Category: News

Piven: “We’re moving ahead and focusing on Kiryat Shemona”

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Shahar Piven, Maccabi Tel Aviv’s central defender spoke ahead of Saturday night’s Matchday 23 contest against Kiryat Shemona:

“The last two matches were draws, although they weren’t such bad results. The State Cup match was most important and we did well. As you know it’s not easy to play against the same team twice in a row and the fact that there were no fans also didn’t help. We didn’t give up a goal and for me that’s most important. We collected a point and we’re looking ahead.”

Preparing for each match one at a time:
“We have to play against any type of team and we prepare for each match separately. We are moving ahead and we’re focusing on Saturday night’s match against Kiryat Shemona.”

Wanting to win every match:
“We aren’t looking at the streak but we are trying to use the squad to win every match whether it’s a cup, friendly or league. We will keep up our style and pace and continue on.”

Taking everything into proportion:
“We have looked good for the start of the season. Although we didn’t win a couple of matches everyone is asking why we didn’t take maximum points but that’s ok. We are taking everything in proportion and we won the first leg of the State Cup by a good result ahead of the second leg.”

Ivic: “We still have to improve day by day”

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Vladimir Ivic, the Maccabi Tel Aviv Head Coach addressed the assembled media at the prematch press conference ahead of Saturday his squad’s clash against Kiryat Shemona:

“We didn’t win the last two games and we are disappointed to just take two points, last match we played a very good first 45 minutes where we created a lot of chances but didn’t score. The second half they had 6-7 players in the box we tried to score but the result ended up being 0:0. But for example, when we played Maccabi Netanya and we didn’t play well but we still led 2:0 after the first half. We still have to improve day by day.

About Kiryat Shemona:
“We respect our opponent and have only lost once in the last 5-6 games and they have improved a lot. We will have to see how we will take the three points. We have to be serious from the first to the last seconds on order to record the win.”

The status of Uros Nikolic:
“He has been working with us and he had a problem in a training and he returned and worked with the team. He was then sock with a high temperature and we have to see how he will react and when we can use him. I am not sure about this game but we still have two days to go.”

Happy at Maccabi:
“I am here and I’m the coach of Maccabi. I’m happy here and I’ll work from the first to last day as a professional and give by best as I will ask my players to do. It’s not realistic to look to far in the future as everything depends our result.”

Working hard until the end:
“We have a lot in front of us. We have the league championship and the State Cup. These are our goals. We want to deserve it and we have to work hard all the way until the end.”

It all began here: 8 years since Micha’s dream debut

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February 12, 2011, Dor Micha pulled on the Maccabi Tel Aviv kit for the first time with the senior squad. Over the next 8 seasons he has turned into one of the club’s most important players and was part of many titles while he built his formidable career.

If we go back to his debut we can see few hints of what was to come when he made his first appearance for the club under coach Moti Ivanir and grabbed the opportunity with both hands. Maccabi defeated Hapoel Ramat Gan and the midfielder who wore number 23 starred with an assist and a goal – all in his maiden first team match.

Watch the highlights

2010/11: Maccabi Tel Aviv 3:0 Hapoel Ramat Gan

Yellow & Blue Youth Academy Results – February 9 , 2019

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Maccabi “Shachar” Tel Aviv 3:1 Maccabi Petah Tikva (U19)
After the big Tel Aviv Derby win last Matchday, Maccabi recorded a 3:1 win over table leaders Petah Tikva thanks to goals by Eduardo Guerrero x2 and a single marker by Eyal Hen. The victory moves the young Yellow & Blue to within 1 point of first place. For the full Match Report Click Here.

Maccabi Petah Tikva 2:3 Maccabi “Oded” Tel Aviv (U17)
After a dramatic win last week over Ashdod, the Under-17 squad fell to Petah Tikva on Matchday 20. Maccabi is still in first place with a 9 point lead atop the table. Afek Sapir and Shaked Navon scored for Maccabi.

