The 25-year-old midfielder, added: “Maccabi Tel Aviv should not look like that. As someone who grew up at this club I find it difficult, we all do, but we must all work hard and believe” Glazer added. “We hope that on Saturday we will already do it. Especially at times like this we must stick together and remain united. We are all good friends both on the pitch and off it, so as of tomorrow we will work as hard as we possibly can in order to change the situation. I understand the fans who express their disappointed – we are also very disappointed”.
Category: News
Van Leeuwen gives his verdict on the game against Ashdod
MACCABI SUFFER A 2-0 DEFEAT TO ASHDOD
Pre Match
Maccabi returned to Bloomfield stadium for the seventh league round against Ashdod in a bid to bounce back from the defeat to Maccabi Netanya and with an aim to build on the 5-0 Conference League victory over HJK Helsinki. Maccabi’s coach Patrick van Leeuwen made three changes from the side that won in Finland, two of which to his defensive line. Idan Nachmias returned to the heart of defence replacing Luis Hernandez who was serving a one match touchline ban while Ofir Davidzada was named at left-back as Enric Saborit dropped to the bench. Sheran Yeini partnered Nachmias right in front of Daniel Peretz with Andre Geraldes completing the back-four on the right .
Dan Glazer, Eden Shamir and Eyal Golasa were named as the three midfield trio, while the front-line remained unchanged as Stipe Perica led the attack with Brandley Kuwas and Gabi Kanichowsky in the supporting roles on both wings.
First Half
In the opening minutes of the game and against Ashdod’s five-man defence, Maccabi struggled to carve an opening. In the 13th minute Brandley Kuwas exchanged passes with Andre Geraldes down the right flank before the Curaçao International cut inside and rifled a shot that narrowly cleared the crossbar. Seven minutes later Maccabi were reduced to 10 men as Sheran Yeini was shown the red card by referee Daniel Bar Natan following the intervention of VAR.
Stipe Perica’s for a penalty were waved by Bar Natan in the 24th minute after the tall Croatian striker’s solo effort saw him brought down by an Ashdod defender inside the area. In the 28th minute, the visitors exploited their numerical advantage as Naor Sabag charged through the middle before curling a right foot shot that crept into Daniel Peretz’s bottom corner to put Ashdod in front. Trailing by a goal, and with a man short, Van Leeuwen was forced to make a change as he sent-in Shahar Piven for Eden Shamir right on the half hour mark.
Eyal Golasa came close on 42 as his left foot shot from the edge of the area was pushed out for a corner by Ashdod’s keeper Yoav Gerafi. On the stroke of halftime Kuwas was fouled close to the area, but his attempt of a free kick was deflected by an Ashdod player standing in the wall, for another corner that Maccabi couldn’t convert.
Second Half
After the interval Maccabi tried desperately to equalise as Ofir Davidzada, Kanichowsky and Golasa worked tirelessly but couldn’t seem to reach any dangerous chance. In the 72nd minute Kanichowsky was fouled deep inside Ashdod’s half before Kuwas curled his free kick which forced Gerafi to a fingertip save. This was Kuwas’ last contribution on the night as he was replaced shortly after together with Nachmias by Matan Baltaxa and Eduardo Guerrero. In the 83rd minute, Ashdod doubled their lead in the as Muhammad Kna’an charged through the middle before releasing Or Inbrum who beat Peretz from close range to add further misery. Osama Khalaila and Ido Shahar replaced both Golasa and Glazer for the closing stages before Kanichowsky fired against Ashdod’s side netting.
In the last minute of injury time Perica came close to score a consolation goal but his powerful shot rattled the crossbar to sum up a miserable night overall.
The extra ordinary statistics against Ashdod
Throughout history Maccabi and Ashdod met 80 times in all competitions. Maccabi won 47 matches, 17 matches were drawn and Ashdod won 16 with the goal tally currently on 152-74.
This is the third time both teams meet in the seventh league round. In 2019/20 Maccabi won 1-0 thanks to a Chicco Ofoedu goal while in the 2002/03 season Tal Banin scored the only goal of the game.
In the 65 league meetings between the two sides Maccabi won 40 while 14 others were drawn.
The 68.7% success rate against Ashdod is the highest amongst the 15 opponents that faced Maccabi in 50 league matches or more.
A 78/9% success rate was achieved in the 30 matches Maccabi hosted Ashdod in the league – the highest in comparison to the other 15 visiting teams who played Maccabi 25 matches or more.
Maccabi unbeaten home run against Ashdod currently stands on 19 matches (since January 2006). This is Maccabi’s second longest run, one game short of the club’s current record against Bnei Sachnin – 20 matches since March 2005.
