Eyal Golasa was part of the Yellow & Blue side that moved into first place thanks to the 1:0 victory against Hapoel Beer Sheva. The midfielder spoke about the refereeing, Eliran Atar’s goal and how the club went into the match versus Beer Sheva after a goalless draw the week before at Bnei Yehuda:

“I want to go back to the Bnei Yehuda match. We had enough chances to win that game but we had some bad luck. Bnei Yehuda is a team that is known to give the big sides problems. We came into this match knowing what we had to do with a lot emotions and with 100% effort and I’m happy that we did what we needed to to get the win.”

Open style of play:
“Every match against them is open but difficult as both sides are very good and we had to give it our all to win the game.

Looking ahead:
“We’re not happy that we aren’t in the Cup and we weren’t able to get past the last stage but now we are focusing on the league and our next match against Hapoel Acre. We have to go into that match the same way we came into this one. It will be a tough match.”

Importance of the fans:
“Beer Sheva has some excellent players and if we don’t come into the match with 120% effort then it will be very hard to defeat them. We prepared just as we do for every match. The fans were amazing and created a great atmosphere and we hope that it will continue that way.”

About Eliran Atar’s goal:
“Eliran is a great player and puts in so much during training, we all know what he can do.”

Helping each other out on the pitch:
“Melikson, Nwakaeme and Shahar are all terrific players and we know what they can do and we tried to close them down on that side because Micha is more of an offensive player and we had to help him. Everyone did their jobs and we took the game.”

In first place:
“If we begin to think like that then we will have a repeat of last season. We have to go into the Acre match focused like we did today and take the 3 points.”

Head Coach Jordi Cruyff’s belief in the squad:
“There’s no question that it gives everyone the feeling that he believes in everyone on the squad. I see everyone working hard and working together everyday at training and we want to do the best that we can.”

The refereeing:
“I’m not going to go into the refereeing as it’s not easy especially in a big game, but we all got together at halftime and said let’s put everything that happened aside and do what we need to in order to win the game and the answer was Eliran’s goal.”

Dor Micha, the Yellow & Blue midfielder and acting captain summed up his club’s 1:0 win over Hapoel Beer Sheva which moved Maccabi into first place:

“Matches against Beer Sheva are always spicy. This was a very important win and we’re very happy. It was a match of will and desire and the team that wanted it more was going to win. We wanted it more this evening.”

Playing in a free roll on the pitch:
“Jordi tries to keep me on a certain line during the match, but I give him a bit of a headache. He will decide where he wants me to be and I’ll do my best.”

Taking over first place:
“It doesn’t matter right now as there is a big battle for the league title this season. There are four very strong teams and it will go down to the wire. We have five critical matches until the playoff and we have to win all of them.”

Will the title battle be just against Beer Sheva?
“I don’t think so as Beitar is playing very well and Hapoel Haifa is showing a tremendous amount of character. If we continue to play the way we have been with a lot of desire then we will be ok and we will hold our destiny in our own hands.”

Jordi Cruyff, the Yellow & Blue Head Coach was pleased with his squad’s 1:0 victory over Hapoel Beer Sheva that moved Maccabi Tel Aviv into first place:

“I’m very happy with the effort of the players and fans. I think we deserved to win and I’m proud of the players but it’s just 3 points and we have to think about next week. Now that we’re there we have to maintain it.”

Starting Eliran Atar in place of Vidar Kjartansson:
“I felt that against Beer Sheva we have a lot of transition and not much arrivals from the wings. I felt that Vidar who is a prolific striker for us needs the service from the wings, We felt that Eliran doesn’t need much space to be dangerous. More than the goal I’m happy about his work performance.”

A marathon and the fans:
“It’s a marathon and it’s about getting the points. We are happy about today but next week it’s a difficult away game. We have to think game by game and stop thinking and dreaming and have stars in our heads. Talking gives us nothing. We need work performance and spirit to give us games like today where the union between the fans and the players is there. I hope that this gives the fans the motivation to fill the stadium because we really need them.”

The Yellow & Blue moved back into first place after defeating Hapoel Beer Sheva 1:0 on an Eliran Atar second half goal. John Ogu was sent off in the 24’ after shoving Avi Rikan while Yuval Shpungin also saw red as he collected his second yellow card in the 42’. Maccabi will now get ready for an away date at Hapoel Acre next Sunday night.

Head Coach Jordi Cruyff’s Starting XI included Serbian shot stopper Predrag Rajikovic in goal along with Yuval Shpungin, Eitan Tibi, Jean-Sylvain Babin, Ofir Davidzada, Dor Peretz, Eyal Golasa, Avi Rikan, Dor Micha the acting Captain, Nick Blackman and Eliran Atar.

