The Maccabi Head Coach summed up the 4:0 win over Hapoel Haifa and spoke about the importance of the fans: “We had huge support from the fans and we need them over the last 6 home games this season”
Jordi Cruyff, the Yellow & Blue Head Coach looked back at his side’s 4:0 victory over Hapoel Haifa on Matchday 24 and
“In terms of the result probably yes, I’m happy with the win and now we move on.”
Performance last week compared to this week:
“That’s the million dollar question. Sometimes that’s football and it’s hard to explain. We had huge support from the fans and we need them over the last 6 home games this season. We felt the fans from the first minute and the players gave it all today. How is it possible that we gave that performance last week, I can’t explain it but that’s football.”
The Starting XI:
“I put 11 Maccabi players on the pitch and they were good. I think they looked good and Aaron always brings the effort and he goes for every ball; I think the team needed that a bit that extra enthusiasm. Jose trained well over the last few weeks and I’m happy he took the chance with both hands.”
About Eli Dasa:
When he’s fit we see the benefit. Unfortunately he’s missed many game but when he’s there he gives extra energy and he’s fresh became he hasn’t played much. I hope it will be a massive help for the games we have left.”
Looking ahead and the importance of the fans:
“We have to understand that we have 12 finals left. Every game we have to show the same kind of aggressiveness and enthusiasm. We need the support of the fans and it was clear to everyone; we need them week in and week out. We need their help because it gives us points.”
The Yellow & Blue wrapped up a tidy 4:0 victory over Hapoel Haifa on Matchday 24 of the Israel Premier League Ligat Ha’Al and moved into first place with Hapoel Beer Sheva and Beitar Jerusalem who are currently in 2nd and 3rd places respectively, squaring off on Sunday night. Nick Blackman opened the scoring while Jose Rodriguez added a brace in his return to the Starting XI. Substitute Ofir Davidzada scored the final goal in the 83’ to put a bow on a beautiful 4:0 win.
תקציר | מחזור 24: מכבי ת”א – הפועל חיפה
Jordi Cruyff’s Starting XI included keeper Predrag Rajikovic, Eli Dasa, Yuval Shpungin, Jean-Sylvain Babin, Eitan Tibi, Dor Peretz, Dor Micha (C), Jose Rodriguez, Avi Rikan, Nick Blackman and Aaron Schoenfeld.
Available on the bench were keeper Daniel Tenenbaum, Vidar Kjartansson, Barak Itzhaki, Eliran Atar, Tal Ben Haim, Ofir Davidzada and Cristian Battocchio.
First Half
Maccabi’s first chance came in the 6’ when Dasa crossed the ball into the box to Schoenfeld but the striker headed it over the bar while a minute later the right back again sent a beauty of a cross to Rikan but the midfielder put his effort over the goal. In the 9’ Dasa again was in on the action and sent the ball to Blackman but his 25’ shot was saved by Ernestas Setkus.
Finally after a number of tremendous chances by Maccabi, Blackman headed home a gorgeous ball from Rikan to give the Yellow & Blue a 1:0 advantage in the 13’. Over the next 20 minutes the sides exchanged play primarily in the midfield as things looked to have settled down.
However, after back and forth passes between Dasa and Blackman, the latter dropped the ball back to Rodriguez who launched a laser beam of a shot from the right side that beat Setkus to the far corner for a 2:0 Maccabi lead in the 33’. Schoenfeld sent the ball to Rikan in the 40’ but #22’s attempt missed the target as the host’s took a 2:0 advantage into the break.
Second Half
Maccabi looked to add to the lead and in the 50’ Micha sent Rikan a pass but the latter put the ball over the bar while four minutes later, Haifa had a chance to cut the lead but Turgeman’s header missed the mark. In the 56’ the Yellow & Blue again threatened the Haifa goal as Micha gave the ball to Tibi on the right but the central defender’s shot went way over the goal.
