Ofir Davidzada, the Yellow & Blue left defender looked back at the 0:0 draw against Maccabi Haifa while also commenting on the fine display that the club put on at the Netanya Stadium:

“We had a good match with a lot of chances and we are already looking forward to the next game. We were very happy with how we played. However, we have many matches left in the season.

Happy with the performance:
“We had many chances but these things happen when you can’t find a goal. But we are happy with our performance and we want to continue to improve.”

His personal efforts:
“I’m getting better match by match and I feel good. I’m trying to help the club as much as I can by working hard in training and on the pitch. It’s the effort that I have put in my whole career and I’ve felt good from the first day; that’s what is most important to me personally.”

The Yellow & Blue Head Coach Jordi Cruyff looked back at his side’s 0:0 draw at the Netanya Stadium on Matchday 5 of the Israel Premier League Ligat Ha’Al. The boss spoke about his teams’s performance, his sending off and how the Maccabi players coped going a man down:

“We were dominant with 11 and held great possession. The red card was a kind of a test for how the players would react playing behind with 10 men and we had to drop back a bit. All in all it was a very good game for Maccabi to build on. I am very satisfied from the effort and the character of the team as well as the attitude and will to win.”

His sending off after the red card to Ben Haim:
“I wanted to know who made the decision and it’s not such a strange question to ask who made the call for the red card. I don’t think that this is important tonight. I said to the players I was happy and proud and we should be satisfied. The fans were amazing and pushed the team forward. I can live with the result.”

Did Ben Haim deserve the red card:
“It was probably correct but I have to see the replay.”

Villarreal match in Europa League action on Thursday:
“It’s a totally different competition and you can’t compare any team in Israel with a Spanish club. We have to reset and continue to improve on a weekly basis.”

Substituting Nick Blackman for Vidar late in the match:
“The 3 front players had a lot of importance today both on the attack and to support the midfield. Sometimes the players get tired and need to be refreshed.”

About Eliran Atar:
“He played a good game and he’s always dangerous when he has a chance to shoot but their keeper made a few good saves.”

Changes when playing with 10 men:
“I thought they were playing well and Yeini is a player that can play anywhere. He dropped back and so did Battocchio along with Rodriguez.”

Final thoughts on Maccabi’s play:
“The team in general played well. With 10 men you need players that will sacrifice instead of going forward but to also fall back.”

The Yellow & Blue dominated play both prior to and after Tal Ben Haim’s late first half red card but couldn’t find the back of the Greens goal as the sides split the points on Matchday 5. Maccabi will now prepare for their Thursday night Europa League clash against Spanish outfit Villarreal at the Netanya Stadium.

Head Coach Jordi Cruyff’s Starting XI featured Predrag Rajikovic in goal with a defense of Ofir Davidzada, Tal Ben Haim, Jean-Sylvain Babin and Yuval Shpungin. Captain Sheran Yeini, Jose Rodriguez and Cristian Battocchio anchored the midfield while Eliran Atar, Omer Atzily and Vida4 Kjartansson provided the attack.

Available on the bench were keeper Daniel Tenenbaum, Avi Rikan, Eitan Tibi, Barak Itzhaki, Dor Peretz, Tino-Sven Susic and Nick Blackman.

First Half
After ten minutes of back and forth football, Yeini headed the ball into the Haifa post for Maccabi’s first chance of the contest, while Atzily tested the Haifa keeper from 30 meters but Omri Glazer made a fabulous save by tipping the ball over the bar in the ‘18. Atzily again led the attack down the left flank and crossed the ball into the box, but couldn’t find his intended target a minute later.

In the 22’ Aztliy went into the box and back-heeled the ball to Atar but his screamer went off of the left post. 8 minutes later, Atzily slotted the fall to Vidar in the middle of the box but his attempt just went wide right of the goal as Maccabi continued to apply all kinds of pressure. Atar and Atzily teamed up in the 41’ but couldn’t find the back of the goal and then 3 minutes later bad news for the Yellow & Blue struck. Ben Haim gave up the ball to Nikita Rukavysta and then pulled down the Green’s striker on his way to the Maccabi goal and was issued a red card while Jordi Cruyff was ejected from the match.