Nes Ziona 0:1 Maccabi “Eldad” Tel Aviv (U15)
The Under-15 side visited Nes Ziona on Matchday 19 of league play and picked up the win to increase their lead atop the table to 3 points. Oral Bahia was the young Yellow & Blue’s goal scorer. Head Coach Ori David summed up the victory: “We knew that the pitch was not in optimal condition and we would have a tough time against a defensive side. The match was played at a slow pace and it was very easy to lose points. But we scored in the first half and were able to keep the result. I’m proud of the effort.”

Glezer: “We’ll take the good points and work on what needs to be improved”

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Dan Glezer, the Maccabi Tel Aviv midfielder summed up his side’s 0:0 goalless draw at Bnei Sakhnin:

“We are winners and we want to win every match. It’s no secret that we aren’t happy when we draw even though we have a big lead ahead of second place. But this is football and these things happen. We played well but their keeper had a great game and we have to compliment him. But we we will continue on, take the good points and work on what needs to be improved.”

Playing the same team twice in a row:
“We played well but we didn’t take advantage of our chances. It’s not easy to play a team two times in a row and Sakhnin played a defensive match.”

Goals ahead:
“We want to finish the season without a loss and as many points as possible. We also win as many matches as we can and keep improving from game to game. One of our goals is to go undefeated this season.”

Playing without fans:
“It’s not ideal to play without fans but a solution has to be found. But we had to do what we needed to with or without fans.”

Atzili: “Kandil saved some good chances. Hopefully next match the ball will go in”

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Despite many chance on goal, Omer Atzili wasn’t able to break the deadlock as the match at Bnei Sakhnin ended in a goalless draw:

“We had many attempts on goal and it was a tough match. It’s known that it’s difficult to play the same team in back to back matches. The ball didn’t go in, Kandil had a good match but were already thinking about the next contest.”

Battle against Kandil:
“Kandil saved some good chances and it’s ok for me to compliment him. Hopefully next match the ball will go in.”

Playing without fans:
“It’s strange to play without fans but that’s no excuse, we came with the goal to win and I believe we saw that. We will do everything we can to be ready for next match.”

Looking ahead:
“We played well in the Cup. Sometimes it happens that you don’t win. We still have a big lead and we’re looking ahead.”

Ivic: “We have to correct what didn’t work”

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Vladimir Ivic, the Maccabi Aviv Head Coach looked back at his squad’s 0:0 goalless draw at Bnei Sakhnin on Matchday 22 of the Israel Premier League Ligat Japanika:

איביץ’ לאחר ה-0:0 מול בני סכנין

“In the first half we had chances to create more and we had some missed opportunities. The second half saw Sakhnin defend with more players. We tried to find space to shoot, their keeper made some good saves and this was the result. This is football. We expected this type of match against a team that would be fighting for their lives and we knew it would be a tough match. Playing with no fans also didn’t help, but we have to watch the game again and correct what didn’t work.”

Improve:
“Sometimes you have games that just don’t go your way and this is normal. We have to improve and we have to work on our play for next match.”

Playing with no fans:
“It’s difficult to play without fans for both teams. They played at home without their fans and it’s not good for football.”

Maccabi and Sakhnin draw 0:0

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Maccabi Tel Aviv and Bnei Sakhnin played to a 0:0 goalless draw at Doha Stadium in a match that was played behind closed doors with no fans due to a penalty levied against the host’s. Omer Atzili had numerous chances but Sakhnin shot stopper Muhammad Kandil made save after save as the side’s split the points.

Head Coach Vladimir Ivic’s Starting XI included keeper Predrag Rajkovic, Ophir Davidzada, Shahar Piven, Sheran Yeini, Maor Kandil, Ruslan Barsky, Dan Glezer, Dor Micha, Omer Atzili, Chico Ofoedu, Yonatan Cohen.

Available on the bench were Daniel Tenenbaum, Enric Saborit, Eli Dasa, Avi Rikan, Dor Peretz, Itay Shechter, Eliran Atar.

