Tal Ben Haim, the Yellow & Blue central defender looked back at the State Cup Final with disappointment as his side lost to Bnei Yehuda 4:3 on penalties. Number 26 looked ahead while also looking back on the season that was:

“Of course one of my goals when I came back to Maccabi Tel Aviv was to win titles. Unfortunately over the last two seasons were close to winning but somehow we missed the opportunity when it was the moment of truth. The League, the State Cup Final twice, Europa League at the last moment, it’s certainly disappointing but we have to lift up our heads quickly and come back even stronger.”

Looking forward:

“I am not one who looks for excuses and I always look in the mirror and ask myself what I could have done better. You could say it was changing the coaches and you can say many things. At the end of the day we just weren’t good enough in the moment of truth. We have to look at ourselves and get ready for next season.”

Continuing at Maccabi:

“Let’s see, we have the summer now and we will see what will be.”

Disappointment:

“Of course it was very disappointing. Someone who has taken a penalty knows what it feels like when you miss. We wanted to give the fans something in return. They came and put on a great show. For the families and fans it was very disappointing but that’s football. Congratulations to Bnei Yehuda and we will lift up our heads and prepare the way we have to. We didn’t win the Cup and we can only blame ourselves.”

The State Cup Final went to penalties as Maccabi Tel Aviv wound up on the wrong side of a 4:3 shootout to Bnei Yehuda. Yossi Benayoun could have handed the Cup to the Yellow & Blue but he was one of the players who missed their opportunity:

“Of course we are very disappointed. Both from the standpoint of the club as well as personally because I could have scored the winning penalty. That’s part of football. Penalties are 50/50. We should have never gone to penalties and could have won the match earlier on. Congratulations are in order for Bnei Yehuda, there’s nothing you can do because there is always one side who will be happy and one side who will be disappointed.”

About the penalty miss:
“I actually had a good feeling before taking the penalty kick and I told myself that if I score then we will win the Cup. Even after I missed I still believed, but unfortunately we missed three penalties and that’s too many. Penalties are a lot of luck, there’s nothing you can do.”

About the match itself:
“Bnei Yehuda fought from the first moment of the match. It’s true that we are a better club on paper. We controlled the ball but we didn’t get many good chances. When you don’t score the game balances out. There was a feeling that the match would go to penalties because there weren’t many opportunities and there are matches like that. Of course I wanted to end the season with a title. There’s no question that I’m not disappointed that I came here.”

Maccabi Tel Aviv ended the 2016/17 season this evening on a down note as the Yellow & Blue fell to Bnei Yehuda 4:3 on penalties after playing 120 minutes of 0:0 football. At the end of the match Lito Vidigal summed up the evening:

“First I’d like to give credit to Bnei Yehuda for winning the Cup. We didn’t score and we lost on penalties in the Final. I know it’s not an excuse but we deserved a penalty in extratime. Perhaps of the referee would have given us a penalty we could have won the Cup. We have to now look forward.”

Falling in the final:
“It was a failure like last season. I’ve been working here for three months and we did some good things, we improved and we made it to the Final but we didn’t win the Cup. This was the goal and we really wanted to win the Cup but it didn’t happen. I apologize to the fans that came in huge numbers to support us, we just were unlucky.”

More on the final:
“I still feel that if I would have come earlier the results would have been better. Of course there is my part also, but I’m the third coach this season and it’s difficult. We failed because we didn’t take the Cup. But to getting to the Final is also important.”

Remaining as coach:
“Yes, I’m here to work and that is what I am thinking about. I have my responsibilities and I don’t like to blame others.”

Maccabi Tel Aviv came up short and fell to Bnei Yehuda in penalties 4:3 after 120 minutes of goalless play. Stav Finish scored the winning penalty handing the State Cup to the Yellow & Blue’s city rivals.

Prematch
Head Coach Lito Vidigal’s Starting XI included Serbian shot stopper Predrag Rajikovic along with a defenders Eli Dasa, Tal Ben Haim, Eitan Tibi and Captain Sheran Yeini. Gal Alberman anchored the midfield while Ruben Micael and Eyal Golasa provided support in the middle of the pitch while Dor Micha, Tal Ben Chaim and Vidar Kjartansson played in front.

Available of the bench were keeper Daniel Lifshitz, Aaron Schoenfeld, Avi Rikan, Egor Filipenka, Ramon Roma, Oscar Scarione and Yossi Benayoun.

