January is about over and it’s time to vote for the HISENSE Player of the Month for a chance to win a brand new TV.

Maccabi FIRST members can choose the player that they thought were the best of the best beginning today Wednesday January 30, 2019 until Saturday February 2nd at 22:00. At 17:00 on Sunday February 3, 2019 all those who chose the winning player will receive an SMS with a trivia question. The first to answer correctly will win a 32” TV from HISENSE.

For the rules and regulations, click here.

Dor Micha finished Monday’s match against Hapoel Hadera with two assists and not just the football analysts were impressed. Those from Israeli culinary world also heaped praise on the midfielder including Meir Adoni, Yossi Shitrit, Avi Levi, Tal Cohen and others as they look wanted #15 to join them in the kitchen to help cook up a few more goals and wins for the Yellow & Blue.

Maccabi Tel Aviv FC and Hapoel Hadera FC reached an agreement for the loan deals of Haviv Ohayon (20), Eylon Almog (20) and Eden Kartzev (18) who will all join the newly promoted side till the end of the season.

Maccabi CEO, Ben Mansford, told the club’s official website: “A significant part of our success this season has been because of the performances of our Maccabi Academy graduates. We are fortunate to be able to continue to invest and build from the bottom up courtesy of Mitch’s continued support and desire to produce our own. 

“We are therefore delighted to announce that 3 more of the next generation of Maccabi in Haviv, Eylon and Eden will continue their development on loan at Hadera in the Premier League. Haviv and Eden have been with Vlada’s group from the first day of pre-season and have contributed to the momentum we have built. I am very much looking forward to seeing them rise to the challenge of playing regularly in the top level. Eylon is one of the best young attacking talents in Israel and he has shown that with his performances and goals so far this season for Beitar Tel Aviv Ramle. We all feel that it is right for Eylon to make the step up to the Premier League now and I believe Hapoel Hadera is the right option to help him realise his undoubted potential”.

Ohayon, has been a member of Maccabi’s senior squad since 2015 when he made his full debut against Maccabi Petah Tikva in the Toto Cup in August that year before adding four more. Ohayon, who had a loan spell with Premier League side Watford in 2016, represented Israel’s young national teams on 36 occasions before making his Israel U21 debut against Kosovo in October last year.

Kartzev, made his senior at the age of 17 in a Toto Cup match against Ra’anana before becoming a regular member of the first team squad this season and adding another appearance in the State Cup match against Hapoel Acco earlier this month. The central midfielder who represented Israel’s young national teams 56 times and scored 12 goals, also has two appearances for Israel’s U21’s. 

Almog, scored 7 goals in 24 appearances in all competitions whilst on loan with second division side Beitar Tel Aviv Ramle this season. The talented winger who made his senior debut for Maccabi at the age of 17 in a State Cup match against Hapoel Kfar Sava in March 2016, added two more appearances for the first team in the Toto Cup against Bnei Yehuda in 2017 and State Cup against Bnei MAMBA in 2018. Almog has an impressive record of 20 goals in 44 appearances for the young national teams and an additional 2 appearances for the Israel U21’s.

Maccabi Tel Aviv hosts Hapoel Haifa on Sunday February 3rd at 20:30 in Israel Premier League Ligat Japanika Matchday 21 action at the Netanya Stadium. Tickets are on sale now via the Leaan Website, the Leaan Ticket Office located at 42 Frishman Street, Tel Aviv and via Telephone *8780.

You may purchase tickets on the Leaan Website by using the User ID and password. If you do know one or both of those details please send an email to support@leaan.co.il.

Ticket Prices
Leaan Ticket Office
Youth/Soldier/Women – (Sections 108-109, 208-209 only) – 50 NIS
Lower East Stand – (Sections 108-109, 208-209 only) – 100 NIS
West Stand – 100 NIS
E+ – 150 NIS
Silver Section – 300 NIS

Phone/Leaan Website
Youth/Soldier/Women – (Sections 108-109, 208-209 only) – 55 NIS
Lower East Stand – 105 NIS
West Stand – 105 NIS
E+ – 155 NIS
Silver Section – 305 NIS

Youth/Soldier/Women tickets are available for purchase by telephone only after identification.

Ticket Collection
Tickets may be collected at the Leaan Ticket Office located at 42 Frishman Street, Tel Aviv between Sunday-Thursday 09:00-19:00, Friday 09:00-13:30.
Tickets may be collected on Matchday at the Stadium ticket windows beginning 3 hours prior to the match until 45 minutes after the start of the match.

Itay Shechter, Maccabi Tel Aviv’s striker looked back at his squad’s 2:0 win over Hapoel Hadera at the Netanya Stadium:

“The second half wasn’t as good but we knew that Hadera understood how we played. But we finished the match off in the first half. We’re happy with the 3 points, but we are also aware that there were times during the match where we weren’t intensive enough. We have to improve on that.”

Keep working hard:
“Everyone brings his best in order to win. We all know that there are battles for a spot in the squad and the starting lineup, but there are many matches to go in the season plus there’s the Cup where we have to do everything in our power to advance. If we take our foot off of the gas we will be in trouble. We have to keep working hard and we know that there were minutes during the match where we weren’t as good as we could have been. The most important thing is to collect the points and move on.”

