Maccabi Tel Aviv will face Bnei Yehuda at the Moshava Stadium on Saturday night at 20:30 in a first versus second place clash on Matchday 13 of the Israel Premier League Ligat Japanika. Yellow & Blue striker Yonatan Cohen looked ahead to the contest:

“It will be a very interesting match, a top of the table clash between first and second place in the “Little Derby”. We know who we are playing and they are a tough team who have done well against the rest of the league. I played for them a couple of seasons ago and I know how they will prepare and that they will be coming to win the game and won’t make our lives easy. But we are getting ready like every other match, concentrating on ourselves to take the victory.”

Playing three times in a week:
“It’s not normal that we play 3 matches in a week in our league but we I believe that the coach is making a rotation as they say. Everyone is in shape and we are training well so there are no excuses of being tired. Bnei Yehuda will also be playing three matches this week. I’m sure that we will come into the game and do what we need to.”

Desire to win:
“I was able to grow as a player when I was with Bnei Yehuda. I know how they will come into the match. They’ll want to win and hand us our first loss. But I’m here at Maccabi and I want to win.”

The 4:0 win over Ashdod was the fourth time this season that Maccabi scored 4 goals in an official match across all competitions. For comparison, during the 2017/18 campaign the Yellow & Blue only scored 4 or more goals twice.

In 6 of the 7 matches, Maccabi scored more than one goal.

Eliran Atar’s brace gives him 5 league goals this season and ties Omer Atzili for Maccabi’s goal scoring leaders. Across all competitions, Atar has found the back of the goal 12 times.

Maccabi had 22 attempts on the Ashdod goal with 8 on target and 4 going into the net.

Atar was the leader in this category with 7 attempts at the Ashdod goal. Rikan and Schoenfeld each had 3 a piece.

Is Dor Micha under pressure? Eli Dasa recorded a pair of assists and brings his season total to 4. Micha and Valon Ahmedi lead the league with five each.

Shahar Piven has started 8 of 12 league matches and played all 90 minutes.

Ruslan Barsky was very active and ran 12.4km throughout the 90 minutes. Only Eyal Golasa has run more in a league match recording 12.7km in a game.

In total, the Yellow & Blue ran 111.4km compared to 105.6km for Ashdod.

Piven ran the fastest amongst the Maccabi players going 32.9kph while Eli Dasa came in second at 31.9kph and Omer Atzili was in third with 31.8kph.

Shahar Piven, Maccabi Tel Aviv’s young central defender spoke about his side’s 4:0 win at home over Ashdod and looked ahead to Saturday’s contest against Bnei Yehuda:

“Every match is difficult but we came super ready after the goal we gave up at the last second on Saturday against Maccabi Petah Tikva. We wanted to make up for it and I’m happy that everything went as planned by the coach and now we can concentrate on the next match on Saturday.”

Playing hard:
“I don’t decide who plays but I give it my all during training and I’m happy that the coach trusts me. I try to pay him back on the pitch with 100% that I can give. For me it was exciting to play against the team that gave me my first chance to play in the Premier League. This was an important match and I’m happy we didn’t give up a goal. Hats off to everyone.”

Giving his all to be in the lineup:
“I always try to give it my all. When I first arrived at Ashdod I wasn’t in the Starting XI but Amir Turgeman gave me my first chance and the same here. There are a lot of players and you never know when you’ll be in the lineup or not. You just have to give it your all every single training session and fight for every ball and the coach makes his decision. I am happy that I am back playing and I’m happy that I have the opportunity.”

Tough match ahead:
“We have to rest a bit and tomorrow we will do recovery. On Saturday we will face the team with the second best defense in the league and they have a great attack. We are expecting a tough match and we will be ready.”

Long season:
“It’s a long season with a very competitive and close league. We will play up until the end, there’s not time to sit on our laurels.”

Proving Maccabi belongs in first place:
“Everyone says that it’s finished but we come into every match with our finger on the pulse to do the best we can and prove that we belong in first place and I hope that this will continue.”

Learning from the veterans:
“I am always learning from Sheran Yeini, Eitan Tibi and from Jair Amador. They are veterans and fantastic players who have played in Spain or on the Israel National Team. They’ve been here for years and I’m always learning form them and want to learn from them.“

Uros Nikolic, 185cm, is set to join up with Maccabi Tel Aviv’s squad in the next few days from Belarussian side Dinamo Minsk where he spent the last couple of years. The Belgrade born attacking midfielder who is a product of Partizan’s Youth Academy, made his senior debut for Hungarian outfit Videoton in 2012 before returning to Serbia and joining Jagodina in 2015.

Nikolic, who will celebrate his 25^th birthday later this month, represented his country at U19 and U23 levels – scored 14 goals and added 15 assists in 72 appearances for Dinamo Minsk.

Maccabi CEO, Ben Mansford, told the clubs’ official website: “I am very pleased to add Uros Nikolic to the Maccabi family. Uros is a talented attacking footballer who is delighted to be joining Maccabi. Uros has continued to develop over the last seasons at Dinamo Minsk and I believe he will continue his development with us. Uros not only brings quality on the field but I was equally impressed with his ambitious nature and desire to join Maccabi and work with Vladimir Ivic. He joins us at the right age with his best years ahead of him. Nikolic will join the group in the next few days and will be eligible at the start of the transfer window. I look forward to seeing Uros in Yellow in the near future. Welcome Uros!”

Maccabi Tel Aviv will play Bnei Yehuda on Matchday 13 of the Israel Premier League Ligat Japanika on Saturday December 8th (21:00) at the Moshava Stadium. Tickets are now on sale, now with priority to season ticket holders until 18:00 today 5/12, so come and cheer on the Yellow & Blue.

