Maccabi Tel Aviv will look to take home the State Cup on May 25th at Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem at 20:45 when they take on Bnei Yehuda in the Final. Tickets are on sale now for the general public.

Sales Points:
Beginning on Monday at 19:00: Via the Leaan Website – With a User ID
Beginning on Tuesday: Via telephone *8780 and the Leaan Ticket Agency Office located at 101 Dizengoff Street – 09:00-19:0

The match is being handled by the Israel Football Association and they are responsible for the stadium ticket allocation.

Seats:
Maccabi Tel Aviv fans will be seated in the East and North Sections of Teddy Stadium.
Category 1: East and Silver Section (Sections 18-21) Reserved Seating
Category 2: North Section (Sections 10-17) Unreserved Seating. This will be the only section in which cheering Tifo will be allowed.

Please note:

• You may purchase up to three tickets only.
• Anyone presenting a discounted tickets to enter the stadium will need to show proof that they are entitled to the discount (youth, soldier etc…) Any fan that is not entitled will be ejected from the stadium and will not be able to purchase a ticket at full price.
• Please make sure to buy tickets for the Maccabi Tel Aviv sections. The IFA has the right to eject a fan for sitting in the opposing club’s section.

It is recommended to collect the tickets in advance or Home Print them in order to save time on Matchday due to long lines at the Box Office.

Category 2
Telephone/Website
Adult Male – 93NIS
Woman/Child/Soldier – 49NIS

Leaan Ticket Office & Club Store
Adult Male- 88NIS
Woman/Child/Soldier – 44NIS

Category 1
Telephone/Website
Adult Male – 115 NIS
Woman/Child/Soldier – 60NIS

Leaan Ticket Office & Club Store
Adult Male- 110NIS
Woman/Child/Soldier – 55NIS

Silver Section
Telephone & Website – 170NIS
Leaan Ticket Agency Office/Club Store – 165NIS

Ticket Collection
Tickets may be collected at the Leaan Ticket Office located at 101 Dizengoff Street on Sunday-Thursday between 09:00-19:00 and on Friday between 09:00-13:30

Maccabi Tel Aviv fell this evening on the second to last Matchday as Maccabi Petah Tikva picked up a 2:1 win thanks to a 93rd minute goal. The Head Coach Lito Vidigal didn’t hide his dissatisfaction with his players performance on the pitch especially after Avi Rikan’s second goal in as many games that gave his side the lead.

“We didn’t play with our usual Starting XI but that’s not an excuse as to why we lost today. The performance today was not the way Maccabi should be playing. We had plenty of chances to score and we missed. We also played irresponsibly and that’s all the difference. Now the best thing is to begin thinking about the next match as this will be a totally different game and one that is very important to win before the State Cup Final. Today, I’m very disappointed with the character that the players showed and the fans don’t deserve this type of performance.”

The Captain, Sheran Yeini added: “We really don’t want to look this way prior to the State Cup Final, especially when we are trying to keep fit. We gave up a goal and then we gave up another. In the first half we also weren’t concentrating enough near the goal. We took out foot off of the gas. We tried to battle but it didn’t really work out the way we wanted it to.”

Avi Rikan opened the scoring for Maccabi, but two late goals, the first by Manor Solomon and the second deep into injury time by Lidor Cohen gave the win to the hosts. Next week Beitar Jerusalem will visit the Yellow & Blue to close out the regular season.

Prematch
Head Coach Lito Vidigal’s Starting XI had a number of wrinkles in it as Daniel Lifshitz began in goal for his first league contest of the season with a defensive quartet of Eli Dasa, Egor Filipenka, Eitan Tibi and Captain Sheran Yeini. Gal Alberman, Ruben Micael, Eyal Golasa, Avi Rikan, Sagiv Yehezkel and Vidar Kjaratansson rounded out the balance of the team.

Available on the bench were keeper Daniel Tenenbaum, Yuval Shpungin, Ramon Roma, Barak Itzhaki, Aaron Schoenfeld, Eliel Peretz and Yossi Benayoun.