But Rodriguez made sure to put the ball behind Setkus in the 61’ for a 3:0 lead. Dasa sent a magnificent through ball to Blackman who passed it back to an oncoming Rodriguez who in turn put it by the Haifa keeper for his second of the match. In the 69’ Cristian Battocchio came on for Rodriguez who left the pitch to a standing ovation by the crowd while three minutes later Eliran Atar replaced Blackman.
Ofir Davidzada entered the contest for Dasa in the 78’ as Cruyff used his third and final substitute of the match and with his first attempt on goal six minutes later he made it 4:0 for the Yellow & Blue. Schoenfeld sent a fantastic through ball to Atar, but his attempt was stopped by Setkus, however, Davidzada gobbled up the rebound and put the ball into the back of the goal as Maccabi wrapped up the win and moved into first place with Hapoel Beer Sheva playing Beitar Jerusalem on Sunday night.
Matchday 20 of the Israel Youth Premier League Ligat Ha’Al featured Maccabi “Shachar” Tel Aviv hosting Bnei Sakhnin. The young Yellow & Blue began the day in second place just 2 points off the top of the table with 9 wins in 11 matches while the visiting Bnei Sakhnin were in 12th place. Head Coach Guy Tzarfati’s attack included Mufleh Shalata, Eyal Hen and William Agada.
The Starting XI featured Daniel Peretz in goal, Amit Glazer, Alon Shtrozberg, Fadi Najar, Yoav Hofmayster, Tamir Glazer, Tomer Altman, Eylon Almog, Mufleh Shalata, Eyal Hen and William Agada.
First Half
In the 4’ the Yellow & Blue almost took the quick lead when Shalata crossed the ball from the right to Hen, but the keeper was able to make the save, while ten minutes later Sakhnin striker Osame Halayla’s attempt from the top of the box went out. A minute later, Altman’s chance in the box was again saved by the Sakhnin keeper Oddo Akevan.
In the 24’ Almog tried his luck from long distance but Akevan made the stop while a minute later, Almog’s chance went over the bar. Altman’s 29’ opportunity was saved by Akevan from 20 meters as the young Yellow & Blue came closer to scoring.
And score they would in the 38’ off a counter attack as Hen took a through ball from the left wing and put it into the far corner of the goal for a 1:0 Maccabi lead. Agada and Almog each had chances to add to the lead before the end of the half but Akevan came up big again as the Yellow & Blue took a 1:0 lead into the break. Second Half
Maccabi “Shachar” continued to apply pressure and control the pace of the play. In the 63’ a terrific through ball made its way to Shalata, but his attempt was saved by Akevan, while ten minutes later Almog’s corner found Agada in the box but his header was stopped by the keeper.
In the 77’ Sakhnin looked to find the equalizer but the Maccabi defense took care of the threat. Six minutes later the Yellow & Blue almost doubled their lead as Altman sent a smart ball to Agada in the box but Akevan was again up to the task and sent the back our for a corner. Agada tried to put the ball over the keeper in the 90’ but his attempt missed the goal as Maccabi wrapped up a 1:0 win and moved into first place.
The best defense in the league
One of the most central factors in Hapoel Haifa’s prominence this season has been their defense. Nir Klinger’s side has only given up 17 goals in 23 league matches this campaign and together with Hapoel Beer Sheva are the two sides that have conceded the fewest goals this season. The first name that comes to mind is central defender Gabriel Tamaș who is considered to be a true leader on the back line for the Reds and he will have his contract extended with the club according to many media sources in the country.
Tamaș rank 6th in the league in successful tackles (182) and 5th in steals. The difference between the two categories is that a tackle is taking away the ball from the opponent’s feet while a steal means taking the ball away when being passed between players before it reaches the player’s feet. Veteran Niso Kapiloto is helping Tamaș out and he’s also having a terrific season anchoring the Haifa defense as he ranks 13th in tackles and 19th in steals. Pay attention to the counter attacks
Hapoel Haifa knows how to defend and that means they also know how to counter attack pretty well. They have scored 12 goals, ranking them second to Maccabi Netanya who have 15 via a counter. The Carmel Reds have also proven to be lethal on set pieces and have scored 3 goals, second to Beitar with five thanks to Claudemir.
