Maccabi Tel Aviv will look to get back onto the winning track when they face Ashdod on Tuesday at 20:30 on Matchday 12 of the Israel Premier League Ligat Japanika. Vladimir Ivic’s squad held their final training season ahead of the contest at the PenguinPickUp Training Ground at Kiryat Shalom and also celebrated the Hannukah Holiday.

The Yellow & Blue enter the clash with the port city side after drawing with Maccabi Petah Tikva 1:1 on Saturday night and will face Bnei Yehuda this coming Saturday evening back at the Moshava Stadium. Maccabi is 7 points ahead of the second place team and will look to add another 3 points when they host Ashdod in a special Hannukah match that will feature prizes and a ceremony honoring Jordi Cruyff.

Yuval Naim’s side comes into the contest after defeating Kiryat Shemona 1:0 and are in 12th place with 12 points.

Maor Kandil looked ahead to the Tuesday night’s meeting:
“This is the plus of football, you have another match where you can makeup for the last one, from one Saturday to the next. In this case we have a match just a couple days later. I believe in the club and it’s good we have another opportunity to fix things up quickly.”

Working hard:
“We’re in first place so all of the other team score with over-motivation to play against us. We have to focus on ourselves and if we work hard and prepare things will go our way.”

The Hannukah Holiday is here and this Tuesday you have the chance to combine a family outing with an important Maccabi match. Vladimir Ivic’s squad will face Ashdod on 20:30 in Israel Premier League Ligat Japanika Matchday 12 action and there will be plenty of holiday festivities waiting for you.

Shahar Piven and Yonatan Cohen are also ready for the holiday:

Ahead of the opening whistle there will be chocolate money around the stadium that will also have some great discounts and prizes. From 20% off at the Club’s Stores, scarves, balls, match kits and a VIP Experience plus the biggest prize of them all – a 50” HISENSE TV!

In addition, there will also be a special candle lighting ceremony for the 3rd night of Hannukah.

Do you want to take part of this special Hannukah night with Maccabi? Purchase your tickets here

Jordi Cruyff will attend the match as the club will hold a short ceremony prior to kick-off allowing the fans to bid farewell from him after 6 years at Maccabi Tel Aviv FC as Sports Director and Head Coach.

4.12 Tuesday 20:30 Netanya Stadium: Maccabi Tel Aviv – Ashdod
The busy first week of December continues with a Matchday 12 clash against Ashdod during the Hanukkah holiday. You don’t have tickets yet? Click here to purchase them now.

8.12 Saturday 20:30 Moshava Stadium: Bnei Yehuda – Maccabi Tel Aviv
The third match in the week ends with a return visit to the Moshava Stadium in Petah Tikva to take on Bnei Yehuda in the “Little Derby”. Yossi Abuksis’s squad has been one of the surprise packages so far this season.

17.12 Monday 21:00 Sammy Ofer Stadium : Maccabi Haifa – Maccabi Tel Aviv
The second round of Israel Premier League Ligat Japanika kicks off with a visit to the Carmel mountain and a date with the Haifa Greens. The last time the two sides met, the Yellow & Blue took the 3 points in a 2:0 win thanks to goals by Itay Shechter and Dor Peretz.

22.12 (Saturday) Teddy Stadium: Beitar Jerusalem – Maccabi Tel Aviv (State Cup)
The State Cup draw for the Round of 32 pitted Maccabi Tel Aviv against Beitar in the capital city. The last time the two sides met in Jerusalem saw the Yellow & Blue take home a 2:0 win.

25.12 (Tuesday) Netanya Stadium: Maccabi Tel Aviv – Hapoel Beer Sheva
Just three days after the match against Beitar, Maccabi will host Beer Sheva in league play on Matchday 15 in one of the most important exciting games of the round.

29.12 (Saturday) Ramat Gan Stadium: Hapoel Raanana – Maccabi Tel Aviv
Did you miss the nostalgic Stadium? Now’s your chance to revisit some of the great moments from the 1990’s when Maccabi played at Ramat Gan on a regular basis. The Yellow & Blue will be the visitor’s this time around as they’ll look to end the month with the win and three points over Raanana.

And that’s not all!

Hanukkah is the Maccabi Holiday, isn’t it? This season we have some great Hanukkah Gelt just for you. Enjoy a 20% discount at the Official Club Stores and the Online Shop.

Hannukah Happening at Kiryat Shalom
On Thursday December 6th the Hanukkah Tradition continues with a terrific Happening at Kiryat Shalom where the whole family that will include some amazing surprise including lighting the Hanukkiah with the club. From there you’ll be able to meet the Stars, take pictures with them and get some great autographs. For more information and to register click here. Should there be inclement weather and the Community Day can’t take place an update will be sent to the registrants a few hours prior to the start of the activity.

