Preview
Maccabi returned to Bloomfield stadium for the MD23 WINNER league match against Bnei Sakhnin knowing they need a victory to narrow the five-point gap from the top.
With only four matches left to play in the regular season before the Playoff kicks off, Zarko Lazetic’s side would like to build on last week’s victory away to Kiryat Shmona in order to string a successive victory streak.
Lazetic made two changes to his starting line up with Simon Sluga recovering from the injury that forced him off against Kiryat Shmona to keep his place in goal. Nemanja Stojic who scored a couple last week, was partnered by Stav Lemkin as the two central defenders in front of the Croatian custodian. Idan Nachmais on the right and Roy Revivo on the left completed Maccabi’s back-four. In the absence of Joris van Overeem who is serving a one-match-touchline ban, Lazetic named Issouf Sissokho to the anchorman role. Gabi Kanichowsky and Dor Peretz completed Maccabi’s midfield trio with Peretz leading the team out with the captain’s armband. Henry Addo whose only league goal was scored in the 4-0 victory over Bnei Sakhnin when both sides met in November, was named on one flank. Weslley Patati who scored his debut Maccabi goal in that game was named on the opposite wing. Dor Turgeman led the line aiming to add to his 9 league goals and 13 in all competitions.
On the bench alongside Roy Mishpati, Lazetic named Tyrese Asante, Eran Zahavi, Raz Shlomo, Yonas Malede, Elad Madmon, Ofir Davidzada, Ido Shahar and Osher Davida.
Prior to kickoff, a minute of applauds was held in memory of former player and team manager Moshe ‘Pepo’ Israeli who passed away last month at the age of 90.
First Half
Maccabi began the match on the front foot and came close to score inside the opening minute. A long ball out of defense picked Weslley Patati deep inside Sakhnin’s half before the Brazilian chested the ball and cut it for Dor Turgeman who couldn’t connect. A well drilled corner in the fifth minute left Stav Lemkin in an excellent position to score but the central defender snapped his shot to the wrong side of the post. Bloomfield stadium was on its feet in the 11th minute as Henry Addo chased what seemed like a lost cause before shrugging off a defender to keep it in play. Roy Revivo sent a cross into the area where Patati’s first attempt came off the post but his second was blasted into the roof of the net. Maccabi’s celebrations were short-lived as VAR took 3 minutes to spot the Brazilian winger in an offside position and disallow the goal. Two minutes later, Patati, had an even better chance to score as a pinpoint cross landed on his left foot but goalkeeper Mohamad Abu Nil dived to his right and saved.
Patati continued to look the most dangerous Maccabi player as his dual with Abu Nil continued with a series of corners right after the half hour mark. Maccabi edged closer towards the opener as Addo looked lively down the left created a chance for Turgeman who couldn’t pull the trigger. In the 41st minute Idan Nachmias was booked for a tackle, but VAR called referee Gal Leibovic to the screen. The yellow card was cancelled and replaced by a red one leaving Maccabi to continue with 10 players. Turgeman had two more chances as he first fired over before flashing a shot that rolled across the face of goal inside the 8 minutes of added time.
Second Half
Lazetic was forced to make a change at the restart as Tyrese Asante came on for Addo. Two minutes later, Nemanja Stojic burst forward from the halfway line before slipping the ball to Dor Peretz. But Sakhnin’s keeper Abu Nil charged off his goal line and dived at the feet of Maccabi’s captain to save.
Two minutes after the hour mark the deadlock was finally broken as Patati got his well-deserved goal. Sakhnin’s defense failed to clear the ball which reached Kanichowsky on the edge of the area before the diminutive midfielder flicked it to the Brazilian wizard who still had his work cut out as he rounded the keeper and fired home. Lazetic made his second change on the night as Ido Shahar came on for Peretz in the 72nd minute adding a fresh pair of legs into midfield.
In the 79th minute Simon Sluga pulled a stunning save as he was at full stretch to push over a shot by Alexandre Ramalingom which was making its way under the crossbar. But from the resulting corner Sakhnin managed to equalize as Abdallah Khaliakhal headed a corner that beat Sluga to make it 1-1. Maccabi’s response was quick and clinical as Kanichowsky burst forward and spotted Revivo’s overlap run. Revivo sent a perfect center into the patch of Patati who tapped home from the goalmouth to restore Maccabi’s lead on 83.
Victory was secured in the 86th minute as Turgeman forced a mistake from a Sakhnin midfielder before picking up the ball and firing the third last Abu Nil for the third. Patati and Turgeman were given a standing ovation as they came off and were replaced by Osher Davida and Eran Zahavi. Within a minute Zahavi received the ball just inside the area before sending a dipping shot which landed on the roof of the net.