Winning is the most important thing:
“I’ll do everything I can in order for us to win. I’m not a striker who just thinks about myself and I know there are matches where I didn’t score but assisted on goals and I’ll do everything to help the team win. I always look at the goals of the team and that’s what I’ve done wherever I’ve been and it’s the same at Maccabi Tel Aviv. The most important thing is that we win.”

Concentrating on football:
“It’s great to just have to concentrate on football. I come to training, eat, rest and play. I don’t have to worry about things off of the pitch as Maccabi Tel Aviv is a healthy and strong club. Everyone knows their role and they do what they have to. We should continue to succeed on the pitch and we can enjoy football as well as having a good dressing room, that’s the secret to success.”

Vladimir Ivic, the Maccabi Tel Aviv Head Coach looked back at his squad’s 2:0 victory over Hapoel Hadera at the Netanya Stadium:

“I’m satisfied with the three points, but we can play better. We scored two goals in the first half and we had other chances to score, but the score was enough to win the game.”

Improving:
“We are not satisfied with how we played and we can play better which is our target. This wasn’t our best game and we can continue to improve some things.”

Maccabi Tel Aviv’s victory over Hapoel Hadera continues the Yellow & Blue’s terrific season to date with their 10th win in their last 11 matches across all competitions.

Vladimir Ivic’s squad increased their lead atop the table to 21 points and set a new Israel League record. This is the largest gap between the table leaders and second place in league history.

Up until today the record had been 18 points which belonged to both Maccabi from this season and Maccabi Haifa who held an 18 point lead in 200/05 on Matchday 22.

In addition, Maccabi has the biggest lead atop the table amongst the other European leagues. Young Boys had a 19 point lead over Basel but Maccabi’s 3-points over Hadera put them ahead of the Swiss outfit.

To compare, the Moldovan league leaders Sheriff Tiraspol held an 18 point lead when their competition ended in November. Astana has a 15 point advantage in the Kazakstan league, Red Bull Salzburg holds a 14 point lead in Austria, PSG is up by 13 points in France and Juventus has an 11 point lead atop the Italian Serie A table.

Keeper Predrag Rajkovic recorded a clean sheet for the third straight match.

Over the last 20 league matches, Rajkovic has conceded only 10 goals and after playing in all of the club’s matches, the shot stopper gives up only one goal per 180 minutes.

Dor Micha continues his fine play and assisted on his 12th goal across all competitions this season. Eight have been in league play which is just one behind Kiryat Shemona’s Alon Ahmedi who has nine.

Micha has scored 3 goals and assisted on 3 others over the last five matches across all competitions.

Eliran Atar scored his 17th goal this season across all competitions.

In league action, Atar has scored 8 goals which puts him in second place tied with Lucio and Mavis Tchibota and one goal behind Yarden Shua.

Itay Shechter scored his 6th league goal this season when he found the back of the goal against Hadera.

Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Hapoel Hadera 2:0 on Matchday 20 of the Israel Premier League Ligat Japanika. First half goals by Itay Shechter in the 18’ and Eliran Atar in the 29’, both of which were assisted by Dor Micha were enough to help the Yellow & Blue to the win and the 3 points. The victory gives Maccabi 52 points, 21 points ahead of second place Bnei Yehuda.

Head Coach Vladimir Ivic’s Starting XI included keeper Predrag Rajkovic, Maor Kandil, Sheran Yeini, Jair Amador, Enric Saborit, Dan Glezer, Ruslan Barsky, Dor Micha, Chico Ofoedu, Eliran Atar, Itay Shechter.

Available on the bench: Daniel Tenenbaum, Shahar Piven, Ophir Davidzada, Dor Peretz, Avi Rikan, Omer Atzili, Aron Schoenfeld.

First Half
After a quarter hour of play primarily taking place in the midfield, Maccabi found the back of the goal first when Micha sent a ball from the left of the box to Shechter who used his left foot to send it behind the Hadera for 1:0 lead in the 18’.

Kandil tried his luck in the 21’ but he missed the target while Lucio’s 25’ attempt was blocked by Rajkovic. Two minutes later, Yeini hit the bar off an Atar corner while Kandil’s rebound attempt was sent over the goal.

The Yellow & Blue doubled their advantage in the 29’ when Atar put home Micha’s second assist of the match from 6 meters out into the far corner, 2:0 Maccabi. Dovev Gabbay almost pulled a goal back for Hadera in the 38’ but just missed the ball and a minute later Rajkovic was in place to parry away Lucio’s attempt as the half ended with Maccabi ahead by two.

Second Half
Shahar Piven came on in place of Amador to begin the half. Gabbay was active again in the 47’ but his chance missed the target while Salim Amash’s opportunity from 18 meters in the 61’ went over the bar.

Omer Atzili entered the match in the 69’ and in the 75’ Glezer’s tough angled chance was blocked by the Hadera defense. Ofoedu almost added his name to the goal scorers list but his 16 meter opportunity went over the bar. Avi Rikan came on for the aforementioned Ofoedu in the 83’ as Maccabi wrapped up the win as well as another clean sheet while they increased their lead atop of the table to 21 points.