Maccabi Tel Aviv fell to Beitar Jerusalem 3:2 on Matchday 30 of the Israel Premier League Ligat Ha’Al at Teddy Stadium in the capital city. Claudemir Perrera, Hen Ezra and Jakub Sylvestr scored the host’s as Omer Atzily found the back of the goal via a penalty in his return match while Kjartansson cut the lead to 3:2 in the second half. The Yellow & Blue host Bnei Yehuda on Saturday night at 20:30 on Matchday 31.

Maccabi Tel Aviv unveiled their Special Blue & White 70th Israel Yom Haatzmaut Independence Day Shirt for the match.

Head Coach Jordi Cruyff’s Starting XI included: Predrag Rajikovic, Eli Dasa, Tal Ben Haim (C), Jean Sylvain Babin, Yuval Shpungin, Dor Peretz, Eyal Golasa, Cristian Battocchio, Omer Atzili, Aaron Schoenfeld, Vidar Kjartansson.

Available on the bench were: Daniel Tenenbaum, Nick Blackman, Dor Micha, Eliran Atar, Gidi Kanuk, Eitan Tibi, Ofir Davidzada.

First Half
Beitar had the match’s first chance in the 4’ via Arik Sabo but his attempt went over the goal as the game settled down and was played primary in the midfield over the next twenty minutes. However, Dasa was issued a yellow card at the top of the Maccabi box setting up a Claudemir Perrera free kick that he sent into the top right hand corner, beating Rajikovic for a 1:0 Beitar advantage.

Hen Ezra took a long low liner towards the goal in the 33’ as Rajikovic made the save, but a minute later the aforementioned Ezra scored as the ball deflected off of Dasa after taking an Antoine Conte ball to give the host’s a 2:0 lead.

Maccabi looked to cut the lead and they did so a minute later when Schoenfeld was knocked down in the box good for a penalty that Omer Atzily duly converted, 2:1 Beitar in the 35’. With the game being played at a frantic pace, the host’s regained their 2-goal advantage as Jakub Sylvestr took an Idan Vered cross and headed the ball behind Rajikovic, 3:1 Beitar as the half came to an end.

Second Half
Cruyff made his first substitution of the contest when he replaced Shpungin with Ofir Davidzada. Atzily had Maccabi’s opening chance in the 47 while Battocchio followed that up with a screamer that deflected off the bar in the 50’ and went out. Schoenfeld had a chance in the box 6 minutes later but his attempt went off a Beitar defender good for a corner.

But two minutes later and the next time Schoenfeld touched the ball he gave a beauty of a pass to Vidar in the box that the Icelander clinically put behind the Beitar keeper Boris Kleiman to cut the host’s lead to 3:2. Golasa almost drew Maccabi even a minute later but his scorcher went over the bar.

In the 61’ Golasa found Vidar in the box however, his header went just wide left of the goal as the Yellow & Blue looked for the equalizer. Eliran Atar came on for Atzily in the 69’ and Gidi Kanuk entered the match for Battocchio. Atar launched a missile in the 84’ that went wide right of the goal as the match ended in a 3:2 win for Beitar.

Maccabi Tel Aviv will welcome Bnei Yehuda on Matchday 31 of the Israel Premier League Ligat Ha’Al at 20:30 at the Netanya Stadium. Tickets are now on sale, so come out and cheer on the Yellow & Blue!

Maccabi fans may purchase tickets for the following sections: West Stand Reserved Upper & Lower Levels , Silver and E+. This match is included in the 2017/18 season ticket package.
You may purchase tickets at the Leaan Ticket Office located at 101 Dizengoff Street, Tel Aviv, by telephone *8780 and via the Leaan Website.

Please note:
* Print at home is available

Ticket Prices
Leaan Ticket Office
West Stand – 55 NIS
E+ – 200 NIS
Silver – 400 NIS

Telephone/Website
West Stand – 60 NIS
E+ – 205 NIS
Silver – 405 NIS

Ticket Collection
Tickets may be collected at the Leaan Ticket Office located at 101 Dizengoff Street 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.

The “Match of the Week” features Maccabi Tel Aviv visiting Beitar Jerusalem, tonight, Monday at 21:00 at Teddy Stadium on Matchday 30 of the Israel Premier League Ligat Ha’Al.

Maccabi Tel Aviv defeated Beitar Jerusalem 2:1 in the capital in the second round of matches which was one of the highlights of the season. This evening, Maccabi will step onto the pitch in the Special Blue & White Yom Haatzmaut Shirt celebrating Israel’s 70th Independence Day, a shirt that they wore during their first few decades as a club.

