Preview:

Maccabi arrived at the Yud Alef stadium ahead of the MD11 WINNER League match against Ashdod SC on the back of Thursday’s 6-0 defeat to Olympique Lyon in the Europa League. In the absence of Zarko Lazetic and his coaching staff, Youth Team coach Dan Roman took charge of the team for the match assisted by Avi Rikan and veteran goalkeeping coach Shura Ubarov. Several changes were made to the starting line up with Ofek Melika making his debut league appearance in goal. Itay Ben Hemo made his Maccabi debut at the heart of defense as he partnered Heitor dos Santos as the two central defenders. Noam Ben Harush made his debut league start on the left while Tyrese Asante completed Maccabi’s defensive line on the right.

Ben Lederman made his debut league start at the heart of midfield as he was partnered in Maccabi’s engine room alongside Itamar Noy. Dor Peretz led the team out wearing the captain’s armband as the 30-year-old will try lead the team back to winning ways following the 6-2 defeat to Beitar Jerusalem in the previous round. Osher Davida and Helio Varela supplied the width to Maccabi’s formation while Ion Nicolaescu made his first league start since the 2-1 victory over Hapoel Jerusalem on September 20th.

Ali Camara and Kristijan Belic returned to the squad after recovering from their respective rib and hamstring injuries. Camara and Belic joined goalkeeper Yoav Gerafi, Avishay Cohen, Kervin Andrade, Sagiv Jehezkel, Elad Madmon, Saied Abu Farchi and Ido Shahar.

First Half:

After seven minutes of a relatively even start to the game, Maccabi created their first chance to score as Heitor dos Santos picked Helio Varela with a pinpoint pass down the left. The Cape Verde international winger chested the ball down before squaring to Dor Peretz whose shot was deflected out for a corner. A well drill set piece saw Itamar Noy whip in the cross, which was flicked by dos Santos into the path of Peretz whose header bounced wide of the post.

Three minutes later Ofek Melika was drawn into the action as the young keeper was at full stretch to push Eugene Ansah’s dipping shot over the crossbar. The Maccabi young custodian was quick to react in the 17th minute to dive and collect another shot which was fired on target by an Ashdod player.

In the 40th minute and against the run of play Ashdod took the lead after a Roei Gordana free kick caught Maccabi’s defense flat before Jean Batoum managed to flick the ball which rolled into the bottom corner.

Second half:

As Maccabi were trailing by a goal at halftime, Dan Roman made a double substation after the break as Kristijan Belic and Kervin Andrade replaced Ben Lederman and Itamar Noy at the restart.

Three minutes later Osher Davida charged down the right and centered for Peretz who swept the ball home. But the referee assistant raised his flag for an offside against Davida as the equaliser was scratched off. The introduction of Belic gave Maccabi’s game a much the lift it needed yet the Serbian midfielder was cautioned in the 52nd  minute for a foul on Ansah.

Six minutes after the hour mark Roman made another double substitution as Varela and Ion Nicolaescu both came off and were replaced by Ido Shahar and Saied Abu Farchi with Andrade shifting to the wing. The diminutive Venezuelan received a new lifeline as within a minute he cut inside from the left and rifled a shot which was caught by Karol Niemczycki. Two minutes later Andrade picked Abu Farchi with a pinpoint cross before the 19-year-old rose high above Ashdod’s defense yet guided his header agonisingly wide.

In the 75th minute Maccabi were handed a free inside the Ashdod penalty box after Niemczycki dropped the ball and picked it up again. Davida teed up Shahar who blasted a right foot thunderbolt into the top corner to level the score and send the 2000 travelling fans in the air. Shahar almost turned provider within a couple of minutes as his cross was headed by Dos Santos wide of the post. Andrade struck the side netting and Belic rifled a shot from outside the area which narrowly missed the top corner before Sagiv Jehezkel replaced Davida. 

While Maccabi tried desperately to score, the hosts took a late in the 90th minute as a Ibrahim Diakite header came off the post, struck Melika who couldn’t keep it from rolling in to give Ashdod a 2-1 lead. Maccabi didn’t let their heads drop and pushed forward in a bit to level the score. Deep inside injury time, the two substitutes combined as a ball into the path of Jehezkel saw the winger take it first time and square it across the face of goal. Abu Farchi who so far scored in the Toto Cup and Europa League, wouldnt miss a chance from point blank range to score his debut league goal and settle the score at 2-2.

At the end of the match, Maccabi’s team captain, Dor Peretz, who couldn’t have picked a worse night to equal Sheran Yeini’s appearance club record in European competitions shared his feelings following the Europa League defeat to Lyon: “Conceding six goals to a team of such a high level is something that is difficult for me to process. It doesn’t matter who we would have played, especially after the last match before the international break. It is hard to absorb.”

