Category: News
Yellow-and-Blue Saturday – Match Results March 19
Maccabi “Shachar” Tel Aviv 1:4 Hapoel “Robi” Haifa
The Under-19 team fell at home to Hapoel Haifa. The young Yellow-and-Blue opened the match well but couldn’t find a goal early on as Eylon Almog was only able to tie up the score at 1:1 after which Maccabi “Shachar” gave up three straight goals to the visitors.
Maccabi “Oded” Tel Aviv 3:1 Beitar “Oren” Jerusalem
Following the International break, Maccabi “Oded” defeated their Jerusalem counterparts at Kiryat Shalom. The Yellow-and-Blue took the lead on a penalty goal by Thomas Prince as the lead lasted until the 60th minute when Beitar drew even. However, ten minutes later Netanel Peretz gave the lead back to Maccabi for good and Idan Tzioni added an insurance marker in the 73rd minute for the 3:1 victory.
Hapoel Beer Sheva 0:3 Maccabi “Eli Fuchs” Tel Aviv
Just a day before the “Match of the Year” between the First Teams the Under-16 sides met each other in Beer Sheva as the Yellow-and-Blue receive goals by Dani Amar, Eyal Hen and Shachar Drucker in the win.
Hapoel Kiryat Ono 0:6 Maccabi “Eldad” Tel Aviv
Maccabi “Eldad” picked up the victory over their Kiryat Ono counterparts on goals by Tashager Dego, Bar Cohen, Ido Shachar, Omri Ram Yuval Ben Ami and Ra’ava Assayag.
Maccabi Barkai 1:0 Maccabi “Team 2” Tel Aviv
Ran Elias and his charges fell to Maccabi Barkai on Friday after giving up a goal in the 29 minute.
Medunjanin: “Everything is open”
Haris Medunjanin, one of the Yellow-and-Blue’s January transfer window signings discussed the match that was against Hapoel Beer Sheva at their home Stadium in the desert capital. The midfielder looked at the title race, who the better team was on this night and the disappointment of only picking up one point:
בוס ואלברמן מסכמים את המשחק נגד הפועל ב”ש
“I’m disappointed because we controlled the game for 90 minutes. We needed to make better decisions in the last 20 meters and we had a chance to put them away. Beer Sheva came to take one point and not to play football.”
Expectations from the first place club:
“We expected them to play more football. They played dirty and played long balls and shouted at the referee. We had chances but we gave up a bad goal and split the points. We have eight games to go and they are coming to our stadium so everything is open.”
The race for the title:
“There are a lot of good teams. Raanana defeated Haifa 3:0 and Beitar as well as Bnei Sakhnin are good teams so everyone has to be 100% ready to take the points. It was important that we didn’t lose and that we showed that we can play very well and control the game in their own home stadium. We are also very strong and we showed thatwe are stronger than Beer Sheva.”
Who is the better team:
“We always think that we are a better team and we proved to all of Israel that we played well in their own stadium. We are only one point off the top of the table and we now have two weeks to make sure we take all three points from Raanana.”
Alberman: “It feels like a missed opportunity”
It was a spirited match with a terrific atmosphere as each side scored a goal to split the points between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Beer Sheva at Turner Stadium. The Yellow-and-Blue struck first with a header by Carlos Garcia but Ovidiu Huban was able to draw the hosts even in the first half.
בוס ואלברמן מסכמים את המשחק נגד הפועל ב”ש
Gal Alberman summed up the match following the hard fought battle: “It’s hard to know who the result really favored. I’m not sure what Beer Sheva really wanted from the match but all week our goal was to win the game from the first minute. I also can’t tell you who the better team was after this game.”
The chase for the championship:
“There are still eight matches left where we have to collect points. To begin figuring out what our coaches are to win the title is pretty difficult to do at this point. Every 90 minutes we play we aim for a victory. I feel that we controlled the play for most of the match and it feels like we missed an opportunity.”
The atmosphere:
“The atmosphere was terrific and it didn’t really phase us. All of our players enjoy playing in this type of environment.”
Bosz: “We controlled the pace of the game”
Peter Bosz, Maccabi Tel Aviv’s boss summed up the 1:1 draw his club came up with in their first visit to Hapoel Beer Sheva’s brand new Turner Stadium on Matchday 28 of the WNNER League Championship Playoff round. The coach spoke about his expectations prior to the match, who the better team is and how he saw the game play out before his eyes:
בוס ואלברמן מסכמים את המשחק נגד הפועל ב”ש
“We may not have scored in the second half but we controlled the tempo of the match, we had some small chances but not enough as Beer Sheva changed up the match but at the end of the day I’m happy with the draw. We scored a fantastic goal in the first half. Before the match we said that if we drew we would still control our own destiny. We had a tough time as they played very aggressively but we still controlled the pace of the game.”
About the club’s confidence:
“They are still one point ahead but our confidence is pretty good with our first draw in a long time but their third draw in a row. I think that we have a good team and we played well.”
