Rikan: “There is no secret that we always want to win titles, this season we didn’t do it. We always aspire for more” Avi Rikan said. “It is nice to end with a victory in the derby, it is good for the club and the fans, but one can’t forget we should have done more this season. I told the players on the way here that seasons end so quickly, it is exciting to end another season with a sweet victory in the derby, but one can’t forget thatbwe should have done more”.

On the long unbeaten run in derbies, the 33-year-old midfielder added: “This count is good for you and for statistics, but we are looking at it on a game-by-game basis. Today we spoke with the players and said: ‘Let’s keep this game alive for as long as we can and maybe with some fresh legs for the bench we could decide it. Sometimes, the last game of the season players from the 60th minute have their heads on the morning after with holidays and flights abroad. I made sure to remind everyone not to think of tomorrow but remain professional and focus on the game tonight. We are part of a big club and I am delighted we were professionals all the way till the end”.

Preview

Maccabi returned to Bloomfield stadium for the final match of the season in a bid to end the 2021/22 campaign on a high with a victory over bitter city rivals Hapoel in the Tel Aviv derby. With his team ranked third in the table with 66 points from 35 matches, one point adrift of Hapoel Be’ersheva, Maccabi’s coach Mladen Krstajic wanted to record the 20th league win of the season. After being held to a 1-1 draw at Bloomfield, Krstajic is aware of the fact that only a victory, together with Be’ersheva dropping points at home to Bnei Sakhnin could see Maccabi finish the season in the runners up spot.

Injuries and suspensions left Krstajic with a depleted squad forcing him to make changes as Eyal Golasa (yellow cards) and Matan Baltaxa (ankle) joined a list of absentees that already included Maor Kandil, Dan Biton and Josue Sa.

Daniel Peretz, kept his place in goal for the 36th time in the league as the young keeper became the only ever-present player this season. Shahar Piven returned to the heart of defence alongside Enric Saborit with Ofir Davidzada at left-back and Andre Geraldes completing the back-four on the right. Dan Glazer led the team out wearing the captain’s armband and with Eyal Golasa serving a one-match touchline ban, Gabi Kanichowsky and Oscar Gloukh completed the midfield-trio. Orel Baye, who made his league debut away to Maccabi Haifa was handed his debut start on the left wing. Eylon Almog whose goal against Be’ersheva was his first league goal of the season was named by Krstajic on the right wing.

Upfront, Djordje Jovanovic stepped-in for Stipe Perica aiming to add to the nine league goals he scored since joining Maccabi in January. On the bench, Krstajic named Daniel Tenenbaum, Idan Nachmias, Matan Hozez, Stipe Perica, Tal Ben Chaim, Eden Shamir, Osama Khalaila, Sheran Yeini and Avi Rikan.

First Half

As soon as the game kicked off, dozens of flares were thrown onto the pitch from both ends of the stadium forcing the game to be stopped. The thick and heavy smoke led to the police ordering the players off the pitch and back into the dressing rooms. When the smoke finally cleared, and the police completed picking-up all the left overs, play was resumed in the 17th minute. Two minutes after the restart, Djordje Jovanovic tested Ernestas Setkus with a long range effort which beat Hapoel’s keeper but curled just wide of the target.

At the opposite end, Freddy Plumain flashed a header wide of Daniel Peretz’s goal following a Shlomi Azulay cross in the 21^st minute. Setkus needed a double save two minutes later in order to keep-out Eylon Almog’s low left foot drive from the edge of the area before reacting quickly to deny Jovanovic’s rebound. In the 25^th minute, Hapoel’s Lithuanian keeper was at it again as he punched out for a corner another Jovanovic’s powerful shot.

Two minutes after the half hour mark, Hapoel’s captain Dan Einbinder was the first player to be booked by referee Orel Grinfeld for a rough challenge on Orel Baye. Oscar Gloukh carved himself an opening on 34 as he drove through the middle of Hapoel’s midfield before releasing a powerful shot which was equalled by Setkus.

Peretz was at full stretch to keep out an Osher Davida left foot shot following a cut-back by Doron Leidner before the Hapoel winger was booked for stopping Gloukh’s counter attack. The fourth official indicated 17 minutes of added time, and shortly after Baye was shown the yellow card for a foul on Shlomi Azulay.

