Four days before Maccabi hosts the first league Derby of the season against Hapoel, the Yellow & Blue picked up an important 3:0 victory over Bnei Sakhnin at Doha Stadium defeating Yossi Abuksis’s side with the help of a brace by Oscar Scarione and an early second half goal by Vidar Kjartansson.

The midfielder summed up the match and also discussed why he didn’t celebrate too much after his goals: “Sometimes I celebrate more and sometimes less. It’s not because it was easy. There are times I go crazy and other times not, that’s just me. It wasn’t an easy game. We controlled the ball and we did our job. When you score in the first half it makes life much easier. We knew that they are a team that battles and we had to make sure we concentrated on the match.”

Prior to the Derby:

“For us every match is important. We want to be in the championship fight and in order to win you have to be able to be victorious in these types of matches. I am aware of the importance of the Derby and I don’t know if it’s like Boca and River. I’ll experience it and then I can compare.”

The Zenit match:

“The match against Zenit is over. We learned from the game and we moved on.”

Living in Israel:

“I’m enjoying it here. My family and friends are all in Argentina, but all in all I’m having a great time in Israel.”

Maccabi’s Icelandic striker, Vidar Kjartansson reflected back on his side’s Matchday Six victory over Bnei Sakhnin 3:0 at Doha Stadium. Number 24 scored an early second half goal for his first in league action to give Maccabi the insurance marker they needed:

“It’s good feeling. The first league goal is always the most difficult and I hope to continue.”

Lots to prove:

“I have a lot to prove and a lot to show. I hope it’s the first goal of many and I hope to score every game.”

Learning the system:

“I’ve only been with the boys for ten days so we are both learning each other. These things take time but we are on the right path getting better game by game.”

The Derby:

“Of course it’s a big game for the fans but for us it’s just another game. It’s 11 versus 11 and we want to win. They are our rivals but it’s a normal game for three points”

The importance of the Derby:

“We just finished our game now and I hope that my teammates will tell me more about it at the end of the week.”

Shota Arveladze spoke about his team’s 3:0 win over Bnei Sakhnin away at Doha Stadium on Matchday Six of the Ligat Ha’Al. The Georgian boss looked ahead to the Derby, staying in first place and about the game itself:

“I’m definitely satisfied. We have had a hard week but we played our game tonight.”

About the match:

“Every game is difficult, there are no easy matches. Everyone was trying on both sides, but I have to give credit to the boys as we played our own game and it was good to see. I want to thank the fans for a great game, as there no mess and we played football for them and they appreciated it.”

Following Beer Sheva’s results:

“I wouldn’t say that we didn’t hear that they didn’t drop points, but we watch what we do and it’s always good when we win and they drop points.”

The Derby:

“I’ve heard about the Derby and the Derby is a different story. A Derby is always special but it’s for three points and it’s important. I hope we can recover quickly.”

Oscar Scarione picked up a brace while Vidar Kjartansson scored a goal early on in the second half as Maccabi had an easy time in one of the most difficult stadiums in Israel winning 3:0 against an overmatched Sakhnin as they now set their sights on Sunday night’s Derby versus Hapoel Tel Aviv.

Prematch

Head Coach Shota Arveladze made wholesale changes to the lineup which started on Sunday against Hapoel Raanana, however as usual Serbian Predrag Rajikovic was in goal for the Georgian boss. Eli Dasa, Eitan Tibi, Tal Ben Haim and Omri Ben Harush provided the defense while Captain Gal Alberman anchored the midfield alongside Haris Medunjanin and Nosa Igiebor. a trio of Yossi Benayoun, Oscar Scarione and Vidar Kjartansson.

Available on the bench for Arveladze were Daniel Lifshitz, Eden Ben Basat, Dor Micha, Dor Peretz, Egor Filipenka, Eyal Golasa and Barak Itzhaki.

First Half

Medunjanin looked to surprise Sahknin keeper Kandil from long range but the midfielder’s 5th minute 30 meter blast was pulled in the by the shot stopper. Number 4 tried his luck again eight minutes later from far out to no avail, while two minutes later Igibeor’s scorcher flew over the bar to keep the match scoreless.

However, it would not stay goalless for long as Medunjanin was pulled down in the box in the 25th minute, good for a penalty that Scarione duly converted with authority to give the Yellow & Blue a 1:0. Kjartansson almost doubled Maccabi’s lead in the 30th minute but his screamer was brilliantly saved by Kandil to keep the score as is.

Sakhnin has a chance to equalize in the 40th minute but a cross box pass didn’t find its intended target and was cleared by the Maccabi defenders. A minute later, Rajikovic was up to the task and blocked the ball sending it out for a corner.

With just a few minutes remaining in the half, Alberman passed the ball to Benayoun but the latter’s attempt went over the goal as Maccabi went into the break holding a 1:0 lead.

Second Half

It didn’t take long for Maccabi to double the score as Kjartansson took a Ben Haim assist and made the most of his chance by finding the back of the goal for a 2:0 advantage in the 47th minute.