First Half
With the match being played behind closed doors at Doha Stadium with no fans due to a penalty levied against Bnei Sakhnin, Ofoedu had Maccabi’s first chance in the 9’ when his sharp angled shot was caught by Sakhnin keeper Muhammad Kandil. Three minutes later Micha sent a gorgeous through ball to Ofoedu, but the striker just missed the goal by centimeters and in the 14’ Davidzada’s cross to Cohen was headed right to the waiting hands of Kandil.

In the 25’ Cohen’s attempt off a Kandil pass missed the target and five minutes later Atzili’s right footed laser just went by the post. Atzili tried to get the ball to Cohen in the 35’ but put the ball just over the striker while Kandil got the ball to Cohen 7 minutes later but his chance was blocked by the defense. Davidzada sent Ofoedu a nice ball in the 44’ but his opportunity went over the goal as the match went into the break goalless.

Second Half
Aleksandar Stanisavljević tried his luck from distance but the Sakhnin winger missed the target in the 51’ while Micha’s chance six minutes later went out. In the 63’ Ivic made a pair of substitutions as he inserted Itay Shechter an Eli Dasa for Kandil and Cohen and two minutes later Atzili’s scorcher from 25 meters was parried away by Kandil.

Davidzada picked up a yellow card in the 71’ while Sakhnin’s best chance came three minutes later but Rajkovic was up to the task. Kandil again made a big stop on Atzili as #7’s attempt from 20 meters was taken care of by the Sakhnin shot stopper in the 82’ and a minute later Kandil came up big again to stun Atzili.

Dor Peretz entered the game in the 85’ for Barsky as Ivic made his 3rd substitution of the contest and Oleksandr Stetsenko‘s opportunity in injury time was saved by Rajkovic as the match ended in a goalless draw.

Yeini: “This will be a tough match for both clubs”

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Sheran Yeini, the Maccabi Tel Aviv Captain looked ahead to his side’s Matchday 22 clash at Bnei Sakhnin on Monday at 20:30:
“This isn’t the first time that we have played against a club in back to back matches as it’s happened in prior years. We are a professional team that has a proper game plan that we are working on. The players are hungry to play because of competition for a place in the squad. We are expecting a tough match.”

Plans for the match:
“This will be a tough match for both clubs. We played a few days ago and we know each other now so we will have to change up our plans which we aren’t going to share with you for obvious reasons.”

Playing without fans:
“I know that the IFA has to deal with violence and racism. But It’s also not good to have to play in front of an empty stadium. It’s always great to play in front of fans as it gets you into the game.”

Keys to victory:
“We will have to work together as individuals and as a team to play properly. It’s been a while since we didn’t play in front of fans.”

Ivic: “It’s a totally different game than last week”

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Vladimir Ivic, the Maccabi Tel Aviv Head Coach addressed the assembled media at the pre-match press conference ahead of their Israel Premier League Matchday 22 clash at Bnei Sakhin on Monday, 20:30:

“It’s the second game between our two teams in a small period of time. It’s a totally different game than last week especially after yesterday’s results. When you play against the last place team away it’s a very difficult game and a tough game. We need to be 100% focused from the beginning to the end of the game. We want to win like any other game.”

More about the match:
“We have a big squad with a lot of players and I try to prepare the best team who will bring the best result. Generally, it’s not easy to beat a team two or three times in short period. Sakhnin has good players and have some new players that will give new blood for the team and they will do their best for their new team. They have a lot of good players.”

Change in tactics?
“We will see about tactics. We prepared our players for the game tomorrow without fans and it’s unusual. It’s not good for football. Everyone wants the fans to be in the stadium. It will be difficult for both teams and we will have to adapt. We will have to do our best to achieve the 3 points.”

Playing without fans:
“I have played many times without fans. Just like a coach and a player, it’s not good for anyone and no one wants this. We will see tomorrow as to how it will be without the fans, but the players want the fan support. Sakhnin has a lot of fans who support them. But we will know tomorrow who will adapt better to the situation.”

Squad status:
“Nikolic is sick and has a temperature. He will not be with us but he has been training with us over the past week. More or less the players are ready. We will be ready for tomorrow.”