Category: News
Maccabi beat Sakhnin 3-1
Preview
Maccabi returned to Bloomfield stadium for the MD23 WINNER league match against Bnei Sakhnin knowing they need a victory to narrow the five-point gap from the top.
With only four matches left to play in the regular season before the Playoff kicks off, Zarko Lazetic’s side would like to build on last week’s victory away to Kiryat Shmona in order to string a successive victory streak.
Lazetic made two changes to his starting line up with Simon Sluga recovering from the injury that forced him off against Kiryat Shmona to keep his place in goal. Nemanja Stojic who scored a couple last week, was partnered by Stav Lemkin as the two central defenders in front of the Croatian custodian. Idan Nachmais on the right and Roy Revivo on the left completed Maccabi’s back-four. In the absence of Joris van Overeem who is serving a one-match-touchline ban, Lazetic named Issouf Sissokho to the anchorman role. Gabi Kanichowsky and Dor Peretz completed Maccabi’s midfield trio with Peretz leading the team out with the captain’s armband. Henry Addo whose only league goal was scored in the 4-0 victory over Bnei Sakhnin when both sides met in November, was named on one flank. Weslley Patati who scored his debut Maccabi goal in that game was named on the opposite wing. Dor Turgeman led the line aiming to add to his 9 league goals and 13 in all competitions.
On the bench alongside Roy Mishpati, Lazetic named Tyrese Asante, Eran Zahavi, Raz Shlomo, Yonas Malede, Elad Madmon, Ofir Davidzada, Ido Shahar and Osher Davida.
Prior to kickoff, a minute of applauds was held in memory of former player and team manager Moshe ‘Pepo’ Israeli who passed away last month at the age of 90.
First Half
Maccabi began the match on the front foot and came close to score inside the opening minute. A long ball out of defense picked Weslley Patati deep inside Sakhnin’s half before the Brazilian chested the ball and cut it for Dor Turgeman who couldn’t connect. A well drilled corner in the fifth minute left Stav Lemkin in an excellent position to score but the central defender snapped his shot to the wrong side of the post. Bloomfield stadium was on its feet in the 11th minute as Henry Addo chased what seemed like a lost cause before shrugging off a defender to keep it in play. Roy Revivo sent a cross into the area where Patati’s first attempt came off the post but his second was blasted into the roof of the net. Maccabi’s celebrations were short-lived as VAR took 3 minutes to spot the Brazilian winger in an offside position and disallow the goal. Two minutes later, Patati, had an even better chance to score as a pinpoint cross landed on his left foot but goalkeeper Mohamad Abu Nil dived to his right and saved.
Patati continued to look the most dangerous Maccabi player as his dual with Abu Nil continued with a series of corners right after the half hour mark. Maccabi edged closer towards the opener as Addo looked lively down the left created a chance for Turgeman who couldn’t pull the trigger. In the 41st minute Idan Nachmias was booked for a tackle, but VAR called referee Gal Leibovic to the screen. The yellow card was cancelled and replaced by a red one leaving Maccabi to continue with 10 players. Turgeman had two more chances as he first fired over before flashing a shot that rolled across the face of goal inside the 8 minutes of added time.
Second Half
Lazetic was forced to make a change at the restart as Tyrese Asante came on for Addo. Two minutes later, Nemanja Stojic burst forward from the halfway line before slipping the ball to Dor Peretz. But Sakhnin’s keeper Abu Nil charged off his goal line and dived at the feet of Maccabi’s captain to save.
Two minutes after the hour mark the deadlock was finally broken as Patati got his well-deserved goal. Sakhnin’s defense failed to clear the ball which reached Kanichowsky on the edge of the area before the diminutive midfielder flicked it to the Brazilian wizard who still had his work cut out as he rounded the keeper and fired home. Lazetic made his second change on the night as Ido Shahar came on for Peretz in the 72nd minute adding a fresh pair of legs into midfield.
