After kicking off the Europa League phase campaign with a 0-0 draw away to PAOK in Thessaloniki, Maccabi left today (Tuesday) for Serbia ahead of the match against Croatia’s Dinamo Zagreb.

A day before the start of Yom Kippur, which will be spent by the team in Serbia, the squad arrived at Ben Gurion Airport from where their flight to the Balkans took off. Tomorrow morning, the team will return the TSC Arena in Backa Topola where they hosted the entire qualifying campaign, hold their pre-match Press Conference followed by the final training session before the first “home” match of the League phase.

Having collected the first point in Greece last week, Maccabi will face Dinamo Zagreb on the back of Sunday’s 0-0 draw away to Bnei Sakhnin.

Dinamo, on the other hand, began their Europa League phase with a 3-1 victory over Fenerbahçe at the Maximir stadium in Zagreb.

Maccabi and Dinamo share some history, as their first encounter took place in the first round of the 2001/02 UEFA Cup. Back then, Maccabi advanced to the next stage on the away goals rule, after drawing 2-2 in Zagreb and a 1-1 draw in the match held in Israel.

“To be honest we didn’t start the game that badly, we created chances we should have converted, his the crossbar and the post. We knew that if we didn’t score by the end of the first half it would be difficult,” Shahar said. “This is a very tough pitch against a team that knows how to stay organized. Unfortunately, we didn’t take advantage of it. Even at the end, there were chances to win the match. A bit of bad luck, but we must lift our heads and move on to the next game.”

Shahar, who was injured in a tackle by Jordan Otanga, who was also sent off, was asked about his condition and said: “Terrible, I can hardly put weight on my foot. It’s part of the game, but I felt it was a bad challenge. It hurt a lot even during the match, but I hope it’ll be okay.”

When asked what made it hard for Maccabi to create a flow of chances, he replied: “I think one of the reasons we struggled to really dominate the field is that with every attack they kept falling on the ground, and we couldn’t get into a rhythm and flowing play. That’s not an excuse though, because we should have scored from the chances we had.”

On whether it was difficult to switch from the match against PAOK Thessaloniki to the one in Doha, he added: “No. At Maccabi we’re used to playing in Europe, and today we had fresh players. We did our maximum to win, we didn’t look back for even a second.”

Finally, when asked about preparing for the upcoming match against Dinamo Zagreb, scheduled right after Yom Kippur, he said: “It’s not an ideal preparation. All of us Israelis will be together in the hotel, and after the fast we’ll go straight to the pitch. But we have a deep squad, with foreigners who don’t fast, and I’m sure they’ll be at peak energy. Of course, it won’t be an excuse, we’re coming to win that game.”

Preview

Maccabi arrived at Doha stadium for the MD5 Winner League match against Bnei Sakhnin aiming to maintain their 100% league record. Having won all four league matches, Zarko Lazetic will try and guide his charges to their fifth victory in succession something which wasn’t achieved since the 93/94 season.

Boosted by Thursday’s 0-0 draw away to PAOK in the Europa League, Maccabi’s coach made several changes to his side. Roi Mishpati, whose man of the match performance at the Toumba stadium helped Maccabi ear a point, kept his place in goal. Heitor returned to the starting line up to partner Ali Camara as the two central defenders in front of Mishpati. Tyrese Asante shook off the shoulder injury he picked in Thessaloniki to keep his place on the right while Denny Gropper replaced the suspended Roy Revivo at left back.

Kristijan Belic was named by Lazetic in the anchorman role with Ido Shahar joining the Belgian born Serbian midfielder in the engine room. Elad Madmon completed the Maccabi midfield trio ahead of Shahar and Belic in a more attacking role. Helio Varela made his debut Maccabi start on the left with Sagiv Jehezkel on the opposite right flank. Dor Peretz, who scored five league goals and seven in all competitions, led the team out with the captain’s armband as well as the spearheading the attack.

On the bench alongside goalkeeper Yoav Gerafi, L:azetic named Kervin Andrade, Raz Shlomo, Noam Ben Harosh, Ben Lederman, Issouf Sissokho, Itamar Noy, Saied Abu Farchi and Osher Davida all waiting for their chance to make an impact.

