Avi Rikan, the Yellow & Blue midfielder/defender spoke about his side’s 2:0 win over Bnei Yehuda on Matchday 7 of the Israel Premier League while also complimenting Vidar and Rajiko for advancing to the World Cup plus taking the points:

“We won and that’s what’s important. We know how we played today and we certainly look at how we performed, but we are still happy to take the points. There were matches that we may have played better but didn’t take the points, it was important that we won as we have a tough week ahead with a Europa League match on Thursday and a flight coming up. It’s always better to get ready for the next match after a win.”

Beginning of the season:
“We are just at the start of the season and we did play well in some of the games. Of course we are always happy to win even if we didn’t play our best. The draws and the win today came after we had played well, we just have to keep working hard and play well for the whole match. We need to know how to score when we do play well and even if we weren’t playing our best, we were working hard on the pitch. I’m happy we scored the second goal and that we didn’t give up any today.”

Injuries and illnesses:
“Unfortunately, injuries are part of football and it happens throughout the season, plus getting sick which we saw plenty this week. It happens and that’s why we have a large squad and everyone works hard. Some will play more, some less. We all hope that whoever is hurt will come back quickly and that there will be fewer injuries and illnesses.”

About Kjartansson and Rajikovic advancing to the World Cup with Iceland and Serbia respectively:
“We’re very happy for Vidar and for Rajiko that they were able to advance to the World Cup and his goal was a nice present too. We try to do the best we can for the strikers and that they can score but sometimes there are just periods where the ball isn’t going into the goal. Vidar has scored and will continue to score and we all know what he can do. We’re happy for him.”

Upcoming match against Astana:
“We have a very important match on Thursday and Astana is an excellent club that has also featured in the Champions League, so we will have to come into the contest ready to go because we have only one point after 2 matches. We will rest and come in ready to take home a good result on Thursday.”

His personal play:
“I played a lot in the midfield at the beginning of the season and Jordi knows where I can play. Due to Ofir Davidzada’s illness, who has been playing very well this season, I played as a defensive back and I gave it my all like I always do. The club knows what I can do in the midfield and I’m sure I’ll play there again this season. I’ll give it my all every second that I’m on the pitch.”

After advancing to the World Cup with Iceland, Vidar Kjartansson continued to find the back of the goal for the Yellow & Blue. The Icelander scored the winning goal in an important 2:0 victory over Bnei Yehuda:

“It was very important to win. We weren’t good enough in the first half, we had chances but couldn’t score. It was a very tough match, their keeper was in good shape but we showed character and I’m happy that we were able to win even though we weren’t at our best.”

Getting the results:
“We played well over the last few matches but we couldn’t get the results that we wanted. Today was the exact opposite. We have to find the right way to play well, punish our opponents and take advantage of our chances. It’s still good to win though after two draws and we have to continue like this.”

Advancing to the World Cup with Iceland:
“It’s fantastic to advance to the World Cup and we have had a great national team over the last few years. It’s pretty hard to believe that we did it and we had a pretty tough group. A lot of things came together for us. Now I have to make sure that I’m in good shape so I can be a part of the team that will go to Russia.”

Jordi Cruyff, the Yellow & Blue Head Coach addressed the media at the post match press conference after his squad defeated Bnei Yehuda 2:0 on Matchday 7 of the Israel Premier League at the Netanya Stadium:

“We played two steps backwards but 3 steps forward as we picked up 3 points. The last two league games we did play well but we only took 1 point. We would prefer to play good with energy but also take the win and the points. Bnei Yehuda is always a difficult opponent with difficult transitions. We wanted to be organized on defense and we had difficulties to create. All in all it was one of those games that you want to win and move on.”

The players:
“We don’t think about the first XI. We had a bunch of players who could play but we put pressure on some players that we wouldn’t normally have, for example Eliran Atar played two games with the national team one more offensive and one more defensive. We would have liked to have killed off the game but we needed to make a substitute.”

