Preview

Maccabi arrived at the Netanya stadium to face Maccabi Haifa in the Toto Cup Final for a repeat of last season’s final. As the current holders, Maccabi will aim to retain the trophy which was won last season at the same venue in a penalty shoot out after a 0-0 draw at the end of 90 minutes.

Maccabi’s Head Coach Zarko Lazetic made three changes from the side that recorded a dramatic 3-2 victory over Maccabi Petah Tikva all of the in defense. Roi Mishpati kept his place in goal while Raz Shlomo came in to partner Nemanja Stojic as the two central defenders at the heart of defense. Idan Nachmias slotted in at right-back while Sagiv Jehezkel who completed his one match touchline ban completed the defensive four on the left. Joris van Overeem in the anchorman sat behind Gabi Kanichowsky and Dor Peretz who led the team out with the captain’s armband to complete Maccabi’s midfield trio. Osher Davida on one wing and Weslley Patati on the other supplied the width to Maccabi’s formation while Dor Turgeman led the line as the striker upfront.

On the bench, Lazetic named goalkeeper Simon Sluga, Roy Revivo, Tyrese Asante, Eran Zahavi, Elad Madmon, Henry Addo, Issouf Sissokho and Ido Shahar.

First Half

After a nervous start Haifa seemed to have drawn first blood in the 11th minute after a counter attack resulted with Dia Saba beating Roi Mishpati with a powerful shot from the edge of the area. But Haifa’s celebrations were shortlived as VAR called referee to tbe screen after spotting a foul on Gabi Kanichowsky in the build up for the goal. As Maccabi were awarded a free kick at the opposite end Weslley Patati tried his luck from long range but saw his effort pushed away by Shareef Keouf. In the 22nd minute Dor Turgeman conceded an foul and a yellow card for a foul on Dolev Haziza near the corner of the area. But Maccabi’s defense managed to deal with the free kick and clear the danger. 

Maccabi had to claims for a penalty waived by referee Snir Levy after Sagiv Jehezkel was tripped in the box by Kenny Saif and minutes later Turgeman suffered the same fate. But on both occasions VAR didn’t intervene either adding further anger to the Maccabi bench and fans in the stands.

second Half

In the 52nd minute Dolev Haziza dribbled into the box and was tripped by Patati before VAR called the referee to the screen. Haifa were awarded a penalty and Saba stepped up but blasted the spot kick against the post. In the 59th minute, Kanichowsky fired a right foot shot from 25 metres that sailed over the crossbar. Two minutes after the hour mark Maccabi were back on level terms thanks to a spectacular splo effort by Patati. Kanichowsky slipped the ball to Patati before the Brazilian wizard spun around fellow countryman Pedrao and fire home with his right. Lazetic reacted with a double substitution as he introduced Roy Revivo and Issouf Sissokho for Joris van Overeem and Davida. In the 67th minute the comeback was complete as Sissokho fed Peretz who drove the ball forward before blasting a low shot that put Maccabi infront on 67.

Keouf kept Haifa in the game as he was at full stretch to keep out a Jehezkel header that was making it’s way in. In the 77th minute Maccabi increased their lead to two goals with Peretz grabbing his second on the night this time beating Keouf from inside the box to make it 3-1.

Turgeman bowed out to a standing ovation as he was replaced in the 86th minute by Elad Madmon.

Maccabi is Israel’s Toto Cup record holder having won the competition 8 times (1993, 1999, 2009, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2024).

Besides Maccabi 13 other clubs won the Toto Cup with Maccabi Haifa winning the competition 5 times.

Over the years Maccabi reached a 60.9% success rate in Toto Cup matches – the highest amongst all Israeli clubs.

This will be Maccabi’s 13^th Toto Cup Final – more than any other club.

Seven coaches guided Maccabi to victories in Toto Cup Finals: Avraam Grant (2), Avi Nimni, Pako Ayestaran, Jordi Cryuff, Vladimir Ivic, Georgios Donnis and Robbie Keane.