First Half
After the two sides played some back and forth football for the first quarter hour, Manor Solomon had a chance from in close for Petah Tikva but he skied the ball over the goal. In the 21st minute, Dasa found Kjartansson but the striker’s opportunity was caught by the host keeper.

Five minutes later, Maccabi almost found the back of the goal when Micael’s free kick went into the box and Yeini headed it towards the goal but the ball was cleared off of the line by a Petah Tikva defender to keep the match goalless. In the 37th minute, Romario Pires tried his luck from 25 meters out but missed the target while seven minutes later Uri Magbo also unleashed a powerful shot from the same distance but the ball went wide of the goal as the sides went into the break goalless.

Second Half
Lidor Cohen took a shot from 10 meters out but Lifshitz was in place to make the save in the 51st minute while two minutes later the Petah Tikva keeper Yossi Ginsburg made a great one-on-one save as Kjartansson tried to beat the shot stopper.

In the 55th minute, Yossi Benayoun replaced Yehezkel while Itzhaki came on for Alberman. Two minutes later Rikan unleashed a powerful blast from the top of the box that just went wide left of the goal as the match remained deadlocked at 0:0.

However, it wouldn’t be deadlocked for much longer as Rikan would pick up his 2nd goal in as many games as he slammed home the ball from in close after receiving a pass from Dasa to give Maccabi a 1:0 lead in the 59th minute. Dasa had a chance of his own on the 71st minute but his opportunity floated over the goal.

Two minutes later, Manor Solomon slotted the ball by Lifshitz to draw Petah Tikva even at 1:1. Vidigal then made his third substitution bringing on Aaron Schoenfeld in place of Vidar Kjartansson in the 78th minute. As the match headed deep into injury time Lidor Cohen beat Lifshitz to give Petach Tikva the 93rd minute winner.

Maccabi Tel Aviv will attempt to keep up the positive momentum when they take on Maccabi Petah Tikva on Matchday 35 of the Ligat Ha’Al Championship Playoffs. This will be the seventh time the clubs will be kicking off this campaign as they’ve played each other in the State Cup, Toto Cup and in the League.

Name That Game! Check out this fantastic Maccabi Trivia Quiz!

Tic-Tal-Toe Maccabi Style!

Who is in the squad?
As you’re aware, Maccabi Tel Aviv will be playing in the State Cup Final against Bnei Yehuda and it will be interesting to see who will be playing for Head Coach Lito Vidigal in this match as he may rotate the players. Both Dor Micha and central defender Tal Ben Haim won’t be available due to yellow card accumulation and Vidigal is also aware that there are three players whom may miss the State Cup Final should they receive a yellow card in this evening’s match – Predrag Rajikovic, Eitan Tibi and Avi Rikan. Maccabi has collected 72 points so far this season in Ligat Ha’Al action.

Maccabi Petah Tikva needs to record a victory should they have a chance to remain in the picture for third place and a guaranteed spot in Europa League qualification. Currently, Petah Tikva sits in 4th place and any result other than a win will eliminate them from third place contention. Central defender Elisson dos Santos and striker Guy Melamed will not be available for Koby Refuah’s squad.

What did they say?
Prior to the match Head Coach Lito Vidigal said: “Sometimes I make changes and there are moments that I need to make a certain change because I don’t have all of the players to choose from. I believe in all of the players that are here and they are all professionals who will give everything that they have. They know that they are in a big team and they have to take advantage of the chances that they have. All the games that are left are very important and we want to win all of the games.”

Eliel Peretz also was present at the press conference and said: “We work hard at training and we wait for our chance to perform on the pitch, it’s as simple as that. When you don’t play it’s always disappointing as you always want to be in the picture. Of course I was upset that I didn’t play earlier in the year but that is part of football. Everyone helps out and supports one another. We are always together as a team.”

Did you know?
Maccabi has won seven of the last 8 matches they’ve played against Maccabi Petah Tikva.
In the last 6 of seven matches, Maccabi has scored two goals or less per game. Kjaratansson, the club’s leading scorer needs just one more goal for a total of 20 in league play.