As Maccabi Tel Aviv readies for their Israel Premier League Match at Hapoel Hadera on Saturday at 18:00 at the Netanya Stadium, the club held an Open Day where the fans had a chance to meet the Yellow & Blue Stars. Hundreds of supporters descended upon the PenguinPickUp Training Ground at Kiryat Shalom to see their heroes up close and personal as they took selfies and received autographs from the players.

Omer Atzili took time out to talk about the upcoming Championship Playoff contest and meeting the fans:

“It’s great to be here. We love these days where we get a chance to meet all of the fans. It’s really gratifying especially as were playing well so it’s great to see everyone.”

The fan support throughout the season:
“We really feel the fans backing us and cheering us on. Even though we’ve already wrapped up the title they are still coming out to support us as we still have other goals that we want to reach this season. We’re really happy that they are with us and that they continue to push us forward.”

Potentially breaking the points record:
“Slowly but surely, but yes. Another win and another win and we can reach that goal. In a season like this where we haven’t lost in league play we are hoping that we can break as many records as possible.” 

His own season to date:
“I have good stats but I don’t feel that this is an exceptional season for me. Maybe if I had 17 or 1 goals, but I’m happy with where I am. I feel that I’m a big part of the championship and both myself and the team are enjoying it very much.”

The penalty against Bnei Yehuda:
“Anyone who has seen the penalty knows I was trying to kick the ball towards the goal but I slipped. In fact the ball only hit me once and perhaps the VAR will be better as time goes on as it’s something that will add to our football.”

About the upcoming Champions League qualifiers:
“It’s a dream but it’s still way off. We’re not even thinking about it yet as we still have a number of more matches until the off season.”

Ahead of Hadera:
“Hadera has had a good season and they played above and beyond what was expected. We’re concentrating and focusing on ourselves and we will come into the contest playing our football. I hope that’s what will be and that we will win the match.”

Yonatan Cohen, the Maccabi Tel Aviv striker who scored the second goal of the 2:0 win summed up the match that was:

“In league play all of my goals have been against Bnei Yehuda while I have scored others but in Cup action. It’s great to score especially in a win and I am happy that we recorded the victory today.”

Goals ahead:
“We are professionals at Maccabi Tel Aviv which always strives to be the best. We train very hard and we have a lot of goals that we want to reach before the end of the season both on an individual and team level. But our first goal every match is to win the game and I’m happy that we are translating that onto the pitch.”

Proving ourselves:
“We all want to prove ourselves when we get a chance to play for the upcoming season. Each one of us has to focus on the team’s goals and then on a personal level. We come into every game prepared and focussed to win.”

Potentially going undefeated in league play with 5 matches left:
“I hope so.”

Vladimir Ivic, the Maccabi Tel Aviv Head Coach summed up his squad’s 2:0 win at Bnei Yehuda in Israel Premier League action:

“We deserved the victory and the 3 points. We were the better team today, we missed a lot of chances and we played attacking football from the beginning of the game. We have five games until the end of the season and we know what our target is.”

Want to win every game:
“We want to win every game we beat them twice before the State Cup semifinal but we want to win every game. We will do our job until the end, fight and try to win every game.”

Professionals:
“They are football players and are professionals. They know what their job is. They fight game by game and show character and they want to win every game and they understand this philosophy. We want to win ever game and this is how we want to finish the season.”

About Daniel Tenenbaum:
“His performance was very good. He did his job very well.”

Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Bnei Yehuda 1:0 as the Yellow & Blue continued their undefeated Israel Premier League Ligat Japanika season at the Moshava Stadium. Avi Rikan scored the opening goal for Vladimir Ivic’s squad after the host’s were reduced to 10-men when Dan Mori received his second yellow card in the 34’ of the contest. Yonatan Cohen added his name to the scoresheet with a minute remaining in the contest to wrap up the victory. Daniel Tenenbaum was handed his first league start of the season while Dor Micha returned from injury late in the second half.

Head Coach Vladimir Ivic’s Starting XI included keeper Daniel Tenenbaum, Maor Kandil, Eitan Tibi, Jair Amador, Ophir Davidzada, Dan Glezer, Dor Peretz (C), Avi Rikan, Eliran Atar, Omer Atzili, Itay Shechter.

Available on the bench: Predrag Rajkovic, Sheran Yeini, Eli Dasa, Enric Saborit, Yonatan Cohen, Chico Ofoedu, Dor Micha.

First Half
Atar had Maccabi’s first chance of the contest in the 10’ when his 20 meter scorcher was saved by Bnei Yehuda keeper Emilijus Zubas and 3 minutes later Mavis Tchibota had the host’s first chance but Daniel Tenenbaum made the stop. Yuval Ashkenazi’s 14’ attempt was taken care of Tenenbaum who was making his first league start of the season, as was Haziza’s 20’ chance.

Peretz’s 21’ attempt went over the bar and Rikan’s opportunity four minutes later from the top of the box just went wide left of the Bnei Yehuda goal. The match took a dramatic turn in the 34’ when Bnei Yehuda was reduced to 10-men after Dan Mori picked up his second yellow card of the contest.

Maccabi was awarded a penalty due to a hand ball in the box by Amit Bitton in the 37’ but the ensuing spot kick was fanned on by Atzili. Davidzada scored off of the Atzili miscue but the goal was called off after the referee consulted with VAR which ruled that Atzili had touched the ball twice.
In the 45’ Atar gave Atzili the ball but the latter’s attempt was saved by Zoubas however, a minute later Rikan finished off a nice passing play with Shechter and Atar to give Maccabi a 1:0 lead at the break.