Peretz who reflected on the 6-2 league defeat to Beitar Jerusalem, explained: “I think that against Beitar, our main conclusion was that even against better teams that are in better momentum, we come in aggressively and come to do our job, and that was the basis for every match.” he continued: “We will face Ashdod on Sunday, and that is also the foundation for such a match. We did not bring that today, and that is my biggest disappointment. Our foundation was not there today nor against Beitar. It is disappointing.”

When asked about conceding two sets of six goals in two successive matches, Peretz said: “We’re frustrated; we want to learn how we can improve and correct things. I think that these upsetting feelings are the ones that can produce something positive, and I hope we draw the right conclusions, as players and as a staff. If not, we will be in trouble and carry this with us.”

Peretz then spoke about what comes next: “We do our homework the way it should be done. As the team captain, we must do our very best, to show up with the fundamentals that football requires, aggressiveness, willingness, and determination. When the fundamentals are there, I am the first to take responsibility and admit that we were not there. But today it was simply the absence of basic elements, something that is unacceptable, neither for me nor for us as players.”

To conclude, Peretz spoke about the fans who attended the match: “I am sorry that this is the experience we gave them today. I dreamed of giving both the fans at home and the fans who came today a wonderful experience, some kind of uplifting feeling after the bitter taste we were left with before the break. Let’s do it on Sunday.”

Preview:
Maccabi returned to the TSC Arena in Backa Topola for the MD5 Europa League home match against French side Olympique Lyon.
With his side still seeking their first victory in the league phase, Maccabi’s Head Coach Zarko Lazetic made several changes from the side that suffered a 6-2 league defeat to Beitar Jerusalem.

Roi Mishpati who was sent off against Beitar and will serve his one-match touchline-ban at Ashdod on Sunday, kept his place in goal. With Ali Camara still recovering from the rib injury he suffered during the last Europa League 2-0 defeat away to Aston Villa, Lazetic named Raz Shlomo and Heitor dos Santos as the two central defenders. Tyrese Asante on the right and Roy Revivo on the left completed Maccabi’s defensive line aiming to contain the French side.

Ben Lederman was named in the anchorman role with Ido Shahar partnering him in the midfield engine room. Dor Peretz led the team out with the captain’s armband in a more attacking role at the top of the midfield trio. The 30-year-old skipper making his 84th appearance in European competitions for Maccabi equaled the appearance record of Sheran Yeini.

Osher Davida and Helio Varela supplied the width to Maccabi’s formation with Saied Abu Farchi who scored in this stadium against Dinamo Zagreb, leading the attack. On the bench Lazetic named goalkeepers Yoav Gerafi and Ofek Melika as well as Kervin Andrade, Sagiv Jehezkel, Kristijan Belic, Elad Madmon, Noam Ben Harosh, Issouf Sissokho, Itamar Noy, Itai Ben Hemo, Ilai Ben Simon and Ion Nicolaescu.

First Half:
Maccabi couldn’t have wished for a worse start as they suffered an early blow with Lyon taking the lead inside the opening five minutes. Corentine Toliso broke into the box from the right and fired a shot across goal which was initially saved by Roi Mishpati before the ball reached Abner Vinicius who tapped into the net from point blank range. Maccabi got themselves into the game as Dor Peretz fired a shot which narrowly missed the target in the 13th minute. Martin Satriano rose high above Maccabi’s to head a cross in the 15th minute which sailed wide before a Ben Lederman perfectly timed tackle managed to prevent a Lyon player from breaking into the box and facing Mishpati. Mathys De Carvalho blasted a shot wide on 15 while Tolisso came close to double Lyon’s lead from close range in the 21st minute as the visitors’ qualities were evident for all to see.

In the 25th minute Maccabi’s defense struggled to clear the danger before a Vinicius delicate chip managed to loop over Mishpati allowing Tolisso to flick with his head at the far post and double the score. Osher Davida was booked by Estonian referee Kristo Tohver for a foul on De Carvalho in the 27th minute before Lazetic was forced to make his first change as Helio Varela limped off and replaced by Sagiv Jehezkel.

Three minutes after the half hour Tohver awarded Lyin a penalty as Roy Revivo was judged to have fouled Pavel Sulc. Jehezkel was booked for dissent before Moussa Niakhate stepped up, sent Mishpati the wrong way to give Lyon a 3-0 lead.

In the 40th minute a Maccabi attack saw Ido Shahar slip the ball to Peretz who blasted a shot which sailed high over the crossbar.

