Category: News
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Patati: “Maccabi is like a family to me”
The 21-year-old Brazilian who scored his 11th goal in all competitions this season said at the end of the match: “I am delighted with the victory at a match which was very important for us. I hope we continue this way all the way to the championship. It was a vey important match, but there are eight matches still left to play. Every match is very important. We must remain focused but we can still be happy and celebrate the victory today.”
“We have a very good team” Patati said: “We are working very hard every day in order to play this way. We played well and I would like us to continue this way.”
When asked to compare life in Israel and Brazil, Patati added: “The atmosphere at matches are similar, stadiums are full and I would like to thank our fans who travelled here and helped us win the match today.”
Patati who joined Maccabi in the summer from Santos, said of his future plans: “I have a three year contract so I am here. I leave such matters for my agent but I would like to continue playing here as I am very happy here. Maccabi is like a family to me – everyone is helping me all the time including the fans”
Lazetic sums up the victory
Maccabi beat Beersheva 3-1
Preview
Maccabi arrived at Turner stadium for the top of the table clash against leaders Hapoel Be’ersheva trailing the hosts by a point in the table. One match into the Playoff, Zarko Lazetic’s side have 60 points from 27 matches while Be’ersheva who had a point deducted by the IFA disciplinary court are on 61. Lazetic who guided Maccabi to a 1-0 victory over Be’ersheva at Bloomfield and saw his side held to a 2-2 draw at Turner was aiming to record a victory at the toughest ground in the league.
Raz Shlomo partnered Nemanja Stojic as the two central defenders in front of goalkeeper Simon Sluga. Tyrese Asante and Roy Revivo completed Maccabi’d defensive line on the right and left respectively. Issouf Sissokho in the anchorman role was named at the bottom of the midfield trio that included Gabi Kanichowsky and Dor Peretz. The 29-year-old whose winning goal in May 2018 inflicted Be’ersheva their first ever domestic defeat at Turner stadium, returned from suspension to lead the team out with the captain’s armband. Weslley Patati recovered from an ankle injury and was back in the side on one wing with Osher Davida who scored Maccabi’s opener against Hapoel Haifa before the international break, was named on the opposite flank. Dor Turgeman led the line aiming to increase his goal tally and inflict Be’ersheva their first home defeat this season.
On the bench Lazetic named goalkeeper Roi Mishpati, alongside Stav Lemkin, Idan Nachmias, Eran Zahavi, Joris van Overeem, Elad Madmon, Ofir Davidzada, Hisham Layous and Ido Shahar.
First Half
Maccabi’s players seemed unphased by the sea of red and wall of noise created by the home fans at Turner stadium. The 1530 Maccabi fans who packed the north east corner of the stadium were in a state of delirium after 10 minutes as Wesley Patati Maccabi put Maccabi infront. Raz Shlomo sent a long ball out of defence which Helder Lopez tried to head back to his keeper but Osher Davida latched on the loose ball and charged forward. With only the keeper to beat Davida opted to roll the ball past Niv Eliasi who saved but Patati reacted first and headed in the rebound from point blank range. Five minutes after Maccabi’s opener Dor Turgeman was cautioned by referee Orel Grinfeeld for going down in the box too easily.
In the 23rd minute Guy Mizrahi stopped Patati’s counter attack with a tackle that Grinfeeld ignored but was called by the VAR to the screen before sending off the former Maccabi Youth Academy graduate to leave the hosts with 10 men. A minute after the half hour mark Maccabi were awarded a free kick near the byline as Lopez tripped Davida. Patati turned from scorer to provider as he sent a pinpoint cross to the far post which was met by a Dor Peretz header that doubled Maccabi’s lead and silenced Turner.
Maccabi increased the lead to 3-0 as Peretz found Davida with acres of space down the right before the winger charged forward and squared to Patati who side footed the ball home for his second and Maccabi’s third. Inside injury time Maccabi came inches away from a fourth as Peretz tried a shot from the edge of the area which took a deflection to beat Eliasi but struck the crossbar and bounced out.
Second Half
While Lazetic kept his side unchanged, his opposite number Ran Kuzukh made a double substitution with Matan Baltaxa and Yoni Stoyanov replacing Eliel Peretz and Iuri Medeiros at the restart. Two minutes into the second half Be’ersheva cut the deficit as Kings Kangwa picked the ball inside his own area and ran almost the entire length of the pitch before exchanging passes with Dan Biton and rifling a shot into the top corner.
Lazetic made his first change as Elad Madmon came on for Dor Turgeman on 59. Roy Revivo nutmegged Be’ersheva opponent to break into the area but saw his effort saved by the keeper. Lazetic made two more changes in the 75th minute as Sissokho and Patati bowed out and were replaced by Joris van Overeem and Eran Zahavi for the closing stages. In the 86th minute Lazetic made two more changes as Tyrese Asante and Davida were replaced by Idan Nachmias and Hisham Layous.
Madmon could have increased the lead as he charged into the area but was stopped by Eliasi who also saved Zahavi’s powerful drive but nothing could dampen the mood at the final whistle
A numbers game: Maccabi arrives at Turner
Maccabi and Be’ersheva played each other in the league on 164 occasions with Maccabi winning 64, Be’ersheva winning 31 while 39 matches ended in a draw. The total goal tally currently stands on 189-113.
Be’ersheva hosted Maccabi for 65 matches, with Maccabi winning 24 league matches away from home while Be’ersheva won 21. Maccabi is the only team in the league with a positive record away to Be’ersheva out of the 26 clubs who played away to Be’ersheva for five matches or more.
Maccabi’s record in the 17 matches which were hosted at Turner since it was opened currently stands on 5 victories, 5 draws and 7 defeats.