Former Yellow & Blue players on the attack
After beginning with the Haifa defense and moving to their offense, let’s look at their attack a bit closer as their are some familiar faces that have helped fuel the Reds. Eden Ben Basat teams up with Alon Turgeman for Klinger’s squad as they have scored 8 (7th place) and 9 goals (3rd place) respectively.
During the January transfer window Hanan Maman moved to Hapoel Beer Sheva, but Haifa picked up a number of players including Gili Vermouth who will need to fill Maman’s large shoes. In fact, the former Maccabi midfielder scored his first goal for his new team last match in a 2:0 win over Maccabi Netanya.
Just ahead of the opening whistle for Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Matchday 24 Israel Premier League Ligat Ha’Al contest against Hapoel Haifa on Saturday night at 20:30 at the Netanya Stadium, Ori Sliman will be honored for his contribution to the Yellow & Blue defense during the 1970’s.
מועדון שחקני העבר: אורי סלימאן
Ori Sliman was promoted to the First Team by Head Coach Israel Halivner and made his debut against Hapoel Jerusalem two weeks before the end of the 1970/71 season. Sliman was not yet a member of the Maccabi squad that won the Asian Club Championship Cup two months earlier, but the following season he won his first title with the club as he celebrated the league championship after a season in which he made 21 league appearances. In fact he scored his first goal in the final match of the season, a 3-0 victory over Hapoel Petah Tikva.
As a youth player, Sliman played a more offensive role but in the First Team he earned the reputation of being a tough and effective defender. Over the course of his career with the club, Sliman won the double in the 1976/77 season and the championship in 1978/79. In 1982, Sliman left the team for the first time but returned for a second term shortly after the start of the 1984/85 season. He made one appearance for the Israel national team in a 2-1 victory over Holland’s Olympic squad.
The Maccabi Tel Aviv FC Foundation and Achim L’Semel invite you to help raise funds for food packages for the needy ahead of the Passover Holiday and you’ll also have the chance to receive some great Yellow & Blue gifts.
The more packages that are donated, the larger the project will be. Our goal is to help make the holiday as happy as possible for as many families as we can. Every Shekel donated will help make yet another family content for Passover.
How does it work?
Everyone wins: Choose a terrific gift from the following list, make the purchase and the money will go directly to buy a food package for a needy family or Holocaust survivor for the upcoming Passover Holiday.
On Friday March 23rd, just a day after the project concludes there will be a massive Happening together with “Pitchon Lev” similar to the food lacking event that as held for Rosh Hashana.
There will be players and representatives from the club and fans on hand to help pack up the boxes and deliver them to the recipients. You’re all invited!
Please note: All of the funds collected for the project will go directly to purchase food packages for the needy and cover base expenses. Contributions will not go to support other Foundation of Achim L’Semel programs.
* The contribution is tax-deductible. If you are interested in receiving a receipt for tax purposes under Section 46, please state this at the time of purchase.
Maccabi Tel Aviv’s Performance Director Patrick van Leeuwen and the Director of Sports Science Antonio Dello Iacono travelled to the city of Kyiv in the Ukraine and are taking part in the country’s Football Forum for 2018. The pair are presenting the philosophy of the club to over 125 Ukrainian coaches and youth department employees.
The 2018 Forum will take place from Thursday through Saturday and will deal with the following topics: Help improve the level of training for qualified coaches that work with youth and increase their general knowledge both on an organizational level and in training sessions as well as using modern technology when working with the professional staff.
Patrick van Leeuwen will present topics including football philosophy, football models and match style. Antonio Dello Iacono will discuss a) Football planning, from the world of science to the field of play; b) Practical work, football and fitness; c) Maintaining intensity in training sessions along with practical recommendations.
