The 2002/03 season was one of the most tense league campaigns in the history of Israeli football. Maccabi were involved in a three-horse-race for the league title with Maccabi Haifa and Hapoel Tel Aviv. Eight matches before the end of the season, two of the title contenders met for a crucial encounter at a packed National stadium in Ramat Gan. Just like this season, Haifa arrived as the league leaders with Maccabi ranked third. But goals from Latvian striker Andrejs Prohorenkovs and Brazilian midfielder Bruno Reis led Maccabi to victory to give the Yellows’ a boost that pushed them all the way to a successful end to the season. Watch the highlights:

The 2021/22 season has reached its final run-in as Maccabi face a busy April packed with big matches on all fronts and against particularly interesting opponents. Shortly before it all kicks-off we arranged the dates for you to make it easier to mark the calendars.

April 11^th: Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Maccabi Haifa (Bloomfield, 20:30)

One of the highest profile matches Israeli football has to offer as Maccabi hosts bitter rivals and reigning champions Maccabi Haifa for the featured match of MD29. Unbeaten in the league since the 3-2 defeat in Haifa on January 3^rd, Maccabi will aim to emulate the 2-1 victory over the Haifaites when both teams met at Bloomfield earlier this season on September 18^th 2021.

April 17^th : Hapoel Be’ersheva vs Maccabi Tel Aviv (Turner, 20:30).

Just like in almost every season there is an opponent Maccabi faces twice in a short spell as this campaign it will be Hapoel Be’ersheva that will faces us twice in the space of four days. The first encounter will take place at Turner stadium for the featured match of MD30.

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

Four days after the league encounter at Be’ersheva, both teams will meet once again this time at Bloomfield stadium and compete for a place in the State Cup Final. Maccabi began their successful State Cup journey last season against Be’ersheva at Turner as a Dor Peretz goal led the side to a 1-0 victory. The winner of the tie faces the winner of the Haifa derby between Maccabi and Hapoel which is staged a day earlier.

April 25^th: Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Hapoel Tel Aviv (Bloomfield, 20:30).

Maccabi’s crazy April fixture list continues with the third Tel Aviv derby of the season as we host our bitter city rivals on MD31 for a match which will conclude the first round of the Playoff. Memories from the last time both teams met in the league are still fresh as Djordje Jovanovic’s injury time goal earned Maccabi a dramatic 3-2 victory on February 12^th. Earlier this season a Brandley Kuwas second half equalizer helped Maccabi to a 1-1 draw on November 7^th last year. As last season ended with a derby in the State Cup Final, this time round both Tel Aviv sides will face each other twice in the Playoffs.

Watch: The dramatic 3-2 derby victory

April 30^th (Final date TBA): Bnei Sakhnin vs Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Maccabi will end their busy April fixture list or even begin their May schedule with a tough trip away to Bnei Sakhnin. The match will begin the second phase of the Playoff as Maccabi will hope for a different result to the one on the opening day of the season which culminated with a 3-1 defeat.

The final date and kickoff time will be confirmed by the IPFL at a later stage.

   

 

Pregame

Maccabi returned to league action after a two-week international break as the second match of the Playoff away to Maccabi Netanya – a side Maccabi couldn’t beat this season.

The 0-0 draw against Bnei Sakhnin at Bloomfield stadium on MD27 saw Maccabi drop two valuable points which took their point tally to 54. But victories to Hapoel Be’ersheva and Maccabi Haifa kept Maccabi four and eight points adrift of the leading duo. Maccabi that suffered a 4-2 defeat in the first round at Netanya followed by a 2-2 draw at Bloomfield will aim to return winning ways by beating their opponents for the first time this season. Maccabi’s coach Mladen Krstajic made several changes from the side that drew with Sakhnin as Shahar Piven and Ofir Davidzada were named as the two full-backs on the right and left respectively. Enric Saborit and Idan Nachmias lined-up in front of goalkeeper Daniel Peretz to complete the defensive back-four.

