Nadav Niddam, will play this season at Ironi Kiryat Shmona after both clubs agreed a one-year-long loan deal for the 20-year-old midfielder.

Niddam, who made his debut and only appearance for Maccabi during the 2018/19 season, spent last season on loan at Beitar Tel Aviv Bat Yam. The midfielder scored 2 goals in 42 appearances in all competitions  for the second division side including qualification to the State Cup Semi Final. Niddam also has 2 goals to his name in 29 international appearances for Israel’s young national sides.

On his recent form Peretz said: “I was always prepared to take the chances I would receive. At Maccabi there is such competition for a place in the starting line-up and every space in the squad. Every single one of us gives their best. I wish Dnaiel (Tenenbaum) a speedy recovery and hope he rejoins us soon”.

Ahead of the two legged-tie against Shakhter Karagandy, the 21-year-old keeper added: “We are going to watch them, study them and prepare for the games, but as usual we always focus more on ourselves. We need to improve our finishing touch in front of goal but at the same time experienced some bad luck. Our defensive game on the other hand was good”.

Tal Ben Chaim, who just like in Slovakia was once again denied by the Trnava woodwork, said: “We didn’t have the best of luck in these two matches as we were extremely unlucky. We hit the the crossbar around 5-6 times and the post once or twice. We created a lot more chances, but we should have converted those chances, there is no doubt about it. We should have turned this game into easier ones, but we will surely work on that ahead of the forthcoming matches”.

Pregame

Maccabi Tel Aviv lined-up for the 151st European match knowing that a victory over Spartak Trnava at Bloomfield stadium, will secure qualification to the Conference League Playoffs. The Slovakian outfit, that held Maccabi to a 0-0 draw last week, arrived on the back of Monday’s 4-0 league victory over bottom of the table Liptovsky Mikulas.

Patrick van Leeuwen didn’t make any changes from the side that was held to a draw in Slovakia as Daniel Peretz kept his place in goal with Matan Baltaxa and Louis Hernandez lining-up in front of him as the two central defenders.

Andre Geraldes and Enric Saborit completed the back-four on the right and left respectively while Dan Glazer and Sheran Yeini were named as the two holding midfielders with Avi Rikan completing the midfield trio. Rikan, together with Tal Ben Chaim, made their 50th appearance for Maccabi in Europe as the 32-year-old forward was named on one side of the attack. Matan Hozez, was named on the other wing aiming to celebrate his 25th birthday with a goal. Osama Khalaila led Maccabi’s attack hoping to emulate the brace he scored against Sutjeska of Montenegro in the previous round.

First Half

Maccabi began the match on the front foot with the first threat on goal inside the opening minute but Avi Rikan’s shot after 49 seconds sailed wide. Trnava’s Milan Ristovski tried catching Daniel Peretz off-guard but his weak shot didn’t trouble Maccabi’s young keeper. In the ninth minute Trnava’s defense struggled to deal with an Enric Saborit cross which fell to Andre Graldes whose shot went high over the crossbar.

Three minutes later however, the deadlock was broken with Maccabi’s first attempt on target. Sheran Yeini, on his 67^th European appearance for Maccabi headed in a Tal Ben Chaim corner past Dominik Takac to lift the 9972 fans off their seats.

Matan Hozez who looked dangerous down the right flank, floated a cross into the area on 34 before Ben Chaim leaped above his marker only to send his header high over the crossbar. A Yeini back pass in the 40th minute caught Maccabi’s defence flat, but before a Trnava forward managed to latch onto the loose ball, Peretz charged out of his box and cleared the danger.

Shortly before the interval. Rikan tore through the middle of Trnava’s defence before unleashing a powerful left foot drive that was pushed by Takac over the crossbar. The resulting corner saw Saborit cross the ball into the danger-zone only to be headed by Louis Hernandez onto the roof of the net.

Second Half

With no changes at halftime, Trnava came out of the dressing room a little sharper as Peretz was forced to be at full stretch to pull a stunning save and keep out Ristovski’s close range header on 48.