First Half

Backed by 1200 travelling fans, Maccabi started the match determined to score an early goal. Five minutes from the start Elad Madmon spun in the box to lose his defender before unleashing a thunderous shot which rattled the crossbar. Maccabi continued to dominate as a rough Glid Otanga tackle on Ido Shahar just inside Maccabi’s half in the 15th minute earned the Sakhnin midfielder a yellow card. Referee Ohad Asulin was then called by the VAR to the screen before changing his initial decision to cancel the booking and send Otanga off with a red card. Maccabi came close to exploit their numerical advantage as three minutes later Sakhnin’s defense cleared the ball into the path of Helio Varela whose volley from the edge of the area was punched away by goalkeeper Mohamad Abu Nil. A well drilled free kick shortly after almost caught Sakhnin’s defense by surprise as Kristijan Belic received the ball in the box but his shot was blocked by a defender near the goalmouth.

Just before the half hour mark as Maccabi tried furrociosuly to score, Sakhnin survived three threats on goal in one attack. First it was an Ido Shahar shot which struck the post, then Varela had an effort blocked before Heitor’s close range header was saved by Abu Nil’s feet for a corner. A Maccabi counter attack on 34 saw Madmon slip the ball to Varela who cut onto his right but had his effort blocked once again.

Second Half

Lazetic made one change at the restart as he introduced Kervin Andrade for Denny Gropper pushing Varela to left back. As Maccabi didn’t cause any threat on Sakhnin’s goal, Lazetic made his second substitution a minute after the hour mark as Varela was replaced by Osher Davida.

In the 69th minute Roi Mishpati was called into action as Maccabi’s keeper needed to dive and catch Jubayer Bushnak’s half volley. Lazetic was ready to make another double change and introduce Itamar Noy and Saied Abu Farchi for Shahar and Madmon. But a foul of Andrade on Sakhnin’s Ibrahima Drami saw Asulin reach out for his back pocket and pull out the red card. But once again Asulin was called to the screen, reversed his decision and changed Andrade’s red card with a yellow.

Maccabi placed Sakhnin’s goal under siege but none of their efforts actually troubled Abu Nil until deep inside injury time Sagiv Jehezkel sent a cross into the back post. Tyrese Asnate rose high to head the ball but was taken out by the keeper as Asulin didn’t hesitate and awarded a penalty. Abu Nil who was booked earlier for time wasting was shown a yellow card and received his marching orders. With no more substitutions left Iad Abu Abid picked the keepers jersey and stood in goal. But Jehezkel saw his spot kick strike the base of the post to add further drama to thus match.

Itamar Noy who joined Maccabi from Hapoel Haifa in the summer and has since made 11 appearances in all competitions played a key role in the victory over Hapoel Jerusalem. The 24-year-old whose injury time cross was headed in by Ali Camara to secure a dramatic 2-1 victory at Bloomfield, said: “Our goal is to decide the game earlier, to be dominant from the start. We are confident it won’t be easy and we will need to give 100%. The transition from Europe is not always simple, but we have a test and we need to pass it by showing our best ability.”

Noy, who for the first time of his career is getting used to playing in Europe, added: “It was clear to us from the start of the season that this would be the situation, and the squad was built accordingly. We can’t use it as an excuse, and we need to prove already tomorrow that it doesn’t affect us, and win the game.”

On settling in at Maccabi, Noy added: “I feel very good, I feel that I’m learning and improving every day. I was fortunate to join a club where I can make progress every day. The players are amazing, the framework is excellent, and I just want us to have a great season and achieve all of our goals.”

With Maccabi’s next Europa League match against Dinamo Zagreb set to take place right after Yom Kippur, Noy said: “It’s a burden, no doubt, but right now it’s still distant. If we don’t win in Sakhnin, then it’s worthless. All the focus is on Sakhnin, and afterward we’ll deal with what’s needed.”

Three days after Noy and his teammates experienced an unusual atmosphere against PAOK at the famous Toumba stadium in Thessaloniki, he said: “The atmosphere was special, truly a unique stadium, not the friendliest environment. We really wanted to win there and bring pride, unfortunately it didn’t work out. We hope to achieve better results moving forward and bring a lot of pride to our fans.”