Maccabi faced Maccabi Haifa 3 times in the Toto Cup Final with Maccabi winning all three.

2014/15 in Netanya (2-1)

2018/19 in Petah Tikva (2-1)

2023/24 in Netanya (0-0 victory on penalties)

Maccabi’s highest victory in the Toto Cup Final – a 4-0 win over Hapoel Petah Tikva in the 1992/93 season.

This was the highest victory recorded in 38 finals during Israel’s history.

Alexander Shura Ubarov, Avi Nimni and Dor Peretz made the most appearances for Maccabi in the Toto Cup Finals featuring 5 times each.

Avi Nimni leads Maccabi’s goal scorers with 4 goals in Toto Cup Finals.

Eran Zahavi faced the media at the official Press Conference ahead of the Toto Cup Final against Maccabi Haifa in Netanya (Wednesday, 20:00) which will see the second domestic title handed out.

The veteran striker, who won the Toto Cup with Maccabi last season (23/24) and has won 4 League Championships (12/13, 13/14, 14/15, 23/24) and 1 State Cup (15/16) and 1 Super Cup (24/25) at the club, said: ”Every match you play for a title is important especially at a club like Maccabi Tel Aviv. We don’t underestimate the value of any trophy, especially not against Maccabi Haifa. This is a match which is important for our fans and the most prestigious match in Israeli football. We will do the best we can to win this title.”

Zahavi, who this season scored a total of 4 goals in 23 appearances in all competitions, spoke of the campaign he is currently experiencing: “On a personal level I am feeling good, it is undoubtedly a complex spell, when you sometimes play less, but my job is to deal with that in the best possible way and do the best I can. I am doing my best which is the most important thing.”

On his role in the team this season which has seen him make around half of his appearances as a second half substitute, the 37-year-old Maccabi captain, added: “My role is to be the best I can every day in training – to set an example in things you don’t get to see. My role is to be a professional and, in my opinion, I am doing this at a high standard. There are players here who never won a title so they must begin somewhere, and tomorrow is a greet opportunity for some players to show they can do it.”

On the opponents his side face, Zahavi concluded; “It is tough to assess who is a better side. For the moment we are ahead of Haifa in the table but tomorrow is a totally separate game. We are talking about 90 minutes which would culminate in a trophy, this is not the marathon which is the league. We are dealing with two quality sides with players who could decided a match at any given moment.”

 

Preview

Maccabi returned to Bloomfield stadium for the WINNER League MD15 early kickoff match against Maccabi Petah Tikva aiming to build on the victory over Hapoel Jerusalem. Zarko Lazetic’s side that currently have 30 points and are three adrift of leaders Hapoel Be’ersheva will be seeking their 10th victory of the campaign. Maccabi’s Serbian Head Coach made several changes from the side that won 3-2 at Teddy stadium with Tyrese Asante and Roy Revivo returning to the right-back and left-back positions. Stav Lemkin and Nemanja Stojic lined-up as the two central defenders to complete Maccabi’s back-four in front of goalkeeper Roi Mishpati. Joris van Overeem who scored his second goal for Maccabi in Jerusalem kept his place as the anchorman right behind Gabi Kanichowsky and Dor Peretz who led the team out with the captain’s armband. Osher Davida and Weslley Patati supplied the width in Lazetic’s formation while Dor Turgeman led the line aiming to add to his tally of 5 league goals and nine in all competitions.

Ofek Melika returned to the squad for the first time since suffering an ankle injury in training as the young keeper was named amongst the substitutes. Alongside Melika, Lazetic, named Idan Nachmias, Eran Zahavi, Raz Shlomo, Elad Madmon, Henry Addo, Ofir Davidzada, Issouf Sissokho and Ido Shahar.