The highest victory at Turner was a 6-1 Toto Cup rout on the opening match of the 2023/24 season with Eran Zahavi (3), Yonatan Cohen, Dor Peretz and Dan Biton scoring the goals.
Maccabi’s highest victory in the league at Tuner was 4-0 on the final day of the 2018/19 season. An own goal by John Ogu, Yonatan Cohen, Avi Rikan and Eli Dasa scored Maccabi’s goals.
Eighty-three Maccabi players featured against Be’ersheva in the league.
Dor Peretz holds Maccabi’s appearance record at Turner with 10 while Ofir Davidzada and Avi Rikan featured 9 matches each.
Twelve players scored for Maccabi in the league at Turner. Eran Zahavi, Dor Peretz and Yonatan Cohen scored 2 goals each.
Be’ersheva’s coach Ran Kuzukh faced Maccabi 7 times in the league of which Maccabi won 4, drawn 2 and lost 1.
Maccabi and Be’ersheva locked horns in the Playoff for 24 matches of which Maccabi won 10, lost 6 while 8 matches were drawn.
Under the current league format Maccabi met Be’ersheva for the second Playoff match (MD28) four times. In 2014 and in 2015 Maccabi hosted the fixture at Bloomfield winning both matches twice. A Barak Badash brace in 2014 led Maccabi a 2-0 victory and in 2015 an Eran Zahavi brace and a goal by Tal Ben Chaim gave Maccabi a 3-1 victory. Be’ersheva hosted the fixture in 2016 (1-1) and 2017 (0-1).
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Kanichowsky: “It is a key match, and everyone are excited”
Maccabi return to league action from the international break with a top of the table clash away to leaders Hapoel Be’ersheva on Monday. Zarko Lazetic’s side beat Be’ersheva 1-0 when both sides met at Bloomfield earlier this season and were held to a 2-2 draw at the corresponding fixture at Turner. Maccabi are currently on 60 points at second place with the best away record in the league, one point adrift of Be’ersheva who are unbeaten at home.
Gabi Kanichowsky, who faced the media for the pre-match press conference spoke of the importance of the match in the context of the title race. “It is a key match, but there are several matches still left to play. Be’ersheva must still travel and play us at home. Obviously, we would like to be top, so it will be a very good and interesting match.” The 27-year-old midfielder who was left out of Israel’s squad that played Estonia and Norway and enjoyed some time off during the international break, reflected: “We are used to this, it happens every year, there is plenty of motivation when you receive a week off. You return hungrier as we are facing the final run-in, so this holiday is good. It is a key match and everyone is excited.”
Kanichowsky who played 185 matches for Maccabi in all competitions and has won several trophies at Maccabi, rejected claims that the hunger is something exclusive for his teams’ opponents: “I am just as excited as I was last season and even hungrier than last season despite winning the league title together with several players here. You want to win the championship in every year and this season is no different. I am sure the other side also wish to do so as well. We are experienced and know to deal with crucial matches, but it will be tough, and we must come prepared.”
Kanichowsky remained with his feet firmly on the ground as he added: “Be’ersheva were top spot until now and deserve a lot of credit, while we were competing in Europe, yet the gap remained minimal, so we also deserve some respect. We know that people tend to disrespect Maccabi Tel Aviv, but we also know what we are worth. Tomorrow, we want to just turn it around.”
Kanichowsky, who this season scored 3 and assisted 12 more goals in 40 appearances in comparison to 11 and 11 in 53 matches during the previous campaign, reflected: “What I am contributing to this team is just like last season if not more. The media tends to look at the numbers, it is there given right but I am focused on my own game and know what I am worth. I think that the coach also knows what I am worth, so I am ok with that.”
Maccabi return to league action from the international break with a top of the table clash away to leaders Hapoel Be’ersheva on Monday. Zarko Lazetic’s side beat Be’ersheva 1-0 when both sides met at Bloomfield earlier this season and were held to a 2-2 draw at the corresponding fixture at Turner. Maccabi are currently on 60 points at second place with the best away record in the league, one point adrift of Be’ersheva who are unbeaten at home.
Gabi Kanichowsky, who faced the media for the pre-match press conference spoke of the importance of the match in the context of the title race. “It is a key match, but there are several matches still left to play. Be’ersheva must still travel and play us at home. Obviously, we would like to be top, so it will be a very good and interesting match.” The 27-year-old midfielder who was left out of Israel’s squad that played Estonia and Norway and enjoyed some time off during the international break, reflected: “We are used to this, it happens every year, there is plenty of motivation when you receive a week off. You return hungrier as we are facing the final run-in, so this holiday is good. It is a key match and everyone is excited.”
Kanichowsky who played 185 matches for Maccabi in all competitions and has won several trophies at Maccabi, rejected claims that the hunger is something exclusive for his teams’ opponents: “I am just as excited as I was last season and even hungrier than last season despite winning the league title together with several players here. You want to win the championship in every year and this season is no different. I am sure the other side also wish to do so as well. We are experienced and know to deal with crucial matches, but it will be tough, and we must come prepared.”
Kanichowsky remained with his feet firmly on the ground as he added: “Be’ersheva were top spot until now and deserve a lot of credit, while we were competing in Europe, yet the gap remained minimal, so we also deserve some respect. We know that people tend to disrespect Maccabi Tel Aviv, but we also know what we are worth. Tomorrow, we want to just turn it around.”
Kanichowsky, who this season scored 3 and assisted 12 more goals in 40 appearances in comparison to 11 and 11 in 53 matches during the previous campaign, reflected: “What I am contributing to this team is just like last season if not more. The media tends to look at the numbers, it is there given right but I am focused on my own game and know what I am worth. I think that the coach also knows what I am worth, so I am ok with that.”
