini, Eyal Golasa, Yonatan Cohen, Maor Kandil and Dor Peretz were all named by Ivic on the substitutes bench waiting for their chance to make an impact.

First Half

Around 5000 Maccabi fans who made the trip up to Teddy stadium to support the team could have celebrated a goal less than 30 seconds after referee Erez Pepper got the game underway. Gabi Kanichowsky was released into the area and sent a square ball into the path of Eran Zahavi who was denied by Adebayo Adeleye. Jerusalem’s keeper got injured in the process and required treatment but when he recovered Adeleye reacted well to turn Zahavi’s powerful shot for a corner in the 3^rd minute. Maccabi created their third goal-scoring chance in as many minutes as the resulting corner fell to Enric Saborit who hooked his close range effort high over the crossbar.

Adeleye kept Maccabi at bay as Zahavi and Djordje Jovanovic stripped a Jerusalem player of the ball in the 12^th minute before the Serbian forward charged towards the area and had his shot saved. Jovanovic rose unmarked to meet the resulting Avi Rikan corner but agonisingly headed over.

Daniel Peretz got involved in the action as well with Maccabi’s custodian collecting Nadav Niddam’s snap shot on 21.  Four minutes later Adeleye could only punch Rikan’s left foot pile-driver as Maccabi continued to look dangerous going forward. In the 28th minute Rikan chested down a Saborit chip into the path of Zahavi but the 35-year old forward snapped his attempt of a volley wide of the post.

A misunderstanding between Derrick Luckassen and Daniel Peretz in the 36^th minute almost gifted Jerusalem a goal against the run of play. The Dutch central defender returned the ball back to his keeper who misjudged the back-pass only for the ball to luckily roll wide of the post.

Four minutes later however the deadlock was finally broken as Jovanovic sent a low left foot shot which was accurate enough to beat Adeleye from the edge of the area.

Second Half

Dan Glazer felt a strain forcing Vladimir Ivic to make his first change at the restart as Dor Peretz emerged for the second half. Ivic’s counterpart Ziv Ariye made a double change of his own as William Togui and Guy Badash replaced Tomer Altman and Cedric Don.

A minute after the hour mark Luckassen tried a shot from 25 meters out and in the process was fouled by Togui who was consequently booked. Zahavi curled the resulting free kick beyond the wall and the reach of Adeleye as the ball crept beyond the reach of Jerusalem’s keeper to double Maccabi’s lead on 63.

Ivic made his second change in the 66th minute as Rikan bowed out and was replaced by Eyal Golasa. Less than 90 seconds later Golasa got his name on the score sheet as Jovanovic released Kanichowsky near the corner flag before the diminutive midfielder sent a perfect square ball which Golasa slotted home to make it 3-0.

In the 77^th minute Zahavi could have doubled his tally on the night after Dor Peretz put him through before he sent a toe poke which was cleared off the line by a combination of a Jerusalem defender and his post.

Zahavi and Ofir Davidzada were both given a standing ovation as they were replaced in the 84th minute by Yonatan Cohen and Parfait Guiagon. Ivic made his fifth and final change as Sheran Yeini came on for the closing stages as the veteran skipper replaced Kanichowsky on 89. Pappir’s final whistle confirmed Maccabi’s victory as the three points gained narrowed the gap from the leaders to 1 point which could grow even further as the Haifa derby between Maccabi and Hapoel is scheduled for Wednesday. On Saturday, Hapoel Haifa travel to Bloomfield (19:30) for Maccabi’s fin al match before the World Cup break.