Please Note: This match is part of the Points Allocation System and season ticket holders will receive 2 points for this contest while non-season ticket holders will receive 1 point. Make sure that when tickets are purchased via the Leaan Website, telephone or Leaan Ticket Office the season ticket number is used in order to receive full points. Should the purchase not be done by using the season ticket number points will not be allocated.

Should a ticket be purchased and the fan doesn’t attend the match, there will be no refunds and no points will be allocated.

Maccabi fans will be seated in the East Side Sections 10-14.
Tickets are on sale via the Leaan Ticket Office located at 42 Frishman Street Tel Aviv, telephone *8780 and the Leaan Website.

Print at Home is available

Ticket prices
Maccabi Tel Aviv fans will be seated in sections 10-14 (unreserved)

Leaan Ticket Office: 66 NIS

Telephone/Website: 71 NIS

On Matchday at the Stadium Box Office (should tickets remain): 60 NIS

Ticket Collection
Tickets may be collected at the Leaan Ticket Office located at 42 Frishman Street between Sunday-Thursday 09:00-19:00, Friday 09:00-12:00.
Tickets may be collected on Matchday at the Stadium ticket windows beginning 2 hours prior to the match.

Vladimir Ivic, the Yellow & Blue Head Coach looked back at Maccabi’s 4: victory on Matchday 12 of the Israel Premier League Ligat Japanika:

“We needed a victory, we had a good game today and played both halves with creativity and were aggressive in the moments when we needed to be.”

Difference between this game and last:
“Maccabi is the same team but in the previous game we missed 4-5 chances in the second half. But like I said, that’s football. We must forget that game and look ahead to the next one.”

Giving more players the opportunity to play:
“It means that all of our players work hard and waited for their chance. We didn’t have a lot of games when we were playing once a week and it was difficult to change the team. But now with three games in a week all of the players deserve a chance to play.”

Aron Schoenfeld, the Maccabi Tel Aviv striker looked back at his club’s 4:0 win over Ashdod and also discussed scoring a goal:

“It was nice to win and nice to score. It was a great team effort and we looked very good today.”

Scoring:
“As a striker it was a rough time and a bit unlucky, so it was nice to score and see all my teammates come over to me. They were all happy.”

Maccabi:
“I have a contract here and I love it at Maccabi. I’m here to stay.”

About the season to date:
“We have had a strong season, we have a lot of good players in the club and we showed a lot of energy.”

Looking ahead to Bnei Yehuda:
“It’s a good team with great attacking players there. It will be a good game.

Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Ashdod 4:0 on Matchday 12 of the Israel Premier League Ligat Japanika as Eliran Atar scored a brace, Eli Dasa recorded a pair of assists and Avi Rikan and Aron Schoenfeld each found the back of the goal for the Yellow & Blue. Vladimir Ivic’s squad will now begin to focus on Saturday’s away contest against Bnei Yehuda at the Moshava Stadium.

Prior to the opening whistle Jordi Cruyff, Maccabi Tel Aviv’s former Head Coach and Sports Director was honored in a ceremony by the Owner’s Representative Jack Angelides and CEO Ben Mansford.

Head Coach Vladimir Ivic’s Starting XI included keeper Predrag Rajkovic, Eli Dasa, Shahar Piven, Jair Amador, Enric Saborit, Dor Peretz, Ruslan Barsky, Avi Rikan, Eliran Atar, Chico Ofoedu, Aron Schoenfeld.

Available on the bench: Haviv Ohayon, Sheran Yeini, Omer Atzili, Dor Micha, Itay Shechter, Maor Kandil, Yonatan Cohen.

First Half
In the 5’ Atar sent Dasa a through ball but he couldn’t control it while seven minutes later Atar and Saborit played a give and go, but an Ashdod defender cleared the threat. Saborit’s 13’ chance was just saved by Yoav Gerafi and Chico crossed a ball into get box from the right side to Schoenfeld in the area, but the American-Israeli couldn’t get his head onto it.

Maccabi continued to control the pace of play and it paid off in the 26’ when Dasa sent a pass on the grass into the box from the right side to Rikan who put the ball behind Gerafi for a 1:0 lead. The Yellow & Blue looked to double their advantage in the 32’ when Rikan lifted a ball to Schoenfeld, but the striker’s header went over the goal and three minutes later Schoenfeld sent Rikan a pass in return but his shot was caught by an active Gerafi.

As the Yellow & Blue continued to press, Schoenfeld passed the ball to Atar on his left who came in and cleanly beat Gerafi to give Maccabi a 2:0 lead in 36’. Romain Habran had Ashdod’s first chance of the contest from long distance as his curler was caught by Rajkovic in the 43’. The side’s went into the break with Maccabi sporting a 2:0 lead.

Second Half
Saborit’s 47’ opportunity flew over the goal but Schoenfeld’s header thanks to a Barsky cross from the left found its way to the back of the net for a deserved marker for the Tennessee native in the 51’ to give the Yellow & Blue a 3:0 advantage. Five minutes later Schoenfeld picked up a yellow card.

Maccabi looked for their 4th goal and found it in the 58’ when Dasa laid off a ball for Atar who easily slotted it home for a 4:0 lead giving him a brace and Dasa a second assist. Dor Micha replaced Rikan and Omer Atzili entered the match for Schoenfeld who left to a standing ovation in the 66’. Amador had an attempt in front of the goal but his chance just went by the left post in the 68’ and Chico’s chance on the 70’ also went out.

Yonatan Cohen was introduced for Saborit in the 77’ for Ivic’s 3rd substitute of the evening. Atzili had a chance from outside the box in 85’ but his shot just went wide left of the goal as Maccabi wrapped up a tidy 4:0 victory.