Raz Shlomo made his 13^th Maccabi appearance in European competition against PAOK Thessaloniki as the number 13 was part of side that kept a clean sheet at the Toumba stadium. The 26-year-old spoke at the end of the match which saw Maccabi collect their first point in the League phase. “It was a very intense match in a very tough home ground, with the crowd pushing the opposing team forward. Both teams created quite a few chances, in the first half we had the advantage, in the second half they did. In the end, I think the draw is fair; it could have gone either way. There is a sense of missed opportunity because of the chances we created, but on the other hand, we could also have lost in the final minutes. We can say that we come away encouraged by the point and are looking forward to collecting more points as the campaign progresses. We approach every match with the target of winning, and now our focus is on the next game.”

On Maccabi’s defensive display, Shlomo said: “I think the defensive performance of the entire team was amazing. They made life easier for us, the back four. We worked together, in sync, and I am happy we kept a clean sheet.”

Shlomo then paid tribute to the performance of goalkeeper Roi Mishpati who locked his goal with a display of fine saves: “Roi Mishpati had an incredible performance. I also experienced similar situations as a footballer as things are very fluid. It is easy for a situation to shift from being the third-choice goalkeeper to becoming the first-choice, or from being the third-choice center-back to being in the starting lineup. Everything is dynamic, and you have to seize the opportunity you are given with both hands.”

Regarding the special atmosphere at the stadium, Shlomo added: “Part of our preparation for the match focused on the atmosphere, exactly as it turned out to be. The coaching staff prepared us for this kind of environment. We knew how to remain calm, and in the end, that helped us. The midfielders on the pitch couldn’t hear me, but I could hear the center-back next to me perfectly, and that’s important.”

On the partnership he formed with Ali Camara, Shlomo said: “We are very happy that he joined us. Ali is a strong character and a leader. He has been through a lot in football, having played in the Champions League and in big matches. It is a privilege to play alongside him and to learn from him. He is a leader and has a strong presence, and that helps the entire team, and we are happy about that.”

As Maccabi collected a point from their opening match and now have two “home fixtures” at the TSC Arena in Backa Topola against Dinamo Zagreb and Midtjylland, Shlomo added: “In the previous campaign, we came away from many matches with praises, but one of our goals before this campaign was to make sure we collect points. Now we are starting to accumulate points, and we will come to win every match, even against the big clubs, whether at home or away.”

The 30-year-old skipper who came close to celebrate his 80th appearance in Europe for Maccabi but saw his first half goal disallowed for offside, said at the end of the draw in one of the toughest grounds in Europe: “I think the overall experience was good. An outstanding atmosphere, fans who are passionate about football and create a wonderful vibe. Just as we could have scored and taken the lead, they also could have scored and finished the match in the closing minutes. In my opinion, we can be satisfied with the professional way we played today and continue on this path, with determination and aggressiveness, this is something great for us.”

“The pace of the game was excellent,” Peretz added. “Both teams wanted to win, to move the ball, and to play their style. It ended 0-0, but as I said, it could easily have gone either way.”

On the other opponents they will meet in the future: “The opponents are very strong. I think from the moment we got the draw, we understood that we’ll take it one game at a time and see where the road leads us. Thankfully, we got a draw, which is important, and from here we move forward.”

Looking ahead to Sunday’s league match against Sakhnin: “We must make the necessary adjustments, whatever they may be. We’ll rest properly, recover, and prepare for Sakhnin with full seriousness. The league is the most important thing for us. At the end of the day, it’s through our place in the league that we reach these competitions, so we’ll prepare as we should.”

Roi Mishpati, who made two important saves in the closing stages of the match, said shortly after the final whistle: “There was an intense atmosphere here. From the first minute we came to play football and to show our ability. I’m happy that in the end we came away with a point. You could say the game was pretty balanced, and we also created chances. I enjoyed myself today.”

On the atmosphere at the Toumba Stadium, the goalkeeper added: “The atmosphere was really good. We couldn’t hear each other, but we’re used to playing in these situations and in these stadiums.”

Mishpati who steooed into the side against Pafos following the injury to Yoav Gerafi and the red card to Ofek Melika and has since kept his place in goal, reflected: “I’ve been through a lot at Maccabi, two championships. I’m not a kid anymore, and I already have 180 appearances here. The start of the season wasn’t simple, but in every training session and match I came to show who I am and what I can do, and I took the position. The coach knows my worth, we’ve been through a lot of matches together.”