On the expectations of the match:
“It was a totally new experience for me so I didn’t really know what to expect but I was happy with how the players performed. It’s a fantastic stadium with a terrific atmosphere but we still were able to keep cool and calm and we played well. We showed them in their stadium that we are a good team.”
About Eran Zahavi:
“Eran is very important for us but he was sick the whole week and couldn’t train with us. He was not physically in the best shape. But he had to play.”
Who is the better club:
“I would need to have a crystal ball as to know who will win the championship. We have progressed and played good football over the last few weeks. We will only know at the end of the year as the Champion is usually the best team.”
Only one substitute in the match:
“I felt we played well and I was hoping that Barak Itzhaki was going to win the match as he could’ve really changed it up but I didn’t feel that I needed to make other substitutes.”
Fit to be tied- Maccabi and Beer Sheva draw 1-1
Carlos Garcia’s early goal was cancelled out by Ovidiu Huban’s marker later on in the first half as the Yellow-and-Blue and Beer Sheva each collected one point for their efforts in a spirited affair at Turner Stadium. The draw leaves Maccabi still just one point shy of the first place hosts.
Head Coach Peter Bosz had to make a few changes from the lineup he had been using
over the last few weeks with winger Tal Ben Chaim unavailable due to yellow card accumulation. Serbian keeper Predrag Rajikovoc started in goal with Eli Dasa, Carlos Garcia, Eitan Tibi and Avi Rikan on defense. Gal Alberman and Haris Medunjanin started in the midfield while Dor Micha, Eden Ben Basat, Orlando Sa and Captain Eran Zahavi provided the attack.
Beer Sheva looked to strike first applying a tremendous amount of pressure in the opening minutes, but Elyaniv Barda’s 4th minute chance in the box went out of play while the Maccabi defense stood its ground. Zahavi had Maccabi’s opening opportunity in the 10th minute but his effort was knocked away for a corner kick.
And what a corner kick the Captain would deliver! Zahavi swung a perfect ball right into the box and met Garcia’s head for the first goal of the match! The Spaniard now has 
three goals this campaign with the last two coming on headers against teams in Red named Hapoel as his last marker was the match winner in the first round Tel Aviv Derby.
As the match began settling down after a frantic beginning Muhamed Ghadir had a fantastic chance in the 17th minute for Beer Sheva but the Maccabi goal stopper Rajikovic made a brilliant foot save to keep his side in the lead. However, in the 24th minute Beer Sheva found the equalizer. Maor Bozaglo sent a deep pass into the box that Ovidiu Huban slotted home last a sprawling Rajkovic to even up the score at 1:1.
As the match hit the 33rd minute, Ben Basat delivered a nice ball from the left side into the box to an oncoming Zahavi but it was just out of his reach. As the midfield battle ensued, Tibi, Dasa and Alberman were all alert in keeping Beer Sheva at bay and out of striking distance with the match heading into the break deadlocked at 1:1.
The second half opened with the same quick pace of the first as Alberman moved deep into Hapoel territory and handed off a magnificent pass to Zahavi, but number 7’s close range effort went high over the goal in the 48th minute. Just two minutes later a Mendunjanin left side corner kick went to Sa at the far end of the box who headed it back into the middle of the fray right to Micha. However his opportunity was smashed to safety by the Beer Sheva defense to keep the score as is.
Dor Micha featured ten minutes later again for the Yellow-and-Blue as his double pass with Portuguese striker Orlando Sa was just finger-tipped to safety by a diving Dudu Goresh. Beer Sheva also came close in the 64th minute but their corner kick was headed away by the Maccabi defenders.
Beer Sheva goal scorer Huban was handed the first yellow card of the match after a hard foul in the midfield in the 66th minute and just one minute later Reds coach Barak Bachar introduced Ben Sahar for Mahran Radi. The hosts made a second substitution in the 75th minute bringing on Maor Melikson for Muhamed Ghadir while Alberman picked up a yellow card deep in Beer Sheva territory. 
To try and jump start the offense, Coach Bosz made Maccabi’s first substitute of the evening in the 81st minute as Barak Itzhaki was introduced in place of Ben Basat. Bachar countered with Voba Brown for Maor Bozaglo in the 86th minute as Beer Sheva seemed content to play for the 1:1 draw with only four minutes remaining until injury time.
However, the Yellow-and-Blue defense and shot stopper had to come up big just before time expired keeping the 1:1 scoreline intact as the sides split the points.
It’s Maccabi Time – Rada Prica
The matches against Beer Sheva were always difficult. Last season the battle for the title went all season long, but in the end we were stronger than them. I hope that this year Maccabi will be the stronger of the two as well. Right now the situation looks pretty good. Beer Sheva has been in first place for a very long time, however recently they began to drop points and it’s now time for Maccabi to prove themselves.
If you ask me, I believe that Maccabi will win the championship. I didn’t think they would a few weeks ago but now I’m almost 100% sure and experience will play a major role. Beer Sheva can feel the pressure because of the two draws and you have to remember that football is a very mental game. I think that a draw will play right into Maccabi’s hands.