Prior to kickoff Maccabi held a ceremony marking the contribution of Eyal Golasa to the club. Two more ceremonies were held in memory of former legendary Masseur Itzik Kameri who died at the age of 90, and former Maccabi Petah Tikva and Israel’s young national teams coach Moshe Meiri, the father of Maccabi’s board member Moran Meiri.

First Half

In what seemed to be the first attack of the game in the 5^th minute, Petah Tikva found themselves in front thanks to a goal by Vitaly Demascan who fired home Niv Yehoshua’s cross. Maccabi came close to level the score on 13 as an Osher Davida cross fell to Weslley Patati who failed to connect before Roy Revivo flashed a right-foot volley wide of the target.

Petah Tikva silenced Bloomfield stadium as the visitors doubled their lead after Damascan was given the time and space to send a powerful low drive that beat Mishpati from the edge of the area. In the 40th minute Maccabi’s claims for a penalty were waived by referee Ohad Asulin despite the fact a defender clearly pushed Dor Turgeman inside the area. Revivo reached the cross and headed straight at Petah Tikva’s keeper Marko Wolf. On the stroke of halftime Revivo was involved in then goal which cut the deficit and gave Maccabi a new lifeline. The left back carved Petah Tikva’s defense open with a through ball to release Gabi Kanichowsky. The diminutive midfielder sent a square ball into the path of Dor Peretz who slid in at the far post to edge the ball home and make it 2-1.

Second Half

With no changes after the interval, Maccabi emerged for the second half determined to grab an equalizer. Maccabi were back on level terms right on the hour mark as Patati scored directly from a corner and set Bloomfield alight. Three minutes later the comeback was complete as the 20,026 fans at Bloomfield who hardly recovered from the equalizer to celebrate the third. Kanichowsky sent a corner into the box before Peretz met the cross with a powerful header to score his second of the match and set the score on 3-2.

Minutes later Davida had the ball in the back of the Petah Tikva net once again, but the goal was disallowed for offside. Lazetic made a double substitution on 69 as Tyrese Asante and Dor Turgeman were replaced by Raz Shlomo and Eran Zahavi.

In the 86th minute Peretz bowed out to a standing ovation as he was replaced by Ido Shahar for the closing stages. Idan Nachmias replaced Stav Lemkin inside injury time as Lazetic made his fifth and final change. Joris van Overeem sent a Davida square ball over the crossbar deep inside injury time before Asulin blew the final whistle to end the contest. Attention will now turn for the league to the Toto Cup Final as Maccabi face Maccabi Haifa in Netanya on Wednesday for a match which will decide the fate of the second title this season.

Maccabi Tel Aviv and Maccabi Petah Tikva faced each other for 144 league encounters. Maccabi won 71, Petah Tikva won 33 while 40 matches ended in a draw with the total goalscoring tally currently stands on 231-132.

Fifty-five players featured for both clubs in the league with Ido Shahar is the only Maccabi player who played for Maccabi Petah Tikva.

Avi Nimni is Maccabi’s leading goal scorer against Maccabi Petah Tikva with Eran Zahavi and Rafi Levy are ranked second with 9 goals each.

Nimni made 26 appearances for maccabi against Petah Tikva including the final match of his career in the 2007/08 season, more than any other player.

Maccabi’s highest league victory over Petah Tikva (5-0) was recorded three times: 1957/58, 1982/83 and 1987/88.

Maccabi Petah Tikva missed 8 of 19 penalties they were awarded against Maccabi. Six spot kicks were saved by Maccabi’s keepers while 2 missed the target.

Saturday’s match will be Maccabi’s final league match of 2024 with the annual record currently standing on 42 victories, 18 draws and 15 defeats.

Maccabi are unbeaten on the final day of the calendar year (since the 2009/10 season) with 14 victories and a draw.

The highest league victory recorded on the final day of the calendar year was recorded twice. A 6-0 victory over Hapoel Ramat Gan was recorded in 1951 and a 6-0 victory over Bnei Yehuda in 1988.