Pre Match

After a two week international break Maccabi Tel Aviv returned to league action for the sixth league round away to Maccabi Netanya.

Maccabi’s coach Patrick van Leeuwen made three changes from the side that beat Hapoel Jerusalem bore the international break with Enric Saborit returning to the left side of defence at the expense of Ofir Davidzada. Sheran Yeini and Luis Hernandez lined-up as the two central defenders in front of Daniel Peretz with Andre Geraldes completing the back-four at right-back.

Dan Glazer and Eden Shamir were the two anchormen in the engine room, with Dan Biton returning to the side at the top of the midfield trio. Gabi Kanichowsky made his first appearance against his former club with Brandley Kuwas assigned to the opposite wing as Stipe Perica led the line upfront.

First Half

An electric atmosphere welcomed both sets of players at the Netanya stadium as the hosts who recently appointed Benny Lam as coach turned up in numbers while Maccabi’s fans filled the entire East stand Upper. A minute from the start Netanya’s Igor Zlatanovic exploited a mistake in Maccabi’s defense to latch on the lose ball and blast it wide over the goal.

At the opposite end Dan Biton broke into the Netanya box two minutes later but his shot hit the side netting. In the 9th minute however the deadlock was broken as Brandley Kuwas spotted Andre Gerlades’ overlap run before the Portugeuse full-back sent a cross which deflected off a defender’s boot allowing Stipe Perica to tuck the ball home.

Maccabi came close to double the lead in an almost carbon copy move this time with Enric Saborit at the end of Geraldes’ cross only for the Spaniard to miss the target. Perica managed to get the ball in the back of the net for the second time in the 15th minute after Eden Shamir carved Netanya’s defense with a clever through ball. But the Croat’s celebrations were shortlived as the goal was ruled out for offside. Raz Shlomo became the first player to enter the referee’s book for a foul on Perica on the edge of the area, as Biton wasted the chance by sending the free kick wide of the target.

Dany Amos kept Netanya in the game of 26 as he sent a strong arm to deny Kuwas who was released into the area by Gabi Kanichowsky. Four minutes after the half hour mark and against the run of play Netanya were back on level terms as Boris Enow beat Daniel Peretz with a powerful low drive that crept into the bottom corner from the edge of the area. Three minutes later, Maccabi were back infront as Kanichowsky sent a cross into the path of Perica who headed home from close range to make it 2-1.

Second Half

Van Leeuwen made two changes after the break as Eyal Golasa and Eduardo Guerrero replaced both Biton and Kuwas for the restart while Netanya sent in Yaniv Mizrahi and Omri Gandelman.

Three minutes after being introduced, Golasa could have increased Maccabi’s lead as a counter attack which he began with Kanichowsky resulted with a pinpoint cross by the diminutive winger that Golasa volleyed into the hands of Amos.

In the 53rd minute Mizrahi managed at the opposite end to beat Peretz but the goal was ruled out for offside. A minute after the hour mark Mizrahi scored a spectacular overhead kick to level the score and within three minutes Parfait Guigaon slotted home to complete Netanya’s comeback and make it 3-2. 

Van Leeuwen made another double change as Osama Khalaila and Ofir Davidzada came in for Perica and Shamir in the 73rd minute.

In the 77th minute however, Netanya were awarded a penalty and Maccabi were reduced to 10 men after Luis Hernandes prevented Mizrahi from reaching the ball inside the area. Igor Zlatanovic successfully converted the spot kick to make it 4-2 shortly before Idan Nachmias replaced Kanichowsky.

Inside injury time Khaliala was brought down by Shlomo who was sent off for a second bookable offense and Guerrero fired the free kick against the wall as it was clearly not Maccabi’s night.