Now it’s your chance to vote for the HP 2016 Goal of the Year. All you have to do is watch the goals and vote. You’ll have until Thursday December 29th at 18:00 to pick the best of the best. And don’t worry you won’t leave empty handed – one of you will win a top of the line Laptop from HP. When does that happen? On Sunday, January 1, 2017 we’ll send an SMS to all those who voted for the winning goal and the first one who answers correctly will be the winner.

June 1987, Ramat Gan Stadium. The 1980’s won’t be remembered as one of the Club’s best decades but the end of 1987 was surely one season that will never be forgotten. 15,000 Maccabi Tel Aviv and Maccabi Haifa fans came to see the State Cup Final at Ramat Gan Stadium and this was also the opportunity to bid adieu to the great central defender Avi Cohen z”l who moved to Scotland the following season.

The first half ended goalless, but the second half was a totally different story. In the 54th minute Maccabi Tel Aviv took the lead via Alon Natan. However, Armeli drew his side even 9 minute later, but in the 73rd minute Eli Drikes put the Yellow & Blue ahead once again while in the 86th minute Merili tied up the contest at 2:2 as the match went into overtime. How did it end? WATCH

Dor Micha, the Yellow & Blue’s homegrown talent discussed is side’s 1:0 win over Ashdod on Matchday 15 of the Ligat Ha’Al at the Netanya Stadium. Number 15 talked about the FIFA17 Competition, closing the gap in Beer Sheva and the win over Ashdod:

“The win was good for our confidence and we showed plenty of desire. We came to play right from the get go and think that everyone was able to see that.”

Coming back from last week’s performance:

“It’s no secret that that we played poorly last week against Kfar Saba and we knew that what went on last week couldn’t be repeated. We made sure to come into this match totally focused and we did just that.”

Finding a way out of the recent situation:

“We spoke about the situation throughout the week and we made sure that we supported each other and united especially during this rough patch to get the Club out of the situation that we have been in. I’m happy that we were able to pull together and pick up a good result and I hope that this will continue going forward.”

Closing the gap at the top of the table:

“We can say that we are just looking at ourselves and at our play along with all the other cliches, but this is Maccabi Tel Aviv and I’d be lying if I said that we weren’t looking at the gap. It’s important for us to get a good run of wins, put pressure on Beer Sheva and make sure that they know that there is someone chasing them and on their tail.

Next week’s match in Jerusalem:

“Jerusalem was a tough place for us to play last season, but if we want to do anything this campaign we have to win this match.”

The finals of the FIFA17 Tournament with Eyal Golasa:

“We’ve been playing for years back to our days on the Israel Youth National Teams and I wouldn’t bet against us.”

Omri Ben Harush, the Yellow & Blue defender discussed his Club’s 1:0 victory over Ashdod at the Netanya Stadium on Matchday 15 of the Israel Premier League. Number 20 talked about taking advantage of the chance to play, his side’s desire out in the pitch and the importance of the win:

“It was an important victory, it wasn’t easy or simple but we played well and I’m happy that we took all three points.”

Importance of the win:

“It was very important for us to win to the match especially for our self confidence and for the fans and of course going forward. We had a good week and we brought that to the game.”

Desire:

“We came in hungry for a win and when things aren’t going your way we wanted to give even more to put on a good performance for the club and for the fans and get a good result.”

Opportunity to play:

“I’m confident in my abilities and that’s also the case when Avi Rikan in playing but the most important thing is for us to get a good result and when he gives the me opportunity to play I know how to grab it with two hands.”

Looking ahead to next week’s matchup against Beitar:

“Teddy Stadium is never an easy place to play and Beitar is a tough team. We have to continue our positive play and come into the matchup confident to make sure we get a good result.”

Shota Arveladze, the Yellow & Blue Boss looked back at his side’s 1:0 Matchday 15 victory over Ashdod at the Netanya Stadium. The Georgian Head Coach spoke about his personnel decisions, goal scorer Barak Itzhaki and the match that was:

“We don’t always get what we deserve but I think today we started quicker with more direction to the goal and quicker shots. That was a little bit more of the Maccabi I wanted to see along with the backs playing forward. We gave up few chances and we had some opportunities to make it 2 or 3 nothing, but that’s football.”

About Barak Itzhaki:

“I’ve said it before that everybody gets their chances. Some more and some less. But this is football. You have to take advantage of the chances that you get and he did that in front of everyone. To me he was the man of the match.”

The match that was:

“I didn’t see much difference between the two halves. We didn’t lose the ball and we made some good and right choices. We pressed as quick as we could and this was more of the Maccabi that we saw in the first few months.”

