2021/22 Playoff fixtures:

MD 27:

19.3.22 Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Bnei Sakhnin (Bloomfield, 15:00).

19.3.22 Hapoel Be’ersheva vs Maccabi Netanya (Turner, 19:00).

19.3.22 Maccabi Haifa vs Hapoel Tel Aviv (Sammy Ofer, 20:00).

MD 28:

2.4.22 Hapoel Tel Aviv vs Bnei Sakhnin (Bloomfield, 20:00).

2.4.22 Maccabi Netanya vs Maccabi Tel Aviv (Netanya, 20:00).

4.4.22 Maccabi Haifa vs Hapoel Be’ersheva (Sammy Ofer, 20:30).

MD 29:

10.4.22 Bnei Sakhnin vs Maccabi Netanya (Doha, 20:00).

10.4.22 Hapoel Be’ersheva vs Hapoel Tel Aviv (Turner, 20:15).

11.4.22 Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Maccabi Haifa (Bloomfield, 20:30).

MD 30:

16.4.22 Maccabi Haifa vs Bnei Sakhnin (Sammy Ofer, 20:00).

17..4.22 Hapoel Be’ersheva vs Maccabi Tel Aviv (Turner, 20:30).

18.4.22 Hapoel Tel Aviv vs Maccabi Netanya (Bloomfield, 20:00).

State Cup Semi Final:

20.4.22 Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Hapoel Be’ersheva (Bloomfield, 20:30)

MD 31:

23.4.22 Maccabi Netanya vs Maccabi Haifa (Netanya, 17:30).

24.4.22 Bnei Sakhnin vs Hapoel Be’ersheva (Doha, 20:15).

25.4.22 Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Hapoel Tel Aviv (Bloomfield, 20:30).

MD 32: (April 30th – May 2nd)

Hapoel Tel Aviv vs Maccabi Haifa (Bloomfield).

Maccabi Netanya vs Hapoel Be’ersheva (Netanya)

Bnei Sakhnin vs Maccabi Tel Aviv (Doha).

MD 33: (May 7th – 9th)

Bnei Sakhnin vs Hapoel Tel Aviv (Doha)

Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Maccabi Netanya (Bloomfield).

Hapoel Be’ersheva vs Maccabi Haifa (Turner).

MD 34: (May 10th – 12th).

Hapoel Tel Aviv vs Hapoel Be’ersheva (Bloomfield).

Maccabi Haifa vs Maccabi Tel Aviv (Sammy Ofer).

Maccabi Netanya vs Bnei Sakhnin (Netanya).

MD 35: (May 14th – 16th)

Maccabi Netanya vs Hapoel Tel Aviv (Netanya).

Bnei Sakhnin vs Maccabi Haifa (Doha).

Maccabi Tel Aviv vs Hapoel Be’ersheva (Bloomfield).

MD 36: (May 21st – 23rd)

Hapoel Tel Aviv vs Maccabi Tel Aviv (Bloomfield).

Hapoel Be’ersheva vs Bnei Sakhnin (Turner).

Maccabi Haifa vs Maccabi Netanya (Sammy Ofer).

Shortly before the Playoff kicks-off Maccabi  recorded the seventh successive league victory on Saturday. Goals from Djordje Jovanovic and Stipe Perica awarded Maccabi a 2-0 win over Hapoel Hadera at a match which ended the regular league season. The following day we had a look at what the numbers have to say.

Champions of the round

At the end of a 13 match round Maccabi collected 32 points from a possible 39.

In all six of the previous round (Since the 2016/17), Maccabi are the league’s second round champions.

Since returning to the top-flight back in the 2018/19 season, Maccabi has a 93% success rate against Hadera having recorded 9 victories and a draw.

This is the highest success rate Maccabi has against each one of the 12 opponents that faced us in the league over the past four seasons for more than five matches. Maccabi’s goal tally in those matches stands on 21-1.

Jovanovic’s start

Djordje Jovanovic continued his impressive goal scoring spree and became the 3^rd player in the league’s history and the first foreign player ever to score in fice of his first league matches.

Our 23-year-old Serbian striker bagged six goals in six matches (A brace against Nof Hagalil and none against Hapoel Haifa).

Over the past 60 years only Serghei Clescenco scored more goals than Jovanovic in his first six matches (7 goals for Maccabi Haifa during the 1999/00 season).

The partnership with Perica

Djordje Jovanovic’s striking-partner Stipe Perica is also in good form having scored his 11^th league goal of the season.

Throughout history only six Maccabi players scored more than 10 goals in their first season: Andrzej Kubica (21), Vidar Kjartansson (19), Eliran Atar (18), Uri Malmilian (16), Yannick Kamanan (12), Mickey Ben Shitrit (11).

Perica scored 7 goals in his first 20 matches (before the arrival of Jovanovic) and 4 more goals in the 6 matches since the Serb joined.

 

Following the 2-0 victory over Hapoel Hadera that saw Maccabi climb to second in the table, Tal Ben Chaim, said: “It is not just out seventh league victory in succession, but besides our draw against Maccabi Netanya where we didn’t look that good, we have had a good second round and showed some good form with quite a few victories. One can say that we are in a positive momentum. Everyone is working for the same cause and pulling in the same direction. The victory is above every individual. No one is focused on himself and I am delighted that we beat a team that caused everyone a lot of trouble this season”.