In the 79th minute Simon Sluga pulled a stunning save as he was at full stretch to push over a shot by Alexandre Ramalingom which was making its way under the crossbar. But from the resulting corner Sakhnin managed to equalize as Abdallah Khaliakhal headed a corner that beat Sluga to make it 1-1. Maccabi’s response was quick and clinical as Kanichowsky burst forward and spotted Revivo’s overlap run. Revivo sent a perfect center into the patch of Patati who tapped home from the goalmouth to restore Maccabi’s lead on 83.
Victory was secured in the 86th minute as Turgeman forced a mistake from a Sakhnin midfielder before picking up the ball and firing the third last Abu Nil for the third. Patati and Turgeman were given a standing ovation as they came off and were replaced by Osher Davida and Eran Zahavi. Within a minute Zahavi received the ball just inside the area before sending a dipping shot which landed on the roof of the net.
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Belay signs 3-year-deal
Yehoda Belay, who began the season with Maccabi’s U19’s before moving in the January transfer window to Hapoel Ramat Hasharon, signed a three-year deal at the club with an option to extend by a further season.
In his second season with the U19’s, the 18-year-old forward scored 11 goals in 20 appearances in all competitions. Belay represented the Israel young national teams at U16, U17 and U19 levels where he scored 3 goals in appearances total of 25 international appearances.
Turgeman prepares for Sakhnin
Dor Turgeman, is experiencing his best season in Yellow and Blue having scored 9 league goals and 13 in all competitions so far. Turgeman’s tally in the league would have stood on 10 if not for the abandoned match away to Maccabi Haifa which saw his equalizer from the penalty spot scratched off.
Ahead of Sunday’s MD23 WINNER League match against Bnei Sakhnin at Bloomfield, Turgeman, sat down for a press conference ahead of the match. “Sakhnin is always a tough opponent that fights on the pitch but knows how to play football” Turgeman said. “Our previous match against them (4-0) was relatively easy, because we came prepared right from the first minute. This is exactly what we must do this time round.”
With four matches left for the regular season before the league splits into the playoff phase with 6 teams fighting for the title and European berth while 8 to avoid relegation, Turgeman said: “We are dealing only with ourselves as this season we learned that there are no easy matches against any side. We must be a 100% focused on every match to simply do our job.”
Turgeman whose goal to chances ratio this season from inside the box is impressive, added: “In training we are working to try and create as many chances as possible, whether that is me or other players yet I hope for more chances.”
On his goal celebration at Sammy Ofer, Turgeman remained adamant: “I have nothing to regret, this is not the first time I am celebrating like that. Had I scored in our last match against Kiryat Shmona I would have celebrated exactly the same, even with no fans behind the goal. There are examples to that from all over the world.”
Turgeman, who has been attracting interest from clubs abroad said of his future: “My ambition is first and foremost to win the championship here and retain the title. I don’t know of any boy who doesn’t want to fulfil his dream. When I was a kid the dream was to be here and pay for the biggest club in Israel and obviously in the future to continue progressing.”
Lazetic ahead of Sakhnin
Stojic: “we prepared for the set pieces”
Lazetic after the victory over Kiryat Shmona
Maccabi beat Kiryat Shmona 2-1
Preview:
Maccabi arrived at the Netanya stadium for the MD22 WINNER L:eague match against Ironi Kiryat Shmona, one of the two sides that beat them in the current campaign. The IFA Disciplinary court decision which awarded Maccabi last a 3-0 victory by default over Maccabi Haifa following the match which abandoned at Sammy Ofer meant the point tally currently stands on 45. With five matches left until the end of the season, Maccabi will aim to close the five point gap from leaders Hapoel Be’ersheva. Zarko Lazetic made three changes to his starting line up from the side which was held to a 1-1 draw by Beitar Jerusalem at Bloomfield as Stav Lemkin joined Nemanja Stojic as the two central defenders in front of goalkeeper Simon Sluga. Idan Nachmias was assigned to the right-back role while Roy Revivo completed Maccabi’s defensive line at left-back.