On the stroke of halftime, Maccabi came close as Jovanovic and Ofir Davidzada combined well to release Baye who created the time and space by skipping past a Hapoel defender. But the 18-year-old who could have scored his senior debut goal released a weak shot which was caught by Setkus. Shortly after, Grinfeld blew the whistle for the end of the half that lasted just more than an hour.

Second Half

With no changes at the restart Maccabi began the second half where the first one left off – pressure on Hapoel in a bid to break the deadlock. Maccabi’s coach Mladen Krstajic made his first change in the 52nd minute as Avi Rikan replaced Baye adding a fresh pair of legs but also a wealth of experience.

A minute after the hour mark, the combination of Davidzada and Almog down the left released Gloukh but once again Setkus kept Hapoel’s goal sealed. Stipe Perica came-in for Gabi Kanichowsky on 65 as Krstajic made his second change adding more fire power as the tall Croat joined his Serbian teammate Jovanovic upfront.

It took the Balkan duo 10 minutes to break the deadlock as Maccabi finally took the lead in the 75th minute. Shahar Piven sent a long ball out of defence which was flicked by Jovanovic into the path of Perica who volleyed home the opener under Setkus and into the bottom far corner.

While Krstajic was ready to introduce Sheran Yeini, Matan Hozez and Tal Ben Chaim who were all waiting on the side-lines to come on – Maccabi doubled their lead. Gloukh released Jovanovic into the area in the 82^nd minute and as the Serbian striker was impeded in the box, Rikan pounced on the ball and from the tightest of angles scored the second. Gloukh, Almog and Jovanovic bowed out to a standing ovation by the delighted Yellow part of Bloomfield.

Yeini made his 30th appearance in Tel Aviv derbies to climb into second place of the all-time appearances in derbies above Benny Tabak and Avi Nimni. The 35-year-old Maccabi skipper who made his 519th competitive appearance for the club, is now 3 derbies short of equalling Miko Belo’s record of 33 Tel Aviv derbies. Grinfeld’s full-time whistle confirmed that Maccabi remain unbeaten in Tel Aviv derbies for the past 8 years.

Saturday’s Tel Aviv derby will be the 163^rd league encounter between Maccabi and Hapoel with Maccabi winning 58 matches, 58 matches drawn and 46 matches won by Hapoel.

Maccabi are unbeaten in the last 17 league derbies and 22 in all competitions. The total goals tally is 200-154 in Maccabi’s favor.

The 5-0 victory in the previous derby equaled the highest record which was achieved twice in the 1969/70 and 2016/17 seasons.

Sheran Yeini made 29 appearances in Tel Aviv derbies as he is currently ranked second in the all-time appearance charts alongside Avi Ninmi and Benny Tabak. Should Yeini feature in Saturday’s derby he will move will take the 35-year-old veteran captain within three appearances from Maccabi’s all time record holder Miko Belo.

Saturday’s derby will conclude Maccabi’s 70^th season since the State of Israel was founded. Maccabi’s all-time record on the final day of the season is currently: 36 victories, 11 draws and 22 defeats.

The Tel Aviv derby was played on the final day of the season in four occasions: 1955/56 (3-0 victory), 1958/59 (2-2 draw), 1960/61 (1-1 draw), 2006/07 (3-0 defeat).

Rafi Levy (2) and Yitzhak Nachmias scored for Maccabi in the 1955/56 season which was a direct battle for the league title.

The highest ever victory on the final day of the season was an 8-0 win over Beitar Tel Aviv in 1992/93.

Eylon Almog’s goal against Hapoel Be’ersheva on MD35 made him Maccabi’s 18^th goal-scorer in the league this season – an all-time record number for the club. This record number of goal scorers in one season saw Maccabi go level with Beitar Jerusalem (2006), Hapoel Tel Aviv (2014) and Hapoel Hadera (2019).

Besides goalkeeper Daniel Peretz, the only field players to feature in the league without scoring are Dan Glazer, Andre Geraldes, Ofir Davidzada, Eyal Golasa, Sheran Yeini, Shahar Piven, Josue Sa, Maor Kandil and Orel Baye. A goal by one of these players in the derby will set a new Israeli record for the numbers of different goal scorers.