Atzily dribbled into the box and went by a couple of Haifa defenders but came up short on his attempt as the half came to an end with the sides goalless.

Second Half
Following ten minutes of Maccabi control, Haifa had a chance as Caio just missed the goal while the Yellow & Blue came back the other way as Atzily gave a brilliant ball to Atar who tried to send it to Vidar but the Greens defense cleared the danger. In the 63’ Battocchio tried a long attempt from 30 meters but the ball just went wide.

Nick Blackman was introduced in the 73’ in favor of Vidar as Maccabi freshened up the offense playing one man down. Atzily sent a smart shot on goal in the 77’ but Glazer made the save while at the other end Sinteyehu Sallalich’s chance was stopped by Rajikovic. Haifa then had former Maccabi man Omri Ben Harush sent off with a second yellow card in the 80’.

Battocchio unleashed a scorcher from 25 meters out that just went by the left post one minute later. Blackman then went into the box and slotted the ball to Atar on the left but Glazer made a brilliant kick save in the 87’ as Avi Rikan came into the match for Omer Atzily. Davidzada took a chance right after the substitute from long distance but his shot went out as the match came to an end with the Yellow & Blue taking home a point.

Maccabi Tel Aviv takes on Maccabi Haifa in Israel Premier League Ligat Ha’Al Matchday 5 action on Sunday at 21:00 at the Netanya Staidum just four days before the Europa League clash against Villarreal. Jordi Cruyff and Yuval Shpungin were present at the prematch press conference:

Shpungin: “We want to win every match”

Players who left to go to Haifa:
“We are professionals and we don’t really focus on the players who are playing against us. Of course we are friends nd we like each other but that has nothing to do with the match.”

The rivalry:
“There isn’t a club that likes to lose to Maccabi. Haifa is a big club but it’s still a match for 3 points. We want to win every match.”

About Eliran Atar facing his former club:
“We haven’t discussed it much and I’m sure he isn’t thinking much about it either.”

His health status:
“I’m training as usual and I don’t have any issues.”

Welcome to 5778. After closing out 5777 in style, it’s time to look ahead to the new Jewish Year and what a way to begin it with an Israeli Football Classico against Maccabi Haifa.

There is a saying that “prophecy was given to fools” so we decided not to take a chance but to look back at Maccabi’s Jewish New Year opening Matchdays to see what history tells us.

The match against Maccabi Haifa will be the 69th Matchday to open the new Jewish year. As of the now the record stands at 34 wins, 16 draws and 18 losses.

From the year 5768 let’s go back to 5712. Why do you ask? Maccabi recorded their biggest win ever on the first Matchday of the New Year when Yosele Merimovitch and his Yellow & Blue side defeated Maccabi Rishon Le’Zion 9:1.

In fact, Merimovitch also scored the most goals by any other player in an opening Matchday.

In 5755 Yuri Shukanov slotted home the fastest goal in the first Matchday of the new Jewish year when he scored in the 1st minute of a 2:1 win over Maccabi Netanya.

Let’s get back to Maccabi Haifa and opening Matchdays. This will be the 8th time that the Greens will be Maccabi’s opponent to begin the Jewish New Year and will join Maccabi Netanya with 8 as the Yellow & Blue’s most frequent opponent.

In short:
The Jewish New Year matches are split up as follows: 45 league matches, 8 Cup contests, 7 Toto Cup games and 6 European tilts.

The Club’s first ever Champions League Group Stage match was played against Bayern Munich on Rosh Hashana 5765, the first day of the Jewish New Year.

The most fans to attend the first Matchday of the Jewish year was in 5732 as 21,000 spectators witnessed a 1:0 win over Maccabi Netanya.