Ahead of Sunday’s league match away to Bnei Sakhnin: “There isn’t much time to rest, but we’re used to it. We know how to make the adjustments, eat well, sleep well, rest, and do what’s necessary.”

Preview

Maccabi arrived at the Toumba Stadium in Thessaloniki ahead of the EUROPA League phase MD1 against PAOK. Following an extremely tough draw, Zarko Lazetic’s side will host Croatian giants Dinamo Zagreb at the TSC Arena next week and will also see Midtjylland, Olympique Lyonnais and Bologona travel to Backa Topola. The match against PAOK will be the first of four tough away fixtures that also include SC Freiburg, VFB Stuttgart and Aston Villa.

Lazetic made several changes to his side as Ali Camara and Raz Shlomo lined-up as the two central defenders in front of goalkeeper Roi Mishpati. Tyrese Asante on the right and Roy Revivo on the left completed Maccabi’s defensive line that is hoping to keep PAOK at bay. Issouf Sissokho and Kristijan Belic were named in Maccabi’s engine room with Kervin Andrade at the top of the midfield trio. Osher Davida on one wing and Sagiv Jehezkel on the opposite flank supplied the width to Maccabi’s formation. Dor Peretz on his 80th European appearance led the team out with the captain’s armband as the 30 year old was also assigned to spearhead the attack.

On the bench alongside goalkeepers Yoav Gerafi and Ofek Melika, Lazetic named Heitor, Denny Gropper, Yonas Malede, Elad Madmon, Noam Ben Harush, Ben Lederman, Helio Varela, Itamar Noy, Saied Abu Farchi, Ido Shahar, Itay Ben Hemo.

First Half

The Toumba Stadium is famous for its atmosphere as Maccabi’s 200 traveling fans in the south corner were swallowed by the wall of sound created by the PAOK fans. Three minutes after the start a long ball challenged Maccabi’s defense as Roi Mishpati charged out of his box and collided with Ali Camara. Raz Shlomo’s perfectly timed last gasp tackle managed to clear the danger before PAOK could capitalise. Two minutes later however Kervin Andrade was pulled down as Maccabi were awarded a free kick deep inside PAOK’s half. Osher Davida whipped in a cross which reached Dor Peretz but the Maccabi captain who timed his run well, side footed the ball wide of the post.

Maccabi’s pressure on the PAOK defense saw Davida win possession and slip the ball to Peretz who found himself in a good position to score. Peretz drilled a shot which PAOK’s keeper Jiri Pavlenka saved with his feet. Davida fired a shot high and wide and Roy Revivo had an effort blocked by a PAOK defender as Maccabi enjoyed a good spell. In the 35th minute Maccabi had the ball in the back of the net as Revivo received the ball behind PAOK’s defense and squared it to Peretz who swept it home. But Maccabi’s celebrations were shortlived as VAR intervened and cancelled the Peretz goal after spotting an offside infringement.

Second Half

The second half began with PAOK’s fans pushing their players while Maccabi defended bravely as Ali Camara and Raz Shlomo managed to limit PAOK’s chances to a minimum.

Four minutes after the hour mark Maccabi reached a great chance as PAOK’s defense failed to clear a ball which reached Andrade whose half volley was saved by Pavlenka.

In the 70th minute PAOK came close to take the lead as as a mix up in Maccabi’s defense saw Camara’s attempt of a clearance go the wrong way but strike the crossbar. At the opposite end a minute later Davida flashed a shot which beat the keeper but head to the wrong side of the post. This was Davida’s final contribution on the nigt as Zarko Lazetic made a double substitution introducing Helio Varela while Itamar Noy came on for Issouf Sissokho.

In the 88th minute Lazetic made another change as Elad Madmon replaced Sagiv Jehezkel for the closing stages.

Mishpati pulled the save of the game as he stretched himself across goal to catch a Fedor Chalov close range effort which seemed destined to go in. Ido Shahar replaced Andrade in the 90th minute as the fourth official added 4 minutes to the game.

Mishpati came to the rescue once again this time to block a Mady Camara shot as seconds later the final whistle was heard