The 24-year-old midfielder couldn’t hide his disappointment at the end of the defeat to the Austrians at Bloomfield. “It is really disappointing as I would have been happy to sit here and smile after the game” Kanichowsky said, “We shouldn’t have conceded a goal at such a stage which is really hard, but we already have a match on Sunday”.

Trying to explain what happened in the closing stages of the game, Kanichowsky said: “We clearly needed more leadership to kill the game as three minutes from time with the score still at 0-0 the result was in our favor – but we didn’t do it and the result speaks for itself. There is no room for excuses. We must study this and I believe that should we encounter such a situation we will not repeat our mistakes”.

On the fact the team struggles to score goals: “We did reach our chances but missed them. There are days like that as well, maybe even periods of time when the ball just doesn’t cross the line. But I am certain that if we continue like we played in the first half today, we will get good results”.

It is clear from my facial expression how I feel. Extremely disappointed”.

Speaking after the 1-0 defeat to LASK which determined that Maccabi finishes second in group 1 of the Conference League and miss out on automatic qualification to the round of 16, Barak Itzhaki said: “The first half worked exactly according to our plan, as we made spaces like we wanted, got the ball to the areas we wanted, created chances but didn’t score. In the second half, for many minutes especially in the closing stages, we were not good. We must have kept the result at 0-0 which would have given us a significant advantage, and we shouldn’t have conceded a goal at such a late moment. But we need to look forward. On Sunday we already have a game against Hapoel Haifa and we will have to be focused and return to winning ways”.

On the remainder of the competition which will see Maccabi drawn in the round of 32 against a side dropping out of the Europa League, Itzhaki said: “First let’s see who we are drawn against. We will arrive at every match in a bid to advance through. Life is never easy even against clubs that are not regarded to be big names. Something we have seen today. I think that we were a better side, a better team, but at the end of the day we lost and it is a shame. I take responsibility as I also have a part in this defeat. We shouldn’t have conceded a goal at such a moment which is a shame, but one must not forget that we also qualified to the next stage. We could have saved ourselves two games and give our players a rest. Once again, it’s a shame”.

On the difference between the two halves: “We have to analyze and understand what didn’t work in the second half. As the minutes passed by they knew they must score and attacked more. We assisted them by not playing in an organized manner during the final five minutes and instead of continuing our build-up we launched the ball forward. This is not what I wanted to see but we will have to correct that”.

Ahead of Sunday’s league match against Hapoel Haifa, Itzhaki added: “We are looking at this on a game by game basis, sadly we lost this game which is a shame. We have an opportunity on Sunday to out our European campaign aside, concentrate on the league and prepare in a good way for Hapoel Haifa. It will be a tough match against a side that had a good start to the league so we shouldn’t expect an easy ride. Not in the league or in Europe”.

On the search for a permanent coach, Itzhaki, Head of Maccabi’s football department who took charge of the team as interim coach, said: “Mitch is very committed, believe me. You can believe me that we are working very hard on finding a coach, but there are situations that occur which are not always in our control. Both Mitch, Jack and myself are working very hard in order to find a coach. It doesn’t all depend on us, but we hope to find the right coach which would take this team forward. Ideally, a coach starts working during pre-season, passing on his philosophy to the players. But we are not the first club to change a coach and will not be the last one to do so. It happens and coaches know how to arrive at such situations and settle-in quickly. We need to find the right person who will do it”.

Pre Game

With top spot in the group guaranteed for the winner of this match which will also advance to the Conference Round of 16, Maccabi Tel Aviv arrived at Bloomfield stadium for the match against LASK. Prior to kickoff, the Austrians were level on points (10) with Maccabi after the corresponding match in Klagenfurt ended in a 1-1 draw in September. While LASK that trail Maccabi in the table on goal difference, arrived in Israel on the back of a 3-3 draw in the league, Barak Itzhaki’s side return to action after a three-week long international break followed by the reseeding break.