Starting Egor Filipenka:

“I think everybody deserves a chance and I saw him playing in the training sessions and I saw how he was fighting for his place.”

About substituting out Vidar Kjartansson:

“He didn’t have a break and has had a long season with no rest. He didn’t have a vacation in the summer and was playing in Scandinavia. He scored some important goals for us at the start of his time with us. He will have a bit more rest because our next game is the following Monday.”

The fans:

“It’s nothing connected to the league, this or that. We saw how much they bring to the games as they did against Dundalk. The fans were very highly spoken about before I arrived and when the club is struggling they may not be happy, but we need their support and it’s very important for the boys that they are with us.”

Barak Itzhaki scored the lone goal of the contest in the 52nd minute as Maccabi Tel Aviv picked up the victory and three points on Matchday 15 of the Ligat Ha’Al at the Netanya Stadium on the first night of Hanukah.

Prematch
Head Coach Shota Arveladze’s Starting XI featured Serbian keeper Predrag Rajikovic in goal with Eli Dasa, Egor Filipenka, Tal Ben Haim and Omri Ben Harush in front of him. Captain Gal Alberman was the defensive midfielder along with Haris Medunjanin and Eyal Golasa by his side. Vidar Kjartansson, Barak Itzhaki and Dor Micha rounded out the Yellow & Blue attack.

Available on the bench for the Georgian Head Coach was keeper Daniel Tenenbaum, Eden Ben Basat, Sagiv Yehezkel, Eitan Tibi, Nosa Igiebor, Dor Peretz and Yossi Benayoun.

First Half
Maccabi came out of the gate in full control of the contest but couldn’t find the back of the goal in t the early goings on. Itzhaki’s 10th minute chance from 25 meters whizzed by the post, Golasa’s 15th minute header missed the target while Micha’s 18th minute effort was collected by Ashdod keeper Yoav Gerafi.

Golasa was issued a yellow card in the 32nd minute while Filipenka was shown one as well eight minutes later. Ashdod’s first chance of the contest came when Siroshian found Rajikovic’s bar as Niv Zrihen’s follow up went over the goal in the 42nd minute. Medunjanin then just missed the target as the referee blew the halftime whistle sending the sides into the break goalless.

Second Half
Maccabi midfielder Golasa had a wonderful 48th minute chance but Gerafi came up huge to make the stop and keep the score as is, however, that would not be the case for much longer.

In the 52nd minute Itzhaki mad a fantastic maneuver in the box as he coolly slotted home his second goal in as many matches giving the Yellow & Blue a 1:0 lead. Five minutes later, Medunjanin tried to double the score but Gerafi was up to the task yet again, while Kjartansson’s chance went out to keep the advantage at 1:0 for Maccabi.

Head Coach Arveladze made a double substitution in the 75th minute introducing Yossi Benayoun and Nosa Igiebor in favor of Medunjanin and Kjartansson as the Nigerian almost scored his team’s second of the night but Gerafi made the save once again. With Maccabi looking for an insurance marker, Eden Ben Basat was inserted in the 81st minute for Itzhaki.

Ben Basat would have a terrific free kick opportunity from the top left of the box but Gerafi made the stop as the Yellow & Blue picked up the three points and 1:0 win over Ashdod.

Maccabi Tel Aviv, just like all the other Ligat Ha’Al clubs will enter the State Cup competition in the Round of 32 after they were drawn against Bnei Lod on Thursday.

The match will take place on either January 6/7 away and will be a one game knockout at this stage of the tournament. The State Cup Final will take place on May 24th at Teddy Stadium in Jerusalem. Last season, Maccabi faced Ironi Ramat HaSharon in the Round of 32 as the Yellow & Blue won away 3:1 at Grundman Stadium. Maccabi made it to the final last campaign where they fell 1:0 to Maccabi Haifa.

The Israel Football Association and the Minhelet HaLiga will be working together with the Israel Police Department and law enforcement authorities to totally eradicate racism and violence. As per the 3-Step Plan that has just gotten underway, the referee will be allowed to halt the match should racist songs and chants we heard from the stands and will ask the Public Address Announcer to warn the fans that if the songs and chants do not stop the match will be halted.

Should racial epithets be heard again, the referee will once again be allowed to stop the match and send the players off of the pitch as the Public Address Announcer will give the fans in the stands a final warning. If the match is stopped a third time by the referee, the Club and fans will be subject to severe penalties.

Maccabi Tel Aviv FC will comply with all the above requests and implement the 3-Step Plan in order to continue the fight to eliminate racism and violence in the stands by all available means.
Maccabi Tel Aviv-Cheering Responsibly.