The highest victory over Ashdod (7-1) was recorded in the 1998/99 season with goals from Ben Luz (2), Nir Klinger, Efi Tzafrir, Haim Hajaj, Guy Zarfati and Alec Nilash.
Avi Nimni is Maccabi’s leading goal-scorer against with 7 goals.
Maccabi scored 118 league goals against Ashdod, 100 of which from inside the area which amounts to 85%. The is the highest ratio of goals Maccabi has against the 18 opponents who conceded 50 or more league goals.
Liran Strauber is Maccabi’s appearance record holder against Ashdod with 23. Sheran Yeini made 22 appearances against Ashdod and could equal the goalkeeper’s record in the event he plays on Monday.
Twenty years, five goals. Watch the clip ahead of Ashdod
Time travel: A 90th minute victory
‘All is personal’ with Eden Shamir
If you weren’t a Footballer, what would you be?
“If I wouldn’t have been a footballer I would probably do a different military service at a combat unit and obviously learn for an academic degree”.
Where will we find you on your free time?
“You would probably find me with my wife, mostly at home watching a movie or a TV series”.
What do you like watching on TV?
“To continue my previous answer, my wife and I love watch TV series and I don’t think there is a series left we hadn’t seen”.
Who or what makes you laugh?
“Several weeks ago I attended a stand-up comedy show with Shahar Hasson and he cracked me up. I would have added Assi Cohen to that list especially on his role in “The Parliament”.
What was the prettiest place you had even been at?
“I love the North of Israel so when I travel up North, just to see the scenery and the streams amazes me every time”.
What was your first position on the pitch?
“I started playing as an attacking midfielder and at some stage was moved back for a short while into a central defender’s role. I later returned to my natural role in midfield”.
Who is the best player you played alongside?
“During my time at Standard Liege I played alongside Mehdi Carcela- Gonzalez. He is an amazing player who previously played for Benfica Lisbon and Granada as well as other major leagues. Carcela is a phenomenal player who could have easily reached the top of Europe”.
Who is the best player you played against?
“Earlier on this season I played in a friendly match with Liege against French outfit Rennes. They had a young midfielder who has since joined Real Madrid by the name of Eduardo Camavinga. He was truly amazing”
What was your best game so far?
“Three years ago whilst at Kiryat Shmona we played against Hapoel Haifa. I scored two goals and set up one. I felt that everything I did worked to perfection”.
Watch Van Leeuwen and Nachmias prepare for Ashdod
Maccabi Tel Aviv return to league action on Monday (20:15) on the back of the 5-0 Conference League victory over HJK in Helsinki as they host Ashdod SC on MD7 at Bloomfield. Today (Sunday) Maccabi’s coach Patrik van Leeuwen and central defender Idan Nachmias spoke at the pre-match Press Conference.
“As soon as we landed in Israel we focused on the next game” Van Leeuwen said before relating to the opponent, “They are a team that wants to play football and showed it in the past against us. This is something we must pay attention to and ensure that we start the game from the first minute with the right tempo and motivation”.
Nachmias, who was an unused substitute on Thursday, related first to the feelings after the victory in Finland: “We had a good game in Europe and would like to continue the form by doing more and talking less. Everyone is hoping that we will ride a positive wave now after the performance we had away from home, which is not a result that should be taken for granted. Everyone would like to embrace it and use it to push forward”.
The central defender who joined Maccabi in the summer, added: “Ashdod is a side that likes to initiate and move the ball around. They are a quality side. We played a friendly game against them not that long ago an one could see that their results so far this season do not reflect on their real ability. We are preparing very hard for this game”.
The 24-year-old who scored twice this season at Bloomfield, summed up: “I am certain the fans will turn up and would like to see attacking, free flowing, positive, happy football like Maccabi Tel Aviv should be playing and hopefully this is what we will do”.
Former player Leon Konstantinovsky dies aged 75
Leon Konstantinovsky played at Maccabi Tel Aviv as a midfielder during the 74/75 and 75/76 seasons scoring 4 goals in 20 games in all competitions. Konstantinovsky began his playing career at Maccabi Ramat Amidar from which he joined Maccabi Tel Aviv at the age of 28 before returning to Amidar two years later.
After ending his playing career, Konstantinovsky began a successful coaching career with Maccabi Ramat Amidar, Hapoel Ramat Gan, Maccabi Yavne, Hakoah Maccabi Ramat Gan, Bnei Yehuda, Beitar Tel Aviv, Maccabi Netanya, Maccabi Petah Tikva Maccabi Jaffa and specialized mostly in guiding teams to promotion, achieving that with no less than 7 clubs during the 80’s.