Three minutes later Davida burst into the Lyon box and as he cut into the middle trying to get a shot on target, frustratingly saw it blocked by Peretz before it could reach the goal.

Second Half:
Lazetic made one change after the interval adding a fresh pair of legs into the midfield as Itamar Noy replaced Lederman at the restart.

Four minutes later Lyon scored the fourth as Sulc turned provider with a delicate cross which was met by Tolisso’s powerful header that beat Mishpati. Toliso completed his hattrick in the 54th minute as he swept the ball home past Mishpati for Lyon’s fifth. Lazetic made a double change as Noam Ben Harosh replaced Revivo while Ion Nicolaescu came on for Davida.

Two minutes after the hour mark two of Lyon’s substitutes combined for the sixth as Khalis Merah floated a cross to the far post where Adam Karabec chested it down and beat Mishpati with an accurate volley.

Maccabi came close on 64 as Nicolaescu squared to Peretz whose right foot shot beat goalkeeper Remy Descamps but shaved the top of the crossbar. Noy was booked in the 69th minute for a foul on De Carvalho inside the center circle.

Lazetic made his fifth and final change as Peretz was replaced by Kervin Andrade in the 74th minute.

Inside injury time Jehezkel was sent off for two bookable offences to round off a miserable night overall. The full time whistle ended the contest as attention now turns to Sunday’s league match away to Ashdod.

Yellow Friday is here. The yellow tradition continues as Maccabi Tel Aviv once again participates this year in the biggest shopping event in the world, with I-N-S-A-N-E deals.

Our hot SALE includes hundreds of different Yellow-and-Blue products waiting for you at better-than-ever attractive prices between November 27th and November 30th.

The sale takes place on the official online store and, of course, at the club’s flagship store at Bloomfield Stadium as well.

The surprise of the year: Mystery MatchWorn!

Yellow Friday 2025 brings you the opportunity to touch history with surprising Maccabi shirts!

An original match shirt (Match Worn / Match Issue) prepared specifically for the team’s players for League and European matches in previous seasons, at a single, one-time price of only NIS 399!

Oscar Gloukh? Eran Zahavi? Sheran Yeini? Or perhaps Avi Strul or Aaron Schoenfeld? You won’t know whose jersey it is until you open the parcel, and that’s the magic! The product is sold completely at random, comes with an official certificate of authenticity, and stock is limited. If you wait, you will miss out!

YELLOW FRIDAY discounts

• Up to 80% off a variety of products on the website

• Daily Flash Sale offers at insane prices until midnight, worth following!

• 10% off the 25/26 winter collection by Maccabi and PUMA

• Product categories priced at up to NIS 10, NIS 59, NIS 99, and NIS 199.

• Up to 80% off the retro collection

• Special discounts on the 25/26 training collection

• Accessories and gifts at unmissable prices

• Free deliveries on orders over NIS 249.

• And of course, as always, expect more surprises!

Please note that product stock is limited, and items cannot be ordered once stock runs out.

Purchases may be made via PayPal or credit card.

In addition, self-pickup is available at the club stores at Bloomfield Stadium and Kiryat Shalom. Click here for store opening hours.

Please note: As previously announced, the FOREVER gift voucher is not included as a payment option during the promotion period.

For Frequently Asked Questions about Yellow Friday, click here.

Watch Lazetic speak

 

Watch Heitor dos Santos

Maccabi continues its journey in the Europa League as traveled to Belgrade today (Wednesday) in preparation for the home match against Olympique Lyon as part of the EUROPA League phase MD5.

Earlier this morning, the team held its final training session at Kiryat Shalom training complex before heading for Ben Gurion Airport. This evening, Maccabi will hold the pre-match Press Conference ahead of the match at the TSC Arena.

Maccabi will aim to add to the point collected after the 0-0 draw on MD1 away to PAOK in Thessaloniki, which was followed by three defeats to Dinamo Zagreb, FC Midtjylland, and Aston Villa. Olympic Lyon, on the other hand, began their EUROPA League phase campaign with three victories: 1–0 away to Utrecht, 2–0 at home over Red Bull Salzburg, and 2–0 at home over FC Basel. on MD4 Lyon suffered a 2–0 defeat to the Spanish club, Real Betis.

Denny Gropper sustained a knee injury during training and, following an evaluation by the club’s medical staff, it has been confirmed that he has suffered a tear to the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL). Gropper will undergo surgery in the near future and will then begin his rehabilitation process within the club. Everyone at the club wishes him a smooth procedure and a speedy, successful return to full fitness.