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Zahavi’s winner sends Maccabi into 1st place and breaks single season goal scoring record

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Maccabi Tel Aviv hosted Beitar Jerusalem on Matchday 30 of the WINNER League Championship Playoffs with an opportunity to leap frog over Hapoel Beer Sheva and claim first place

Eran Zahavi proved to the football world yet again why he is the biggest winner in Israeli football today as the Captain shattered the single season goal scoring record with a brace and propelled Maccabi into first place ahead of Hapoel Beer Sheva. Micha scored the first goal of the match while Nikita Rukavytsya scored a brace for Beitar Jerusalem as the Yellow-and-Blue.

Head Coach Peter Bosz started keeper Predrag Rajikovic in goal as usual with a defensive quartet of Eli Dasa, Eitan Tibi, Carlos Garcia and Yuval Shpungin who was playing in place of the injured Omri Ben Harush in front of the young Serbian shot stopper. Wily veteran Gal Alberman along with Haris Medunjanin manned the midfield while Dor Micha, Tal Ben Chaim, Orlando Sa and Captain Eran Zahavi provided the attack up front.

It didn’t take long for Maccabi to make a mark on the match as they quickly took a 1:0 lead in the 10th minute. Alberman led a quick break as the midfielder sent a fantastic ball down the right side to a streaking Dasa. The right back found a wide open Micha who calmly beat Beitar keeper Boris Kleyman to give the Yellow-and-Blue an early lead.

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However, ten minutes later Beitar was awarded a penalty after Itay Shecter was fouled in the box and Nikita Rukavytsya easily converted the spot kick to even up the score at 1:1.

With the match back to square one, Maccabi searched for the go ahead goal, but Dasa’s effort went over the Beitar goal and Zahavi’s chance went off of the bar as the frenzied match headed into the 30th minute. As the Yellow-and-Blue continued to control the flow of the match, Zahavi had another wonderful opportunity but his 31st minute header from the middle of the box went out, right over the goal.

Portuguese striker Sa also chipped in with a close range header but his effort went over a leaping Kleyman and over the bar. Zahavi with yet another grand opportunity saw his free kick just scoot by the left post as Kleyman stretched as far as he could to ensure number 7 would stay off of the scoresheet. But he couldn’t keep him off of it for much longer.

In the 43rd minute, Zahavi finally scored his 30th goal of the season tying the Israel League single season goal scoring record with Nisim Elmaliah. The Captain took an unbelievable Micha pass in the box and slammed the ball home behind a helpless Kleyman into the Beitar goal for a 2:1 lead at the break.

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The second half began with the same starting XI for both sides. Maccabi’s first chance came in the 54th minute when Sa left the ball for Ben Chaim on the left side. The winger found Zahavi in the box but his header missed the mark as did the Captain’s chance in the 58th minute again from a brilliant play by the winger.

Beitar then punished Maccabi for all of those missed opportunities, when just one minute later Rukavytsya scored his second of the game from in close to draw the Yellow-and-Black even with the Yellow-and-Blue at 2:2.

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Ben Chaim who moved his play up a notch in the second half had another chance when his effort from the wing was grabbed by Kleyman to keep the score as is. The 70th minute saw Head Coach Bosz make his first substitution of the match introducing Eden Ben Basat for Sa to help jump start the offense for the remaining 20 minutes.

With Maccabi looking for the winner in the final 10 minutes of the match, Dasa’s chance from Micha missed the mark, Medunjanin’s chip to Zahavi also couldn’t find the goal and Ben Basat’s header went into the waiting hands of the keeper Kleyman. As time continued to wind down Barak Itzhaki came on in favor of Ben Chaim in the 87th minute.

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And then it happened. Number 7, the Captain, Eran Zahavi finds the winner out of nowheres in the 90th minute to not only break the Israel League single season goal scoring record with 31 on the campaign, but also to move the Yellow-and-Blue into first place, ahead of rival Hapoel Beer Sheva!

Live from the Stadium: Playoff Time

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WOW! What a match we have for you this evening as the Yellow-and-Blue will host Beitar Jerusalem on Matchday 30 of the WINNER League with a chance to move into first place! We’ll be there to broadcast the match “LIVE form the Stadium” via the Official Website and App beginning at 20:40.