Following a 52nd minute yellow card to Medunjanin, the midfielder almost added another goal to his sides’s output as his free kick clanged off of the post. Twelve minutes later, Benayoun handed the ball off to Scarione, but the Argentine’s effort went over the bar.

Head Coach Arveladze made his three substitutions between the 73rd and 80th minutes as Eyal Golasa, Dor Micha and Eden Ben Basat all came into the contest in favor of Alberman, Kjartansson and Benayoun. Scarione added a late goal from a brilliant Micha pass as Maccabi wrapped up a tidy 3:0 victory just four days before the Derby.

Maccabi Tel Aviv will travel to Doha Stadium to play Bnei Sakhnin for a Matchday Six clash this evening at 21:00. The Yellow & Blue find themselves in first place following four matches and are interested in staying there after their visit to Sakhnin.

Oscar Scarione who is recovering from a short illness is back and available for Shota Arveladze’s side for this important contest: “I feel good. I had a virus but I’m better now. We prepare for each and every match individually and just like any other league match it won’t be easy. We’ve been training and preparing very hard.”

Last season’s extracurricular activities at Sakhnin:

“I heard that some things went on last season, but I understood that it’s behind everybody at this point.”

On the busy week ahead:

“We are training every day and we’re used to having a busy schedule. After 90 minutes our muscles can definitely cramp up, but the rotation of players in the lineup is exactly for that reason.”

Being in first place:

“It’s great that we are in first place and I didn’t realize that Beer Sheva had lost because I am so focussed on Maccabi and the next match that we have to play.”

Stadium: Doha (8,500)

Coach: Yossi Abuksis
The former player took over the Sakhnin side in the middle of last season and surprisingly took the club to the Championship Playoffs. Abuksis, who also coached Hapoel Tel Aviv and Bnei Yehuda enjoyed more success with the Arab-Israeli Club with whom he opens this campaign with.

Comings & Goings:

בן חיים מול קנדיל ()

In their places, new players including Ramzi Safuri, Nir Lax, Siraj Naser, Jude Nworuh, Sari Falah and Idan Shemesh joined the squad.

Preseason:
The current campaign has begun slowly for Sakhnin and although they scored a big win over Maccabi Haifa, they’ve lost against Hapoel Beer Sheva and Maccabi Petach Tikva plus they had a Matchday Two draw versus Bnei Yehuda.

Under the magnifying glass: Jorginho
The Brazilian midfielder has become a key element of Yossi Abuksis’s club ever since he joined the team last season and has made sure his name is in every single scout’s book. Despite his tremendous abilities and great interest, the talks and rumors surrounding the player didn’t result in an offseason transfer as he stayed with the club.

Last campaign, Jorginho scored eight goals while this season he’s already scored a goal against Maccabi Haifa and Bnei Yehuda.

Maccabi Tel Aviv’s number 15 discussed his squad’s upcoming Matchday 6 contest at Doha Stadium against Bnei Sakhnin on Wednesday at 21:00 as well at the fantastic Official Suit Launch at Factory 54 as the players tried on their brand new Armani Collezioni suits:

“We know that this is a key game for us, especially after last week’s matches. We want to take points however which way we can from a team that has really made our lives difficult the last few seasons. It won’t be easy and I’ll be happy with us winning the game.”

Collecting ten points out of four matches:

“Of course we wanted to take all of the points and we were certainly close to doing just that, but 10 out of a possible 12 points is pretty good. I’m sure that with time we will improve and our play will be even better. In general we’re satisfied.”

The importance of the Bnei Sakhnin match:

“It’s definitely an interesting matchup especially in regards to our games last year. It’s one of the hardest away matches in the league and it’s a critical contest, one that we have to win.”

Last year’s extracurricular activities between the clubs:

“I think that we’re past what went won last year and it’s behind us. It wasn’t pleasant as to how everything was handled but we are looking ahead to going home with three points.”

Matchday Two of the Europa League Group Stage pits Maccabi Tel Aviv against Dundalk in Ireland. The match will take place on September 29th at the Taillaght Stadium in Dublin and will begin at 20:05 Ireland Time, 22:05 in Israel. Tickets are on sale now and are available through the Leaan Ticket Agency.

Please Note:

• Information about ticket collection will be available shortly as there is a delay in receiving the tickets from the host team.
• In order to collect the tickets, each person will need to show a copy of their passport and a flight ticket with their name on it.
• Ticket collection in Ireland will also require showing a passport and flight ticket. We recommend that you collect your tickets in Israel!

Ticket Prices:

General Admission:

Internet – 100 NIS
Leaan Ticket Office – 95 NIS

Category 1 (West Stand between midfield and the box):

Internet/Telephone – 170 NIS
Leaan Ticket Office – 165 NIS

Tickets may be collected at the Leaan Ticket Office, 101 Dizengoff Street, Tel Aviv between Sunday-Thursday 09:00-19:00 and Friday 09:00-13:30.

Ticket Collection in Ireland will be available closer to Matchday.