Joris van Overeem in the anchorman role was joined by Gabi Kanichowsky who fully recovered from a foot injury with Dor Peretz at the top of the midfield trio. Weslley Patati and Osher Davida supplied the width to Maccabi’s formation while Dor Turgeman completed his one-match-touchline-ban to lead the attack.
On the bench alongside goalkeeper Roi Mishpati, Lazetic named Eran Zahavi, Raz Shlomo, Yonas Malede, Elad Madmon, Henry Addo, Ofir Davidzada, Issouf Sissokho and Ido Shahar.
First Half
A sea of Yellow and Blue and a wall of noise from the 6000 travelling fans who survived the traffic and braved the cold weather conditions welcomed Maccabi to the Netanya stadium. It took nine and a half minutes to have their first shot on goal as Weslley Patati dribbled down the left, cut inside and curled a left foot shot which was easily collected by Kiryat Shmona’s keeper Assaf Tzur. Two minutes later at the opposite end Jardel tried his luck with a volley from the edge of the area which narrowly missed the target. Kiryat Shmona continued to look dangerous going forward as Christian Bella powerful left foot drive was caught by Simon Sluga in Maccabi’s goal.
In the 15th minute Maccabi were awarded a free kick after Nadav Niddam fouled Patati near the corner of the area. Gabi Kanichowsky sent the free kick into the area before Dor Perez rose unmarked but guided his header over the crossbar. Joris van Overeem and Kanichowsky dominated the midfield Maccabi dominated the midfield while Osher Davida and Patati looked dangerous down the wings. In the 22nd minute a Maccabi counter attack saw Davida burst forward down the left but his attempt of a cross was blocked by Kiryat Shmona’s defense before one of his teammates could connect. Maccabi’s best chance came in the 26th minute as Dor Turgeman broke into the area before pulling the trigger from a tight angle, yet his shot struck the side netting.
On the brink of halftime a misplaced back pass from van Overeem saw Sluga charge out of his area to clear the danger. But in the process the Croatian custodian collided with Jardel who was stretchered off and replaced by Roy Zikri. Despite suffering from a dead leg, Sluga who managed to pull through until the halftime whistle was replaced at the restart by Roi Mishpati.
Second Half
Four minutes into the second half Maccabi charged forward for an attack as Patati’s attempt of a cross from the right was hooked from the goal mouth by Or Dadia. Maccabi took the lead from the resulting corner as Nachmias flicked Kanichowsky’s corner into the path of Nemanja Stojic who forced the ball home. Five minutes after the hour mark, Nachmias almost set up a second goal as his cross was met by a Turgeman’s header which struck the base of the post.
In the 69th minute Kiryat Shmona were back on level terms as Maccabi’s defense struggled to clear a free kick which was crossed into the area allowing Alfredo Stephens to fire home the equaliser. Maccabi responded almost instantly as Stojic fired Patati’s cross from almost point blank range to restore the lead on 74 with his second on the night. Lazetic responded with a double substitution as Issouf Sissokho and Elad Madmon came on for van Overeem and Davida. Turgeman’s claims for a penalty were waived by referee Sapir Berman before Lazetic sent in Eran Zahavi for Dor Peretz in the 82nd minute. Maccabi pressed forward in a bid to score a third and seal the win as Sissokho had a shot saved by Tzur in the 86th minute. Two minutes later Zahavi slipped the ball to Patati whose effort struck the post while Stephens sent a header over in the 90th minute. Inside injury time Maccabi burst forward for a counter attack which Madmon carried forward before releasing Turgeman who toe poked home. But the intervention of VAR spotted the striker was in an offside position and the goal was disallowed. Yonas Malede replaced Turgeman for the final few minutes as Lazetic made his fifth and final substitution.