How does it work?

Simple. All you have to do is click on the link that is posted on the day of the match. A webpage will open with our brand new player and you’ll be able to listen to the game and the broadcast will continue until you close the webpage. Remember the broadcast begins at 20:40!

איך זה עובד?

Itzhaki- “We’ll try to do what we do best”

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Barak Itzhaki waited a long time to score and he did just that last Matchday against Hapoel Raanana. Now, just a day before the match with Beitar Jerusalem the striker hopes to pick up the win versus the team he once played for and move into first place:

“It’s true that we still haven’t been able to beat Beitar Jerusalem this season but nevertheless we will come prepared to take advantage of the situation in front of us and take over first place. We will try to do what we do best and continue on the road that we have been on over the last few months.”

On the goal he scored last week and his standing with the club:

“I’m always happy when I score. I don’t go crazy trying to score but how can you not be happy after you’ve scored a goal. I believe that Omer Atzili is an important player for Jerusalem and the whole club is terrific. But we shouldn’t look at individual players or the other team that much as we need to concentrate on how we play and on our play.”

Sitting on the bench:

“There’s no player who’s happy sitting on the bench, but right now the team is playing well and playing to the best of its abilities. I’ll just have to wait my chance to prove myself and help out the club proving that I have a place in the starting lineup. Anything can happen in football. I’ve had many ups and downs here primarily from injuries. I’m certain that I can still help out the club because they’ve given me so much and I’m here to do just that any and every minute.”

The essence of tomorrow’s match:

“I’ve said it in the past and I’ll say it again that you never know what will happen when you face a team like Beitar. We have to continue concentrating on our own play and if we do what we need to we will move into first place.”

Bosz- “The most important game will be on Matchday 36”

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Maccabi Tel Aviv will host Beitar Jerusalem on Matchday 30 of the WINNER League and can leapfrog Hapoel Beer Sheva into first place as the gap between the two clubs stands at only 2 points. Even though the Yellow-and-Blue can take over the number one spot, they must first contend with the capital city side who they have yet to defeat this season and will look to avenge the 4:2 loss at Bloomfield in the first round of matches.

בוס ויצחקי במסיבת העיתונאים לקראת בית”ר י-ם

Head Coach Peter Bosz discussed his Monday night rival and contemporary Slobodan Drapic’s team: “Of course the Beer Sheva result was good for us, but that’s only one thing. Now we must get a good result against Beitar Jerusalem. Tomorrow’s match is very important and we are focused on that. However, the most important game will be on Matchday 36. Even if we do win tomorrow the season is not over and if we lose the campaign isn’t over as well.”

On the first round loss to Beitar:

“I know what the result was even though I wasn’t the coach at the time. But I do know that tomorrow’s match will be very difficult. The fact that we didn’t beat Beitar yet this year will have no effect on the match. Statistics are nice and the fact that we haven’t beaten Beitar this year will definitely give us even more motivation to do so tomorrow.”

About some of the changes he may make for the match:

“I always want to learn from my mistakes. When I came to Maccabi, I wanted to play a certain style. But I’ve already said that defense is the responsibility of all 11 players and not just the defenders. That’s what I’ve told the players since the game we played at Teddy Stadium. If we do it correctly no one will be able to stop us.”

The preparation for the game:

“I’m not preparing anything extra special. I watch Barcelona. Everyone knows how they play and they still win. I believe that if we play the way we can, no one will be able to stop us.”

Barak Bachar’s comments:

“I’m not going to comment on them. I am only concentrating on my club and I don’t want anything to distract me. A lot of people talk about me and I can’t comment on every little thing, I have a lot of work to do and I prefer to concentrate on that.”

Playing with just Alberman and Medunjanin in the midfield:

“We didn’t play well at all in the first half of the Hapoel Raanana game. I started the second half with the same players and they looked much better. I don’t like to talk about different types of formations but it all depends on where the players are on the pitch. I believe that this was the problem we had in the Raanana match and I think we have solved this issue.”