Available on the bench were Daniel Tenenbaum, Tal Ben Haim, Vidar Kjartansson, Aaron Schoenfeld, Barak Itzhaki, Sheran Yeini and Cristian Battocchio.

First Half
Maccabi opened the match with a tremendous amount of energy and intensity as Peretz had the contest’s first chance with an attempt from long distance that missed the target to the left in the 2’. Nine minutes later, Golasa took the ball at the top of the box, turned and took a shot that Haimov picked up as the match began to be played primarily in the midfield.

Rikan took a shot from above the box in the 19’ as the ball hit the bar and bounced inside the goal before Beer Sheva keeper Guy Haimov picked it up as it looked like Maccabi took a 1:0 lead, but the goal line referee Eitan Shmuelevitz ruled that it did not cross the line. Five minutes later John Ogu was issued a yellow card and then was handed a red for shoving Rikan giving Maccabi a man advantage for the balance of the game. Prior to the fracas Shpungin and Ben Bitton also were shown yellow cards.

In the 34’ Golasa took a low liner from the top left of the box that Haimov sent out for a corner and Atar’s 41’ attempt was taken care of by the visiting shot stopper as well. A minute later, Shpungin was given his second yellow on a foul on Nwakaeme and was sent off as he was shown red leaving both team with ten men a piece. Micha sent an epic pass down to pitch to Atar who handed it off to an oncoming Davidzada but the defensive back put the ball over the bar while Atar also put his opportunity over the goal as the match went into the break goalless.

Second Half
Cristian Battocchio entered the match in the 46’ for Rikan. It didn’t take long for Maccabi to take the lead as Atar took a nifty pass from Micha in the box and put the ball behind Haimov for a 1:0 advantage in the 48’.

The Yellow & Blue continued to control the majority of play however, Rajikovic had to be sharp in the 67’ when he took care of a Guy Melamed opportunity. Aaron Schoenfeld came on for the goal scorer Eliran Atar a minute later as Cruyff looked to freshen up the attack. Battocchio sent a nice attempt towards Haimov in the 74’ but the ball just went wide left and at the other end of the pitch Melamed put a header on goal but the ball just cleared the bar to safety.

Matan Ohayon took a 20’ chance for Beer Sheva that deflected off a Maccabi defender and right to a waiting Rajikovic in the 78’ and one minute later Sheran Yeini came on for Eyal Golasa. Tibi’s 83’ header went to the left of the post and out and Loai Taha was shown his second yellow card and sent off in the 90’ as Maccabi wrapped up the 1:0 win to move back into first place.

There’s 28 days in February which makes it the shortest month of the year but there will be plenty of action and intensity throughout. Just ahead of the Beer Sheva match it’s time to open up your diaries and begin marking them up.

Also on the site
I was born here: Who grew up at Maccabi

February 4, Matchday 21: Maccabi Tel Aviv – Hapoel Beer Sheva (21:00)
Exactly one year ago Maccabi defeated Hapoel Beer Sheva 1:0 on the same Matchday at the same Netanya Stadium with the same coach on the sidelines in Jordi Cruyff as the Yellow & Blue host the table leaders for a chance to move into first place.

Are you planning on going to the match? Israel Railways and Maccabi Tel Aviv will make your trip as easy as 1-2-3! For all of the details Click Here.

February 11, Matchday 22: Hapoel Acre – Maccabi Tel Aviv (20:15)
Maccabi heads north to the Acre Stadium for a date with the last place side who are battling relegation.

February 17, Matchday 23: Maccabi Tel Aviv – Hapoel Raanana (16:00)
You’re invited to a Saturday afternoon of football for the whole family as there will be a fun happening at the Netanya Stadium ahead of the match with the hope that the fun will continue on the pitch for the Yellow & Blue.

February 24, Matchday 24: Maccabi Tel Aviv – Hapoel Haifa (20:30)
For the second week in a row Maccabi will be at home and will face Nir Klinger’s Hapoel Haifa. Last time the two sides met, Maccabi dropped two valuable points after they had been ahead 2:1. Will Cruyff’s squad pick up an important top of the table victory?

February 28. Get ready for a huge Purim celebration!
And while you’re already in the Purim mood why don’t you pick up a costume that will make sure that you’re a top of the line player at Kiryat Shalom. Purchase them right here.

And that’s not it!
After the smashing success of the “Identify Me” game on Instagram make sure to stay tuned to more contests and prizes on the club’s Official Social Networks. You haven’t joined them all? Now’s the right time to do just that!