The 32-year old also spoke about Maccabi’s point ratio in the second league round and added: “We had a poor start to the season but now we are enjoying every moment we are repaying our fans and make them happy by winning games. We are not dealing with a momentum but only focusing on the forthcoming match. We’d like to work hard in training, come prepare for every match and keep-on collecting points”.

Preview

Maccabi Tel Aviv arrived at Netanya for the match against Hapoel Hadera on the final day of the regular season in a bid to put pressure and edge closer to second place Hapoel Be’ersheva and leaders Maccabi Haifa. With the order of the Playoff determined at the end of this round, another victory for Mladen Krstajic’s side would not only extend their run to seven victories in succession, but also see them leapfrog Be’ersheva into second place at least until Sunday’s league match away to Nof Hagalil.

Krstajic made two changes from the side which beat Beitar Jerusalem as Idan Nachmias, Enric Saborit and Matan Baltaxa lined-up as the three central defenders in front of goalkeeper Daniel Peretz. Tal Ben Chaim and Ofir Davidzada were assigned to the wing-back roles on the right and left respectively as Krstajic decided to add more width to Maccabi’s game. Dan Glazer led the team out wearing the captain’s armband with Gabi Kanichowsky and Dan Biton sharing the midfield duties. Upfront, Krstajic kept his Balkan-duo Djordje Jovanovic and Stipe Perica as the partnership of the Serb and the Croat continued to spearhead Maccabi’s attack.

Josue Sa, returned to the squad after recovering from the muscle injury which side-lined him since the Conference League return leg against PSV Eindhoven. The Portuguese central defender, joined Matan Hozez, Bradnley Kuwas, Eden Shamir, Sheran Yeini, Avi Rikan, Eyal Golasa, and Eylon Almog all waiting for their chance to make an impact.

First Half

7000 Maccabi fans arrived at Netanya filling-up the entire East stand thus giving the team the same support they had for three years of histing matches at this venue. The fixture supplied a family derby in midfield between Dan Glazer and his young brother Tamir who is currently on loan at Hadera.

Maccabi created the first chance seven minutes from the start but Stipe Perica was caught offside. In the 18th minute, a Tal Ben Chaim cross found Dan Biton before his attempt of a shot fell to Perica who flicked the ball past Adi Tabechnik. But the Croat’s celebrations were short-lived as referee Idan Leiba ruled the goal for offside.

In the 27th minute Menashe Zalka ghosted behind Maccabi’s defence and received a ball in a glorious position to score. But Daniel Peretz pulled a spectacular double save to deny the Hadera captain as well as the rebound of Shoval Gozlan.

Three minutes after the half-hour mark the deadlock was finally broken. Gabi Kanichowsky released Perica who cut into the area and had his initial shot was saved by Adi Tabechnik before Jovanovic pounced on the rebound and with the goal at his mercy fired home the opener.
Maccabi doubled their lead three minutes later as Idan Nachmias sent a long ball over Hadera’s defence into the path of Jovanovic. The 23-year-old Serbian forward who had just scored his sixth league goal, turned provider as he chipped the ball for Perica who skipped past a defender and fired-in a low drive for Maccabi’s second.

Maccabi should have scored a third on 41 as an Ofir Davidzada pinpoint cross left him with what seemed like an easy tap-in. But Jovanovic miscued his shot which somehow managed to clear the crossbar. In the last move of the first half Biton sent a left foot shot which crept to the wrong side of Tabechnik’s post.

Second Half

While Mladen Krstajic made no changes to Maccabi’s line-up, his counterpart, Menachem Koretzki introduced Ron Unger for Dia Lababidi at the restart. A spectacular team effort that involved no less than six players in the 51st minute resulted with a Ben Chaim perfect square ball that Perica failed to connect onto.

Hadera came close on 64 as Unger crossed from the right and Shoval Gozlan was allowed a free header that sailed wide of Peretz’s post. In the 72nd minute Enric Saborit sent Jovanovic into the area but the young striker flashed across the face of Tabechnik’s goal. Seconds later, Krstajic made his first change as he introduced both Avi Rikan and Sheran Yeini for Biton and Davidzada.

Krstajic made another double substitution as Perica and Ben Chaim bowed-out to a standing ovation and were replaced by Matan Hozez and Brandley Kuwas on 83. Eyal Golasa replaced Kanichowsky in the 86th minute as Krstajic made his fifth and final change. Inside injury time, Rikan had a chance to get his name on the scoresheet but the veteran midfielder hooked his effort wide of the post.

Maccabi ended the regular season on a high with 53 points as they begin the Playoff next weekend with a home match either against Bnei Sakhnin or Maccabi Netanya.

The 24-year-old central defender said: “We are on the back of 6 victories in succession which shows the journey we are doing” Nachmias said, “In every game we give a 100%, playing good football and scoring goals. We are making progress from game to game as we want to come to every game, win and move on”.

On the belief of achieving things this season: “Faith was always there, everyone had faith. There is something in winning matches that bonds the team and unites everyone, in every team and every sport. the fact we managed to build a run of successive victories bonded and united us all, which helped us a lot”.

On the support the team received from the fans in recent matches, Nachmias added: “One could clearly see it in the tribunes with the big numbers. The push we get from them is just amazing. We had an amazing atmosphere in the last home game against Beitar and the previous one against PSV Eindhoven. This is something I never experienced before, it gives us a push and elevates us to the sky”.