Dan Glazer led the team out wearing the captain’s armband as the midfield anchor-man. Eden Shamir also returned to the starting line-up as the 26-year-old made his first league start since the 3-2 derby victory on February 12th. Gabi Kanichowsky, who made his debut appearance for Israel, faced his former club aiming to add to the 3 league goals he scored this season. Injuries to Eyal Golasa and Dan Biton forced Krstajic to make further changes as Avi Rikan stepped into the midfield to make his first league start since the 3-1 victory over Hapoel Jerusalem on January 15th. Tal Ben Chaim who was deputised to a more defensive position before the international break, returned to the attack alongside Djordje Jovanovic while Stipe Perica dropped to the bench.

First Half

Prior to kick-off a minute of applause was observed in memory of the 11 victims murdered last week by terrorist attacks across Israel. The match began with plenty of aggression and at high tempo as tackles were flying thick and fast right from the off. A shoulder barge by Gabi Kanichowsky on Parfait Guigon which shook the on-loan Ivorian winger off the ball eight minutes from the start was a sign that no one intends to shy away from the battle at stake.

While Netanya enjoyed the majority of possession in the opening stages, Maccabi reached a great chance to break the deadlock in the 17th minute. Djordje Jovanovic won the ball inside the centre circle and released Avi Rikan for a counter attack down the right flank before his cut-back which reached Ben Chaim was miscued by the veteran winger. Jovanovic latched on the loose ball but the Serbian striker somehow missed the target when it seemed easier to score. In the 22nd minute however, Raz Shlomo was the first player to be booked by referee Yigal Frid for stopping a Maccabi counter attack by pulling down Rikan on the edge of the area. The veteran midfielder dusted himself up and curled a powerful low free kick that beat Amos and put Maccabi in front for his first league goal of the season.

Just like in the previous two matches against Netanya the hosts’ never-say-die attitude saw them come close as Boris Enow rattled Daniel Peretz’s crossbar with a fierce drive on 29. Ben Chaim wasted a chance seconds later at the opposite end as his shot struck the side netting. Within a minute Maccabi had the ball in the back of the net after Ben Chaim floated a pinpoint cross to Jovanovic who sent a looping header over Amos. The celebrations Jovanovic were short-lived as VAR ruled that Ben Chaim was offside and the goal was disallowed. The action continued in the 34th minute as Ben Chaim managed to take the ball around Amos and score, but once again the goal was disallowed for offside as Maccabi’s goal lead, rather than two or three, remained fragile.

In the 43^rd minute, Shahar Piven was booked for a foul on Guigon just inside Maccabi’s half. Omri Gendeleman ghosted at the far post to meet the free kick that eluded Maccabi’s defence but the Israeli Under 21 international sent his header across the face of Peretz’s goal and wide of the target.

Second Half

Mladen Krastajic made a change at the interval as Piven who experienced a torrid half by Guigon was replaced by Andre Geraldes at right-back for the restart. In the 53rd minute however, Netanya were back on level terms as Patrick Tumasi flicked the ball to Hen Ezra who slid it to Aviv Avraham before Netanya’s captain raced clear through and slotted his shot past the advancing Peretz to make it 1-1.

Right on the hour mark, Krstajic reacted with a double substitution as Eden Shamir and Rikan bowed out and were replaced by Brandley Kuwas and Stipe Perica. Peretz, who was forced to a couple of saves earlier in the second half, pulled a stunning save to deny Ezra whose dangerous shot was making its’ way into the top corner on 64.

Netanya continued to look dangerous as Guigon flashed a half-volley from the edge of the area in the 66th minute that crept wide of Peretz’s post. Three minutes later, an injury Ben Chaim picked saw him limp-off and replaced by Eylon Almog.

Dan Glazer and Kanichowsky combined well with Perica in the 72nd minute only for the tall Croat to send his shot wide. Kuwas tried his luck with a long range free kick in the 75th minute but while the effort of the Curaçao international wasn’t short of power, it lacked accuracy. Krstajic made his fifth and final change in the 82nd minute as Sheran Yeini replaced the tired Jovanovic for the closing stages of the game.
Frid’s full-time whistle ensured the points were shared as Maccabi failed to beat Netanya for the third time this season thus recording their second draw in succession. Maccabi narrowed the gap from Hapoel Be’ersheva to three points and seven from leaders Maccabi Haifa. But as the two leaders face each other on Monday – the point gained is rather a missed chance that has all but put to bed any championship aspirations.