#24
Posted by Maccabi Tel Aviv FC – מועדון הכדורגל מכבי ת"א on Wednesday, July 1, 2020
Category: News
Glazer: I am delighted that all the hard work didn’t escape the eye
Maccabi players lifted the championship plate tonight (Wednesday) for the second season in succession after a 1-0 victory over Beitar Jerusalem at Bloomfield stadium. At the end of the match and the celebrations, some of the championship star players took the time to sum up Maccabi’s amazing season.
The IPFL Player of the Season, Dan Glazer, who received the trophy tonight, said: “We really wanted our fans could be with us tonight. I am certain they were delighted with us from their homes. The championship plate is also theirs, we know they were with us”.
On his personal achievement: “I always believed in myself. I never imagined it would come so quickly but I am delighted that all the hard work paid off. I never gave up, never cut corners and worked hard. I am delighted all this hard work was recognised by others, this is not something taken for granted that a holding midfielder who didn’t score a goal wins this trophy”.
Cohen: “I am always striving for more”
Yonatan Cohen, summed up the amazing season he experienced. “It is without a doubt my best season so far. When I look back I always strive to achieve more”.
On Maccabi’s strength the 24 year old forward, added : “This Maccabi is different. We arrived strong at every game, mentally strong especially after the slap in the face we received in Europe. Our defense begins upfront with the forwards as teams struggled to score against us. To concede only 8 goals is nothing short of amazing”.
On the progress he made: “I had a very nice journey, as I improved in every season and reached my conclusions. I am delighted I reached this stage in my career that I am a regular first team player and a significant one as well. My dream is to leave for Europe and make my dreams come true but now I am here celebrating a championship at Maccabi which is my home”.
Ivic: “This championship is dedicated to the fans”
Maccabi beat Beitar 1-0 in crowning match
Just like the previous two meetings with Beitar which ended in a stalemate, both teams seemed to have cancelled each other as Gianniotis at one end and Itamar Nitzan in the other – didn’t have a shot to save in the first half.
Ivic made a double substitution as Dan Glazer and Yonatan Cohen replaced Eylon Almog and Parfait Guiagon for the restart. Roni Levy on the other hand introduced Liran Rotman for Shlomi Azulai.
In the 52nd minute Ivic’s change almost paid off as Maccabi created the best chance so far when Ruslan Barsky released Ofir Davidzada down the left before the left-back sent a telling square ball which rolled across the face of goal. Cohen and Nick Blackman both slid-in to try and tuck the ball home, but with the goal at their mercy both forwards failed to connect.
Ivic made a second double substitution as Avi Rikan and Itay Schechter replaced Barsky and Blackman respectively for the final 21 minutes.
In the 74th minute the deadlock was finally broken as Glazer released Cohen with a perfectly weighed through ball, before the 24-year-old forward released a powerful left foot drive which crept into the bottom corner for his 12th goal of the season.
Two minutes later Cohen came close to double the score as he unleashed a powerful drive which Nitzan managed to get a hand to and save for a corner. Gianniotis stretched himself to keep out Freddy Plumain’s powerful header which threatened to level the score on 83.
Dor Peretz came off to a standing ovation as Eyal Golasa became the fifth Maccabi substitute on the night. Schahar Piven cleared the danger as Diogo Verdaska was allowed to direct a free header on goal.
Pregame
Having secured his second league title in succession with a 3-0 derby victory over Hapoel Tel Aviv on Saturday, Vladimir Ivic made several changes to his starting line up.
Goalkeeper Daniel Tenenbaum who didn’t miss a single minute of the 33 league rounds played so far, during which he conceded a phonomenal number of 8 goals and kept a clean sheet in 28 matches – was handed a deserved rest. Andreas Gianniotis, was given the chance by Ivic to try and keep the unbeaten league record in tact, with Omer Katz making a rare substitute appearance on the substitiutes bench.
Sheran Yeini returned to side in place of Jair Amador who dropped to the bench, as the veteran skipper lined-up alongside Schahar Piven and Eitan Tibi. Ruslan Barsky, who scored his only goal of the campaign in the 4-0 victory over Beitar at Teddy stadium, was given a rare start.