Ohayon scores 90th minute goal for 1-0 Maccabi “Shachar” win

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It took 90 minutes for Maccabi “Shachar” Tel Aviv to break through the stingy Beitar Jerusalem defense as keeper Haviv Ohayon headed the ball past the opponent’s shot stopper helping his side to a 1:0 win. Ohayon left his position to take part in seemingly the final play of the match to score off of a Gaby Kanichowsky cross.

After being eliminated from State Cup play in the quarterfinal round earlier in the week, the young Yellow-and-Blue looked to get back into the win column without the services of Oliel Peretz who was suspended for the match. Keeper Haviv Ohayon returned to action coming back from a head injury and faced a Jerusalem side that looks to be heading towards relegation at the end of the season. Meitar Shemesh was the referee for the tilt at Ramle Stadium.

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Head Coach Ziv Arie’s players began the match pressuring Beitar keeper Tamir Lalo and in the 5th minute Gaby Kanichowsky’s 17 meter effort was saved by the shot stopper. Beitar Jerusalem then began to take control of the match with Haviv Ohayon proving he was up to the task in the 15th and 26th minutes extinguishing Oz Zahavi and Austine’s efforts.

Guy Aviv had the Yellow-and-Blue’s best opportunity of the half but his 32nd minute hard angle chance in the box went just wide of the left post. Eight minutes later Or Dasa fed Almog Eylon from the right side but his excellent opportunity didn’t find its way past the Beitar keeper as the sides went into the break goalless.

The second half opened with no substitutions from both clubs. In the 52nd minute Eylon and Kanichowsky each had terrific chances to give Maccabi “Shachar” a lead but the former’s opportunity from 7 meters out was stopped cold by Lalo and the latter’s rebound attempt struck a Beitar defender going out for a corner. Five minutes later Austine almost produced the goal of the year off of a backheel but his effort just skipped by the post.

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Maccabi “Shachar” continued to control the tempo and flow of the match but couldn’t find a goal until keeper Haviv Ohayon headed home a Gaby Kanichowsky cross for the valuable three points and the game winning strike after coming back from injury.

Following the match Head Coach Ziv Arie said: “These 90 minutes really summed up our year. After Wednesday’s match I just wanted the players to put the game aside and come into this contest full of energy as if the season was just starting. It didn’t exactly work out that way and the first 20 minutes we looked slow and sluggish. We played against a club that was very organized wanting to take a point and look to counterattack against us. We didn’t create chances and our opponent was more organized and physical than we were. We had some opportunities in the second half but couldn’t find a way to score. Just like I’ve said in the past and I’ll say it again now that Haviv Ohayon is a key player for us and our anchor. I’m happy for the players and this win really picked them up.”

Haviv Ohayon added: “I’ve been waiting for this goal for a very long time and I always believed that if I would go up for the last play of the game I’d score. If I didn’t believe that I could score I would never go up and even attempt to do it. I along with Maccabi keep improving game by game. My future? I trust that the Maccabi people will make the right decision. I’m sure I can rely on my teammates and their abilities in the coming matches so I don’t have to be the one to help win the game.”

Youth Department Action April 9, 2016

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Maccabi “Shachar” Tel Aviv – Beitar Jerusalem, 12:00 Ramle

The last time the sides met, Maccabi came away with a 3:0 victory at Bayit Vegan as Ziv Arie’s charges will look for the same result at Ramle Stadium in a match that will be broadcasted on Sport 5 TV.

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Maccabi “Oded” Tel Aviv – Hapoel Rishon Le’Zion, 09:00 Kiryat Shalom

Excited about their win over SC Ashdod last Matchday, Ori Uzan’s side will take on the wine city club who find themselves just one place above the relegation zone.

Maccabi “Eli Fuchs” Tel Aviv – Hapoel Ashkelon, 10:20, Kiryat Shalom

Eliezer Ben Aharon and Gady Brumer’s team host Hapoel Ashkelon who sit under the red line in the relegation zone.

Maccabi “Eldad” Tel Aviv – Beitar Jerusalem 12:15, Kiryat Shalom

In an additional match against a capital city side, the Under-15 squad will host their Jerusalem counterparts at Kiryat Shalom.

Maccabi “Team 2” Tel Aviv – Maccabi Herzliya

Ran Elias and his club kick off against the youngsters from Herzliya on Matchday 22.