Itzhaki made some changes from the side which was held to a 1-1 draw in the Tel Aviv derby yet kept a relatively similar formation. Enric Saborit joined Shahar Piven and Luis Hernandez as three central defenders in front of goalkeeper Daniel Peretz. Andre Geraldes on the right and Matan Hozez in an unfamiliar role as a left wing back were the two wide players in Itzhaki’s five-man midfield that saw Sheran Yeini replace the injured Dan Glazer, at the anchorman role. Eyal Golasa joined the skipper in the engine room allowing Gabi Kanichowsky a more attacking role in support of Brandley Kuwas and Croatian striker Stipe Perica who once again led the line upfront.

First Half

Shortly after kickoff as flares where lit in the stand behind Daniel Peretz’s goal and the smoke covered the pitch limiting the visibility, French referee Jerome Bristard stopped the game for three minutes allowing the smoke to clear.

Nine minutes from the start, a long Luis Hernandez ball released Matan Hozez who charge down the left flank before winning a corner. Brandley Kuwas managed to find Hozez unmarked with the resulting corner, but the diminutive winger sent his shot high over the crossbar.

Six minutes later, an Andre Geraldes telling cross from the right caught the Lask defense flat and was directed at Stipe Perica but the tall Croatian striker couldn’t connect and tap the ball home.

In the 22nd minute Lask’s striker Mamoudou Karamoko created the space deep inside Maccabi’s half before testing Daniel Peretz with a dangerous shot which was caught by the keeper.

Right on the half hour mark Maccabi reached their best chance as a counter attack which began with Eyal Golasa down the middle. Golasa skipped past two Austrian tackles and found Gabi Kanichowsky who released Geraldes before the Portugeuse full back fired his shot against the keeper.

Maccabi came close to break the deadlock in the 39th minute as Shahar Piven rose high to meet a Kanichowsky corner and direct a header that beat Shlager only to be denied by the crossbar. In the 45th minute however Maccabi seemed destined to score as Saborit carved the LASK defence open with a perfect through ball to Perica who raced clear through. But the tall Croatian striker who had only Schlagerto beat was denied by the Austrian keeper who pulled a stunning save that kept the result goalless at halftime.

Second Half

Itzhaki didn’t make any changes at the interval while his Austrian counterpart, Andreas Wieland, introduced Phillipp Wiesinger for Felix Luckeneder at the restart. Peretz managed to deny Thomas Goiginger who found himself unmarked deep inside Maccabi’s penalty area. At the opposite end Golasa wasted a chance as he opted to dribble instead of passing to Brandley Kuwas who was unmarked in the Lask penalty area.

Schlager denied a solo effort by Perica with his feet on 55 while Hozez couldn’t reach the rebound which sailed over his head. Two minutes later Sheran Yeini had the ball in the back of the net but the goal was immediately ruled out for offside. Maccabi kept on pressing forward with Geraldes tormenting the Austrians down the right and were almost rewarded in the 59th minute. But a last gasp tackle by a Lask defender prevented Golasa from converting a Geraldes cut back.

Peretz was at full stretch and pulled a stunning save to deny Keito Nakamura whose shot was pushed beyond the post on 68. A minute later in Itzhaki made a double change in the 67th minute as Ofir Davidzada came in for Hozez while Osama Khalaila replaced Perica.

Kanichowsky sent a low left foot drive wide of the post in the 79th minute and as it seemed as though Maccabi took their foot off the pedal, Itzhaki added another fresh pair of legs as Eduardo Guerrero replaced Kuwas. Nakamura sent a volley past Pertez in the 83rd minute but the Lask goal was also ruled out for offside. Eden Shamir who scored Maccabi’s late equaliser in Austria replaced Golasa in the 85th minute.

In the 89th minute however the visitors took the lead through Sascha Horvath who exploited a mistake in Maccabi’s defence before sliding the ball under Peretz to put LASK infront.