Parfait Guigon who made two late substitute appearances in the Playoffs was given his debut start while Dor Peretz completed the three-man-midfield. Upfront, Nick Blackman who opened the scoring in the derby with a successful spot kick for his debut goal this season led the line alongside Eylon Almog.
What is Maccabi’s record after securing the championship
Four days after securing the title, Maccabi Tel Aviv hosts Beitar Jerusalem for what will be the 2,100 league match of Maccabi since the State of Israel was founded.
Beitar returns to Bloomfield
This match will be the first time Maccabi hosts Beitar at Bloomfield stadium since the dramatic 3-2 victory in the 2015/16 Playoff when Eran Zahavi scored an injury time winner.
This season’s home match against Beitar in the regular season was relocated to Sammy Ofer in Haifa while during the last three seasons Maccabi hosted Beitar at the Netanya stadium.
Will the deadlock be broken?
Maccabi hasn’t conceded a goal in its’ five league meetings with Beitar, a record in matches between the two sides.
No goals were scored in the last two league matches against Beitar this season as both matches ended in 0-0 draws.
This was the 29th time in history that Maccabi ends two matches in succession against the same opponent without a goal being scored.
History reveals that Maccabi never ended 3 successive matches against the same opponent in a 0-0 draw.
The records after securing the championship?
Beitar Jerusalem’s coach Roni Levy faced Maccabi in the league 27 times – the records: 11 Maccabi victories, 9 draws and 7 victories for Roni Levy (The last one in the 2007/08 season).
This will be the first time ever that Maccabi hosts Beitar behind closed doors.
Maccabi held 29 matches after securing the league title – matches after officially being crowned as champions. The balance: 16 victories, 7 draws and 6 defeats.
Time travel: The 95/96 Championship game against Beitar
Ivic: We would like to remain winners all the way until the end
Peretz: It is exciting to be part of this championship
Watch: the bench during the title winning match
The contribution of the home grown players
After the ‘100% Maccabi’ slogan entered our lives last season, the blueprint continued this season as well as the home grown players took centre stage in Maccabi’s almost imaginary statistics under Vladimir Ivic.
A large part of the club’s success was the methodic way in which young talents were cultivated to form the backbone of the first team. A moment after securing a second successive dominant championship, we checked how influential were the players who graduated from Maccabi’s Youth Academy on this achievement.
Appearances:
A total of Twenty Four players made league appearances for Maccabi this season.
Of this list, not less than 11 players are Maccabi Youth Department graduates: Sheran Yeini, Dan Glazer, Dor Peretz, Dor Micha, Yonatan Cohen, Schahar Piven, Matan Hozez, Ruslan Barsky, Eylon Almog, and Parfait Guigan.
Omer Katz, was also part of the squad as the third choice keeper, but the talented young keeper who is also a youth department graduate didn’t register any minutes but was an unused substitute on several occasions. As with midfielder, Nadav Nidam, who stepped up to join the senior squad on for parts of the season.
Goals and Assists:
Most of the squad is home grown, but how influential are they? The answer is very.
For now, Maccabi scored 61 league goals this season in 34 matches. No less than 31 of those were scored by the home grown players, which is just short of 50% of Maccabi’ goals this season.
Yonatan Cohen is Maccabi’s top goal scorer with 11 while 7 other home grown players found the back of the net during the league campaign.
Home grown players goal chart:
Yonatan Cohen 11
Omer Atzili 8
Eylon Almog 4
Dor Micha 3
Matan Hozez 2
Schhar Piven 1
Dor Peretz 1
Ruslan Barsky 1
In addition, 43 times Maccabi players registered assists to their names, 26 of which were contributed by the home grown players (60%).
Glazer’s season:
The contribution to the team’s success is obviously measured by helping the defensive game, especially in such a wonder of a season Maccabi is experiencing in that aspect. One of those responsible for that is Dan Glazer, obviously another graduate of the Academy at Kiryat Shalom, who is without a doubt one of the best players of the season.
Glazer is in fact the player who leads the league for successful tackles (121 of 191 he made).
He is also second in the league for winning balls in the opponents’ sown half (58) and fifth in successful challenges on the ground (218 of 339 he made).
The central midfielder is ranked after Jair Amador (228) in the number of times he won the ball back (216).
Glazer equals the Portuguese central defender however, as the duo share the same number of blocks on shots directed at Maccabi’s goal with 16 each. 