Game play:
“We tried to penetrate through the left side and we had Rikan play left back which is not easy to have a player to change positions to play. In the end we won 2:0 and the defense was solid, but we didn’t create enough chances.”

Dor Peretz’s performance:
“We asked him to sacrifice and hold the position and I thanked him after the game. He’s a young player and he had a tough job today. He may have lost a few balls like everyone else, but I’m happy as both he and Yeini helped pick up the clean sheet and stop the other team’s attack.”

Astana or Beer Sheva, what’s more important:
“The first one is most important. If you’d ask the fans you would hear that they would want to win the league but we have to look at the next game first and then Beer Sheva afterwards.”

Kazakhstan versus Israeli football:
“Kazakhstan has more money then any Israeli club. We saw that in Kairat and we see that at Astana which is a team with a good coach. It’s not a coincidence that they have done well in Europe, there is much more financial power in Kazakhstan than in Israel.”

Maccabi youth players impact:
“We had some players train with us in the preseason. Some are with us now due to injuries.”

The Yellow & Blue collected 3 points after defeating Bnei Yehuda 2:0 at the Netanya Stadium on Matchday 7 of the Israel Premier League. Vidar Kjartansson headed home a second half goal thanks to a magnificent pass by Cristian Battocchio while Nick Blackman put the ball right through Zoubas at the final whistle. Maccabi will now prepare to head to Astana for Matchday 3 of the Europa League Group Stages this Thursday at 18:00 Israel time.

Prematch
Jordi Cruyff’s Starting XI included Serbian keeper Predrag Rajikovic with a defensive quartet of Yuval Shpungin, Tal Ben Haim, Jean-Sylvain Babin and Avi Rikan. Captain Sheran Yeini manned the midfield with Dor Peretz and Cristian Battocchio while Omer Atzily, Eliran Atar and Vidar Kjartansson provided the attack.

Available on the bench were keeper Daniel Tenenbaum, Matan Baltaxa, Eitan Tibi, Tino Susic, Aaron Schoenfeld, Egor Filipenka and Nick Blackman.

First Half
Bnei Yehuda had the first chance of the match when Roie Gordana tried his luck from 16 meters to no avail in the 6’ while Maccabi’s opening opportunity came three minutes later when Atzily’s free kick found Kjartansson in the box but his header went wide of the goal. Vidar had another chance in the 16’ when he took a good ball from Shpungin but the keeper made the save.

Battocchio’s attempt from outside of the box was saved by the Bnei Yehuda keeper Zoubas in the 22’ while Ben Haim launched a screamer from far out but couldn’t find the back of the goal five minutes later. Maccabi continued to control the pace as Vidar had a couple of chances but the opening goal remained elusive for the Yellow & Blue as the sides went into the break goalless.

Second Half
With Vidar hunting for a goal, he finally found one thanks to a nice pass by Battocchio that #9 headed home behind Zoubas for the 1:0 lead in the 51’. The Yellow & Blue continued to control the play over the next 20 minutes but couldn’t find a way past the Bnei Yehuda defense. Cruyff made his first substitution in the 71’ to freshen up the attack as Nick Blackman was introduced for Omer Atzily.

Blackman had his first attempt of the evening from the right side of the box, but his 74’ effort went wide of the goal. Ben Haim was issued a yellow card for a reckless tackle right outside of the Maccabi box in the 76’ good for a dangerous free kick but Rajikovic was up to the task and made the save. Aaron Schoenfeld was Cruyff’s second substitute in the 78’ for Eliran Atar.

Vidar’s point blank scorcher was parried away by Zoubas in the 81’ as the match opened up. At the other end Gordana’s low attempt from the left side just skipped by Rajiko’s right post. In the 85’ Battocchio went into the box and gave Blackman a terrific pass but hit the ball right into Zoubas while the same Blackman had another chance a minute later but his attempt was saved again by the Bnei Yehuda shot stopper. Cruyff made his final substitute when he inserted Tino Susic for Battocchio in the 89’ as Maccabi scored one more goal right at the final whistle when Blackman put the ball right through Zoubas good for a 2:0 win.