Second Half
After a quarter hour of Maccabi controlling the pace of play, Shechter left a nice ball for Atzili but his chance came up short and in the 65’ Yonatan Cohen came on for the aforementioned Atzili. Atar sent a gorgeous pass to Peretz but his attempt in the box went over the bar in the 68’ while Coach Ivic made his second substitute when he inserted Enric Saborit for Davidzada.

Rikan sent Atar the ball in the 69’ but his shot went wide as Maccabi continued to threaten for a second goal. Peretz’s 74’ attempt went over the bar and Atar’s chance 6 minutes later was taken care of by Zoubas. Cohen’s chance on a fast break was saved by Zoubas in the 81’ and two minutes later Dor Micha was introduced in favor of goal scorer Rikan.

Atar tried to find the far corner in the 89’ but his shot was blocked by the Bnei Yehuda defense and two minutes later his attempt missed the target. Cohen added his name to the scoresheet deep into injury time when he pounced on a Micha ball and found the back of the goal to wrap up a 2:0 win.

Less than a month after being eliminated from State Cup play by Bnei Yehuda by the score of 1:0 in the semifinals, Maccabi Tel Aviv once again plays the Little Derby this time in Israel Premier League Ligat Japanika action.

In the video: Matchday 26 Highlights Maccabi Tel Aviv 2:1 Bnei Yehuda

Vladimir Ivic’s Yellow & Blue enter the contest with 4 points in their last two matches (4:1 win over Maccabi Netanya and a 0:0 draw against Hapoel Beer Sheva). The league title may have been won but there are still numerous goals ahead this season and one of them is to go undefeated in league play.

In terms of injuries there is good news concerning Dor Micha who has been out the last few weeks. Micha has recovered from his foot injury and the only question remaining is if he will record his first minutes this evening. Striker Aron Schoenfeld’s condition is still unclear after he picked up a foot injury.


Stats & Facts
* The two clubs have played 132 matches in the top division with Maccabi winning 63 of them while drawing 31 times.

* In the last ten matches, the Yellow & Blue have recorded 7 victories.

* Maccabi secured their championship with a 27 point gap from second place – just 4 points off the European record held by Paris St. Germain.

* The champion who won the title with the best goal differential was the 1949/50 version of Maccabi Tel Aviv with a differential of 85 goals. The current team has a 51 goal differential but this will be a record that will be ver tough to top.

Avi Rikan, the Maccabi Tel Aviv midfielder looked ahead of his club’s Israel Premier League Ligat Japanika match at Bnei Yehuda on Tuesday night:

“We have had a tough time against Bnei Yehuda and we know what we are up against. We have worked hard to make sure we take the points and are looking forward to the challenge ahead.”

Preparing for the match:
“The staff knows what didn’t work and they will prepare us properly for the match. I am sure we will come into the match ready to go.”

Thoughts on VAR:
“VAR is new for everyone and I really don’t want to go into it. That is for the people that work with it. Hopefully it will be useful for everyone.”

The State Cup match against Bnei Yehuda:
“Of course it’s disappointing that we lost in the State Cup semifinal against Bnei Yehuda as we all wanted to go to the final. But a few hours later we put it aside and we have more goals that we want to achieve this season.”

Goals for the rest of the season:
“We want to win every match and we know that they are tough, but that is what pushes us. We want to win no matter who the opponent is and that’s our goal for tomorrow and the rest of the season.”

Training sessions:
“There isn’t a minute when the training session isn’t at the highest of levels. There are both individual and team goals for us and that is what is driving us the rest of the season.”

Not looking too far into the future:
“I don’t want to look too far ahead into the future. But what we have done this season is that we have shown we are strong. We have people who are dealing with the future and we have to just prepare ourselves for the next game.”

Vladimir Ivic, the Maccabi Tel Aviv Head Coach addressed a number of topics ahead of their Israel Premier League match at Bnei Yehuda on Tuesday night:

“It’s not easy to forget this game especially when it’s the first one that we lost. We all remember this game. We still have more games ahead and we will be prepared for all of them.”

Looking to improve:
“We respect our opponents but we focus on ourselves and our ability. How we will play, how we want to attack and how we want to defend. We always want to improve and that is our goal.”

PAOK winning the Greek League title:
“I worked there and was a footballer there as well. I want to wish congratulations to my former club and they showed that they were the best team in the league.”

About keeper Predrag Rajkovic and defender Eli Dasa:
“They all have challenges and this is life and part of the game. They are both good players and are having good seasons. The fans love them and they are good guys and good players. They have shown their potential and there is still a bit more than a month ahead of us. We will see what will be.”

The possibility that they may leave:
“It’s a possibility and this can happen and we knew that as well at the beginning of the year. We know that there is a financial fair play problem and normally to fix this problem you sell players.”

Potential players for the club:
“We have some players that we like and I spoke to the owner and CEO as well as people who are responsible for this. But I don’t know if it will be possible. I can hope that we will bring a player.”

Progress of the players throughout the season:
“There are players, both Israelis and foreigners who have made big progress. Some of them who were on loan last season took a big step. They showed that with hard work that they can do it.”

Status of keeper Daniel Tenenbaum:
“He will play for sure because he deserves to play. If the players are serious and work hard then they deserve to play. We will see when he will get a chance to play.”

Dor Micha and Aron Schoenfeld’s injury status:
“We hope that Micha will be able to play some minutes tomorrow. Schoenfeld has an issue in a sensitive place in his foot. If he is not ready for tomorrow, then hopefully he will be for the next game.”