Beitar Jerusalem enters the match after a 1:1 draw against Bnei Yehuda last week and a loss to Beer Sheva a couple of weeks ago. Beni Ben Zaken’s squad has 60 points and according to media reports Antoine Conte and David Keljtens will be available after being out for some time. Jorginho is doubtful and left back Marcel Heister will most probably be unavailable.

Ahead of the match Jordi Cruyff said: “It’s a moment for our character, players who are hungry and those who have to fight. We lost points and with more effectiveness, we could have had more. But we were punished. Above all hard work.”

Dor Peretz, the Yellow & Blue midfielder also spoke at the prematch press conference: “There’s always room to improve whether we win or lose. This game is what is most important right now and we are looking to take the three points.”

Stats & Facts:
Beitar comes into the match after a draw and a loss but up until the defeat to Beer Sheva, Jerusalem had gone on a 10 game undefeated streak with 8 of those contests being wins.

Beitar’s last home defeat was at the hands of Maccabi Tel Aviv (second round this season)

The away team has won 3 of the last 4 games between the sides while another match ended in a 1:1 draw. The last time a home team won was at the beginning of 2017 (1:0 for Beitar)

Jordi Cruyff, the Yellow & Blue Head Coach along with midfielder Dor Peretz addressed the media at the prematch press conference ahead of tomorrow night’s contest at Beitar Jerusalem at Teddy Stadium, 21:00:

“It’s a very important game for us, for the points and for the pride. We will play against a team that will push and they are fighting for the title. They will go 200% and this is a test of our character and strength.”

Maccabi Netanya moving closer to Maccabi on the table:
“We need to look at what’s behind and not just in front. We know what we need to do. Everything is possible and we always have to fight as long as we’re in this mathematically.”

The Starting XI for the Beitar match:
“We will have to wait and see tomorrow. It’s a moment for our character, players who are hungry and those who have to fight. We lost points and with more effectiveness, we could have had more. But we were punished. Above all hard work.”

The challenges of playing Beitar:
“The pressure isn’t off and there is a team behind us who is winning games and are hot. The last match versus Beitar was ok, but they are a team with character, fans with passion and we have to match them.”

The last three matches:
“The last 3 games were all games that we could have won, we had more possession, shots and we just weren’t good enough when we had to be.”

Being lucky:
“Luck helps but in the end it’s about doing it when you have to under maximum pressure and we lost three games in a row which we haven’t done in a long time. This is a game of character.”

Coming up short:
“We have been irregular all season. We took the first position twice and the next game we lost points. We have done this over the last few seasons and it didn’t work as it hasn’t over the past few years. We tried to take the players out of their comfort zone. I thought we could fight for the title but over the last few games we came up short.”

Dor Peretz, the Maccabi Tel Aviv midfielder also spoke about the upcoming match against Beitar while looking back at the last few games:
“I don’t think we’ve played poorly. There were key matches which could have taken us to a better place but we couldn’t do it and we fell the last three games.”

Improving:
“There’s always room to improve whether we win or lose. This game is what is most important right now and we are looking to take the three points.”

Good environment at training:
“We aren’t at a place where we want to be and we look at each other in the eyes but we aren’t where we what to be. We are moving ahead and a good environment in the training session is important.”

Focusing on Beitar:
“We are looking at Beitar and nothing else right now. This match is the most important game that we have and it’s the only thing in our mind. We are looking to take the 3 points.”

Pressure:
“At a club like Maccabi Tel Aviv there is always pressure no matter what. We always want to do the best that we can and pressure is an important factor for us.”

The State of Israel will celebrate 70 years this week and in honor of the event, Maccabi Tel Aviv is also marking Yom Haatzmaut in an extraordinary way.

This morning (Sunday), representatives of Maccabi Tel Aviv including CEO Ben Mansford and players, Sheran Yeini and Barak Itzhaki presented the new kit to the country’s #1 citizen, President Reuven “Ruvi” Rivlin who hosted the club’s personnel at his residence in Israel’s capital.

CEO Ben Mansford said during the event: “It gives me great pleasure to present this special shirt which commemorates the 70th anniversary of Israel to the president today. In doing so not only pay respects to this great country on its 70th anniversary but equally to involve what is a quite remarkable charity in ‘Lochamim Lehayim’ which supports the men and women of Israel that have given service and need help after such service.”