Bnei Yehuda’s Starting lineup featured Emilios Zobas, Maor Kandil, Tal Kabila, Marko Jovanovic, Sean Goldberg, Antonio Mrsic, Tijan Jaiteh, Yonatan Cohen, Alon Turgeman, Nerijus Valkskis, Roie Gordana. Substitutes included Nikita Haikin, Stav Finish, Almog Bozaglo, Itzik Azuz, Pedro Galvan, Daniel Avital and Shay Konstantini.

First Half
After almost ten minutes of midfield play, Ben Chaim took a sharp angled shot from the right side that Zubas was able to save to keep the match goalless early on. Two minutes later, Micael’s corner went out to Alberman at the top of the box but his long range effort was wide left of the goal.

With Maccabi controlling the ball for much of the next 20 minutes they had a number of free kicks and corners that couldn’t find the target. In the 32nd minute, Micha left Golasa a perfect ball at the top of the box but his attempt just missed the top left hand corner of the goal as the score remained 0:0.

In the 34th minute, Bnei Yehuda had a counter attack down the pitch but Yonatan Cohen’s effort flew over the goal and out. Ten minutes later Micael again was in the thick of the action but Kjartansson was a bit too late for his cross as the sides went into the break even at 0:0.

Second Half
Micael featured once again at the start of the second half as his corner was headed just wide of the goal by Yeini with Maccabi looking to break the deadlock. Following a Mrsic yellow card in the 54th minute, Alberman took a low shot that just scooted by the left post. Rajikovic came up big in the 60th minute when he was called upon to make a fantastic save on Mrsic’s sharp angled shot, while a minute later Bnei Yehuda threatened again but Turgeman’s chance went out, wide of the goal.

Alberman took a chance from long distance but skied the ball over the bar in the 67th minute and one minute later Micael turned at the top of the box but put the ball wide right of the goal. In the 79th minute Bnei Yehuda came racing down the pitch with numbers but Valkskis shot the ball to the left of the goal and out. A minute later Micael picked up a yellow card as Maccabi kept pressing for a goal.

In the 81st minute, Dasa tried his luck from long range but Zobas made the save while three minutes later Avi Rikan was introduced in favor of Ruben Micael. With the contest entering the 89th minute, Yeini took a ball in the box but his left footed effort went just over the bar while Micha’s opportunity one minute later just missed wide right as the contest went into extratime.

Extratime
Almog Bozaglo had the first chance of the extratime period but Rajikovic was up to the task and made the save in the 99th minute. One minute later, Yossi Benayoun came in for Micha as Coach Vidigal made his second substitute of the match. Golasa was pulled down in the box on the next play in what looked to be good for a penalty but the referee decided otherwise and issued number 23 a yellow card instead.

As the match hit the 105th minute Alberman was handed a yellow card for a reckless tackle and as the referee added a minute of injury time to the first half of extratime Kjartansson’s effort just went over the bar.

Oscar Scarione came on in the 108th minute in place of Tal Ben Chaim while Bnei Yehuda had a chance to break the ice in the 110th minute but Mrsic’s header was off target. Two minutes later Scarione lofted a terrific ball into the box but Kjartansson’s header was off the mark as the match remained goalless through the balance of the second extratime period forcing the contest to penalties.

Penalties
Alberman Goal
Valkskis Save
Rikan Goal
Jovanovic Goal
Kjartansson Goal
Bozaglo Goal
Scarione Save
Gordana Save
Benayoun Save
Cohen Goal
Ben Haim Save
Finish Goal

Bnei Yehuda wins the Israel State Cup.

Unfortunately due to business and personal matters I cannot be at the Cup Final. I will however be watching from Toronto as I do all games when I cannot be present.

We have had a difficult season. We must try and end it on a high note and then look forward.

Over the last 7 years my focus has been to build a team of high skill, and more importantly a team of character; meaning a team that fights every minute, that shows respect for the Maccabi shirt, respect for teammates, staff and fans. This is the Maccabi that interests me and which I believe the fans deserve. In this spirit I look forward to watching our team fight for the State Cup at Teddy and make us all proud.

It continues to give me satisfaction to see the unwavering support of our fans and I know that with this support we are capable of achieving many great things, today and in the future.

I look forward to being in Israel as soon as possible and in the meantime Yalla Maccabi!

Mitch

1995/96 Season: Maccabi completes the Double with 4 goals against Ironi Rishon Le’Zion