For Maccabi, who won the league title for three straight years, captured the Israel State Cup and advanced to the Champions League it was sensible that the players intensity would drop a bit. But I believe that since they are now in the Championship Playoffs they are beginning to feel the pressure in a positive way. Maccabi has been chasing Beer Sheva all year and now they can smell them, with their hunger returning big time.
After coming back to Israel to play for Maccabi Petach Tikva, I ended up playing my first match against Hapoel Beer Sheva. They are a very strong team especially on offense but they can be punished. They leave a lot of open space between the defenders and the midfielders and Maccabi can take advantage of this as long as they can keep their dangerous attack at bay. There’s no question that their stadium will give them an advantage, but football is a very mental game and the fact that Maccabi has closed the gap to just one-point will play a very key role in this match. I’ll be watching the game tonight and I don’t have to tell you who I’ll be rooting for.
Yours truly,
Rada
Maccabi “Shachar” falls to Hapoel Haifa 1-4
Maccabi “Shachar” Tel Aviv kicked off against Hapoel Haifa on Matchday 21 of the Toto Youth League at Ramle Stadium. Coach Ziv Arie looked to get his side back on the winning track especially with the return of winger Eylon Almog who was at the Under-17 Tournament last weekend. The hosts also looked to avenge the defeat that the Reds handed them last round at Kiryat Chaim by a 2:0 score. First Team coach Peter Bosz and assistant Hendrie Kruzen were also on hand to check out the up and coming Yellow-and-Blue youngsters from the stands.
Ziv Arie’s club had a terrific chance early on in the 3rd minute as Eylon Almog sent a deep pass to Amit Shapira but the midfielder couldn’t find the handle on the ball while Almog himself sent a 13th minute header just wide of the goal.
Maccabi continued pressing to find the first goal of the match and in the 20th minute their efforts almost paid off when Shapira found Gaby Kanichowsky in the box. Kanichowsky deceived the defender but his effort just missed the mark to keep the match goalless. The visitors also had a number of chances and in the 30th minute they would break the deadlock.
Sa’ar Ohayon came out of his goal a bit too far as Haifa captain Maxim Falchenko chipped the ball over the Maccabi keeper to give the away side the 1:0 lead. The young Yellow-and-Blue searched for the equalizer but Almog’s cross to Kanichowsky was smartly intercepted by Haifa keeper Rotem Fadifa as Maccabi went into the break down by one goal.
Or Dasa came on for Lazar Durovic to start the second half for Arie’s club but Maccabi wasn’t able to take advantage of the fresh legs up front as Idan Golan took a deep cross and beat Ohayon from in close to give Haifa a 2:0 advantage in the 57th minute.
Almog cut the lead to 2:1 just four minutes later when the winger headed in the ball to pull the hosts to within striking distance. However, Haifa’s substitute Ido Weir handled a deep ball and beat Ohayon one-on-one in the 74th minute while Rami Khalfo scored in the 88th minute give the visitors a 4:1 win.
My Little Derby/ Chai Tasta
Sunday’s match has earned the title of “Match of the Year”. Every football fan in Israel can agree that this is unquestionably the “Match of the Year” and if you look at the past three years you might say that this is becoming a true Super Classico (ok, at least a Classico) in Israeli football. For others like myself who grew up as Maccabists from a very young age in Beer Sheva, anytime the two sides met was like a Derby, my Little Derby.
פרומו: מכבי תל אביב מגיעה לטרנר
It’s nothing special to be a Maccabi fan and grow up in a different city as there are thousands, even tens of thousands out there. But we are talking about football here and when it comes to Beer Sheva it’s not just “another city”. There will be plenty of people taking the day off from work on Sunday or leaving early and the classrooms will be a bit emptier as usual, as well as other places of entertainment. Let’s just say they won’t be breaking any revenue records this Sunday.
From the sports point of view, a Maccabi fan in Beer Sheva didn’t have too much of a difficult life in the 1990’s and the turn of the century. In actuality it was quite the opposite. Hapoel Beer Sheva was usually mired in the lower half of the table and was even relegated having to play in the second division for some of those years. So many of the discussions (or loud arguments) about football with friends at school or at work really helped out the Maccabist egos. The Maccabi fans felt that they were always at the top of the table even though the club won the league only once between the years of 1996-2013. But it never stopped us from thinking that we were always candidates to win the championship.
During those years, the Maccabists had to just deal with the likes of Maccabi Haifa, Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Tel Aviv who looked down at us. However, the Maccabi fans in Beer Sheva also had some unpleasant moments like the Giovanni Rosso bicycle kick goal in the 1997 Israel State Cup final. Suddenly, going to school the next day was a bit more complicated than usual.
Hapoel Beer Sheva has gotten much better over the past few years (in all aspects) and “My Little Derby” has now become a “Big Derby” and a very important one. Just like everything big that’s happened to Maccabi since Jordi and his crew arrived, I hope that the Yellow-and-Blue will have the upper hand in this Derby as well, my Derby and we can all celebrate.