Dor Peretz, the Yellow & Blue midfielder looked back on his side’s 1:1 draw against Maccabi Petah Tikva at the Moshava Stadium on Matchday 11 of the Israel Premier League Ligat Japanika:

“It was disappointing to give up a goal so late in the game, but we have to learn from this. We have another game this week and we have to move forward.”

Continuing on:
“We have to continue on, lift ourselves up and prepare properly for the next match and get ready for Ashdod. Every match is a game in itself and we this one is now over. We have to bring the maximum to the next game in order to take the win.”

Concentrating on how Maccabi play:
“We are concerned about ourselves and concentre on how we play. Our goal is to take the points every game and today we didn’t.”

Vladimir Ivic, the Maccabi Tel Aviv Head Coach summed up his side’s 1:1 draw at Maccabi Petah Tikva on Matchday 11 of the Israel Premier League Ligat Japanika:

“This is football. When you have a lot of chances and can’t score a second goal you can get punished and that is what happened today We have to learn from this match and continue on.”

More on the late goal:
“It’s football. Sometimes you can give up a goal in the last minute and the opponent can score and that is what happened.”

Long season ahead and Ashdod coming up:
“We need to continue on and the championship is long. There are many games ahead. Ashdod will be a tough match and we now have 2-3 days to prepare to win this game.”

Maccabi Tel Aviv and Maccabi Petah Tikva split the points in a 1:1 dramatic draw on Matchday 11 of the Israel Premier League Ligat Japanika at the Moshava Stadium. Tomáš Sivok scored a header off a corner kick in the 93’ just before the referee ended the match to snatch a point for the host’s. Dor Peretz headed home a 23’ goal thanks to an Omer Atzili pass but Sivok’s last gasp strike gave the Yellow & Blue a point before they welcome Ashdod to the Netanya Stadium this Tuesday in a midweek clash.

Head Coach Vladimir Ivic’s Starting XI included keeper Predrag Rajkovic, Enric Saborit, Captain Sheran Yeini, Shahar Piven, Maor Kandil, Dor Peretz, Dan Glezer, Dor Micha, Avi Rikan, Omer Atzili, Itay Shechter.

Available on the bench were keeper Haviv Ohayon, Jair Amador, Eli Dasa, Ruslan Barsky, Eliran Atar, Chico Ofoedu and Aron Schoenfeld.

First Half
Micha tried to break free in the Petah Tikva box in the 4’ but the defense took care of the threat while in the 11’ Atzili’s corner found Kandil but the defender’s header missed the target and went over the goal. Two minutes later it was Kandil again coming in from the right wing but his shot missed the far side of the goal. In the 22’ Atzili sent a scorcher of a free kick towards the goal, but keeper Yossi Ginzburg made the instinctive save.

Maccabi’s pressure paid off in the 23’ when Atzili received the ball off a short corner and sent a cross into the box that Peretz headed into the goal for a 1:0 Yellow & Blue lead. Peretz lofted a ball into the area to an unmarked Kandil but his header went over the bar in the 33’ while three minutes later Atzili sent Shechter a nice pass into the area, but the Petah Tikva keeper made the stop on #11’s attempt. Rikan’s 37’ chance missed the target as Maccabi took a 1:0 lead into the break.

Second Half
Petah Tikva began to pick up the pace and had a 56’ free kick chance at the top of the box via Lidor Cohen but his attempt missed the target and went over the goal. Two minutes later Atzili’s opportunity hit the right post and Micha’s left footed shot from inside the box was pushed away by Ginzburg as Maccabi began to threaten the host’s goal. In the 61’ Peretz’s header off a corner was caught by Ginzburg and 4 minutes later Micha gave Shechter a brilliant ball in the box but couldn’t get off a good shot as the Petah Tikva defense cleared the threat.

Ruslan Barsky replaced Dan Glezer in the 68’ and Eliran Atar came on for Avi Rikan four minutes later as Coach Ivic freshened up his side. However, in the 77’ it was Petah Tikva who almost scored when Lidor Cohen gave Tai Baribo a fantastic pass in the box as he put his shot just wide of the far post to keep the score as is.

Dor Micha exited the contest in the 80’ as the midfielder was replaced by another striker in Chico Ofoedu as the Yellow & Blue searched for an insurance marker. Shechter’s 81’ chance was just saved by Ginzburg as the Petah Tikva shot stopper sent the ball out for a corner. The host’s looked desperately for an equalizer and they found it via Tomáš Sivok as the center back headed in the tying goal in the 93’ as the referee blew the whistle to end the match, 1:1. Maccabi will now prepare to welcome Ashdod on Tuesday at the Netanya Stadium.