In addition, Anatoliy Buznik the General Secretary of the All-Ukraine Football Coaches Association will take part in the program together with Francesco Branca, the Chairman of the ethics committee of the FFU.
Goalkeeper: Iker Casillas
“In my opinion the best keeper in the world is Manuel Neuer, but I was a huge supporter of Casillas. In terms of titles, he won if all; the Champions League, domestic championships and trophies and of course the World Cup with the Spain National Team. He wasn’t that tall, but he was very quick and flexible with terrific instincts and it was a pleasure to watch him, especially for me as a keeper.”
Defender: Nemanja Vidic
“First off he’s from my country – Serbia. He played many seasons for Manchester United and played together with Rio Ferdinand and brought much success to the club. He was a fighter and battled to the last minute; he was never ready to lose. Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to play with him.”
Defensive Midfielder: Toni Kroos
“He’s an example of a player with perfect technique. He’s not the fastest or quickest but his passes always go to their intended targets while his free kicks are excellent. He’s a player that you want to have on your team.”
Attacking midfielder: Leo Messi
“In my opinion he’s the best player. Messi is truly a special talent and it’s always a treat to see him play.”
Striker: Jamie Vardy
There’s certainly greater strikers out there, but I chose him because of the way he got to where he is today. He went from the bottom all the way to the top of the Premier League. His championship with Leicester was fabulous and he’s still putting in quality seasons, proving that he belongs with the best of the best.”
The top of the table is tight with only a few points separating the top 4 teams and this Saturday night at 20:30 Maccabi Tel Aviv faces one of the closest rivals in the upper half of the Israel Premier League standings.
With the Championship playoffs right around the corner, the Yellow & Blue will host Hapoel Haifa in a huge contest at the Netanya Stadium. The club from the Carmel has returned to being a footballing force in Israel and over the course of the years, there have been some terrific matches between the two. Ahead of the latest chapter, let’s look back at some of those great games of the past.
1995/96: Hapoel Haifa 3:0 Maccabi Tel Aviv
Usually we don’t like to feature defeats, but this historic season had a traumatic beginning, but the trauma actually united the team and helped them go on to have one terrific campaign. In a match that Alon Brumer was lost due to a broken foot, many emotions came to the forefront. Maccabi ended the game with only 8 players, but this was only the first chapter against the Carmel Reds.
1995/96: Maccabi Tel Aviv 1:0 Hapoel Haifa
“I’m happy for the guys who fought for me,” Alon Brumer said after the win. This was the second match against Haifa during the season and it closed the circle after a difficult defeat in the first contest. After a tight battle, the Yellow & Blue were able to capture the 3 important points in the title fight. Check it out (minute 56:00)
1999/2000: Hapoel Haifa 2:4 Maccabi Tel Aviv
The two clubs were in the upper half of the table and what made this match stand out was Maccabi’s first half blitz. Despite being hosted by the prior season’s champions (Hapoel Haifa won the championship in 1998/99) in Haifa, the Yellow & Blue scored 4 goals in the first 45 minutes. WATCH:
2000/01: Hapoel Haifa 2:2 Maccabi Tel Aviv
The second Matchday of the season pitted the two foes against each other as Hapoel Haifa was still a strong side while Maccabi brought in Shlomo Sharf to man the sidelines. Unfortunately, the only highlight video available is missing the first goal, so we’ll remind you of what happened. Ofer Talker gave the host’s the lead in the 41’ which held up until the 83’ when the match broke wide open and the drama began. Grzegorz Wedzynski scored a screamer of a strike to even up the contest, however, Ami Azulay gave Haifa the lead in the 89’. But the last word was thanks to Kobi Refuah deep into injury time. The match is also remembered for the Shlomo Sharf and Avi Nimni’s interview which led to the early departure of the Head Coach.
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