A darting Ben Chaim run from the halfway line in the 54th minute resulted with a through ball into the path of Hozez who was let down by his finishing touch as he shot wide.

Patrick van Leeuwen made his first change on 69 when Eduardo Guerrero replaced Rikan in a bid to add more firepower. Within a minute Maccabi came close to double the score as another pinpoint Ben Chaim through the ball released Hozez who once again sent his shot to the wrong side of the post.

As his passes were not converted by his teammates, Ben Chaim decided to try and score himself but the 32-year-old winger rattled Trnava’s crossbar on 72. This was Ben Chaim’s final contribution on the night as he was replaced together with Osama Khalaila by Eylon Almog and Ofir Davidzada in the 75^th minute.

Davidzada and Guerrero combined well in the 80th minute to carve an opening but the Panamanian’s shot that beat Takac rattled the Trnava crossbar once again.

Shahar Piven and Ido Shahar replaced Yeini and Hozez on the final minute as the skipper bowed out to a standing ovation while the fourth official indicated 5 minutes of added time.

Inside injury time Maccabi could have doubled their lead as Almog, Guerrero and Shahar charged forward on a counter attack but none of them could get a shot on target. A Trnava free kick gave Maccabi a little scare but the referee’s final whistle ended the tie with a narrow victory that was enough to secure the passage to the next stage.

 

Maccabi will try qualify to the Conference League Playoffs tonight (Thursday) as they host the 3^rd qualifying round return leg at Bloomfield stadium. Patrick van Leeuwen’s charges who were held to a 0-0 draw by Spartak Trnava, will try and complete the task the began in Slovakia last week.

As Shakhter Karagandy needed a penalty shoot out to advance past Ukrainian outfit Kolos on Tuesday, Maccabi know that a victory against Trnava will see them travel to Kazakhstan next week for the first leg of the Conference League Playoffs. Due to the cancelation of the away goals rule this summer, any draw after 90 minutes or extra time would also lead to a sudden death penalty shoot-out.

Trnava, arrived in Israel on Tuesday on the back of a 4-0 victory in the league over bottom of the table Liptovsky Mikulas.    

What can the history tell us?

In eight previous encounters (including last round against Sutjeska) that Maccabi played the first of two legs away from home – the match ended  in a draw.

Since being eliminated by Grasshoppers Zurich in the 1995/96 season after a 1-1 draw in Zurich followed by a 1-0 victory for the Swiss at Bloomfield – Maccabi qualified at home in all of its’ 7 two legged ties on the back of drawing away.

In all three occasions Maccabi were held to a 0-0 away, the return to Tel Aviv was marked by victory and qualification (HJK Helsinki 2004/05, Pyunik Yerevan 2018/19, Sutjeska 2020/21).

Maccabi’s tally in 35 home matches played at Bloomfield is: 20 victories, 9 draws and 6 defeats. In 17 return legs played at Bloomfield Maccabi has an impressive record of 12 victories, 4 draws and a single defeat (Grasshoppers).

Rikan and Ben Chaim close to 50^th European appearance

Avi Rikan and Tal Be Chaim could each make their 50^th appearance for Maccabi in European competition should they feature in tonight’s match against Spartak Trnava.

From the current squad, only Sheran Yeini played more times for maccabi in Europe with 66 appearances in the various club competitions.

 

 

“Maccabi is massive and I am certain that every kid who begins to play football dreams about the moment he will wear Maccabi’s jersey and I am glad, delighted and proud. You can’t say no to Maccabi” Shamir said.

The 26-year-old, who joined on a season-long loan from Standard Liege, added: “I know what I am capable of contributing and I know exactly what I was brought here for. I am a team player, as the most important things for me are the team’s energies and success. I joined a club that needs no explaining its’ size and magnitude. I am excited and can’t wait to show that I belong and the team’s success for me is above anything else”.