Preview
On the back of the 6-1 victory over Maccabi Netanya, Maccabi arrived at the Sammy Ofer stadium in Haifa for the penultimate league match of the 2024/25 season. The emphatic 22nd league victory in 34 matches, took Maccabi’s point tally of 74 and the goal difference of 78-36 to +42. Be’ersheva’s 4-1 victory over Maccabi Haifa took their point tally to 74, and their goal difference of 69-27 also to +42. But as the next deciding factor is matches won, Be’ersheva currently have the edge as they lead the table by a solitary victory in one of the tightest title races in the history of Israeli football.
Zarko Lazetic made a single change to the side that won at Netanya as Weslley Patati returned after completing his one-match touchline ban. Simon Sluga who made his league debut against Haifa when both teams last met on MD20 for the match at Sammy Ofer which was abandoned, made his 18th appearance in Maccabi’s goal. Stav Lemkin and Nemanja Stojic lined up as the two central defenders in front of the Croatian custodian. Roy Revivo on his 80th senior appearance in Maccabi’s colors started at left-back with Tyrese Asante completing the defensive line. Maccabi’s engine room remained unchanged as Issouf Sissokho in the anchorman role sat behind Gabi Kanichowsky and Dor Peretz to form the midfield trio. Patati on one wing and Osher Davida on the opposite flank supplied the width to Maccabi’s formation. Eran Zahavi who scored a hattrick against Netanya and announced during the week that he will be leaving at the end of the season led the line and the team out with the captain’s armband. The 37-year-old marksman who scored 10 league goals and 13 in all competitions this season will seek to get his name on the scoresheet and keep Maccabi’s title aspirations in tact.
On the bench Lazetic named goalkeeper Roi Mishpati, Idan Nachmias, Dor Turgeman, Sagiv Jehezkel, Raz Shlomo, Joris van Overeem, Elad Madmon, Ofir Davidzada and Ido Shahar.
First Half
Sammy Ofer was almost full to its’ 30,000 capacity with a green belt surrounding the pitch while the 3000 travelling fans in Yellow and Blue were tucked in the South West corner. While the opening minutes was dominated by nerves yet lacked quality, the atmosphere in the stadium befited a top of the table clash between the two old rivals. In the 12th minute Haifa charged forward for a counter attack which saw Dia Saba rifle a left foot drive which was punched away by Simon Sluga. Five minutes later at the opposite end Gani Kanichowsky tried a snap shot from the edge of the area which flashed just wide of the post. In the 23rd minute however Weslley Patati sent the visiting sector up in the air. The Brazilian winger sent a left footed thunderbolt which rocketed into the bottom left corner to give Shareef Keouf no chance and put Maccabi infront.
Five minutes after the half hour mark Maccabi’s defense to clear a corner as the ball fell to Roy Elimelech whose effort cleared the crossbar. Haifa’s Ali Mihamad lost his footing and collided with Issouf Sissokho who gave Maccabi fans a scare as the Mali midfielder required medical treatment before returning to the field a couple of minutes later. On the brink of halftime Maccabi came close to double their lead as Roy Revivo burst forward from the left and spotted Osher Davida unmarked at the opposite end of the box. But Revivo’s cross bounced in front of Davida whose volley didn’t catch the ball properly before it bobbled off target. Orel Grinfeeld’s halftime whistle sent both teams into the dressing with Maccabi leading by 1-0.
Second Half
The second half began like the first one as Haifa had the fiest chance after Abdoulaye Seck picked Lior Rafaelov unmarked at the far post. Haifa’s veteran captain who will retire at the end of the match guided his header on target but Sluga pulled a reflex save to keep his goal locked. In the 5nnd minute Maccabi doubled their lead as Dor Peretz slipped the ball in for Davida who swept a left foot shot into the bottom far corner to make it 2-0.
A minute after the hour mark Patati won a posession deep inside his own half before charging forward and shrugging of a challenge by Seck. But Patati’s seemed to have wasted too much energy as his effort lacked power. Four minutes later Lazetic made his first change as Eran Zahavi was replaced by Dor Turgeman with Maccabi fans giving the captain a standing ovation.
In the 81st minute a long Van Overeem clearance from defense released Turgeman for another run with Seck before the Senegalese tripped the young Maccabi striker. Grinfeeld didn’t respond but was called to the VAR and gave the Haifa defender a red card. Lazetic made two more changes as he introduced Ido Shahar and Sagiv Jehekel for Sissokhi and Davida. The two substitutes almost made an immediate impact as they combined well to tee up Patati whose effort was blocked. But in the 87th minute Revivo dribbled into the area and as he was brought down Shahar reacted first and blasted the loose ball into the top corner for Maccabi’s third.
Jehezkel already celebrated scoring a goal as he scored but VAR ruled the goal out gir offside. The full time whistle together with news that Beersheva were held to a 1-1 draw by Beitar Jerusalem gave a cue to the celebrations.
