Preview:
Maccabi arrived at Turner stadium for the MD29 ONE ZERO League match against third place Hapoel Be’ersheva with a seven-point-lead at the top of the table following Maccabi Haifa’s victory over Bnei Sakhnin at the weekend.
Robbie Keane returned to the venue he had his debut match as Maccabi’s Head Coach guiding the team to a 6-1 Toto Cup victory back in July. Keane made two changes from last week’s team which was held to a 1-1 draw by Haifa at Bloomfield as Raz Shlomo returned to the side after recovering from a knee injury that sidelined him since February.
Shlomo partnered Enric Saborit as the two central defenders in front of goalkeeper Roi Mishpati with Ido Shahar and Ofir Davidzada completing Maccabi’s back-four on the right and left respectively. The knee injury Joris van Overeem suffered against Haifa which will keep him out for the next few weeks, saw Eden Karzev start in the anchorman role. Gabi Kanichowsky and Dor Peretz joined Karzev as Maccabi’s midfield trio with Felicio Milson and Osher Davida assigned to both wings. Eran Zahavi led the team out and spearheaded the attack as the veteran striker who scored 16 league goals this season and 36 in all competitions will aim to continue his run of 6 goals in the last five outings.
On the bench Keane named, Daniel Tenenbaum, Avishay Cohen, Roy Revivo, Idan Nachmias, Dor Turgeman, Dan Biton, Yonas Malede, Eyal Golasa and Matan Baltaxa.
The decision taken by the Home Front Command to lift the restrictions of fans in stadiums, saw Turner stadium filled only by home fans following the punishment Maccabi received from the IFA Disciplinary court as a result of last weeks pyrotechnics display.
First Half
Maccabi began the match on the front foot as they dominated the play right from the start pinning Be’ersheva in their own half. Eran Zahavi had the first attempt on goal from outside the area but his shot was deflected out for a corner in the 3rd minute. Three minutes later at the opposite end Guy Badash tested Roi Mishpati with a long range effort which was easily collected by Maccabi’s keeper.
In the 11th minute Raz Shlomo had a header blocked by a Be’ersheva defender at the far post befpre a pyrotechnics display from the home section caused a few minutes delay. When the smoke finally cleared and play resumed, Kanichowsky had an attempt of a shot which didn’t trouble Be’ersheva’s keeper Niv Eliasi.
In the 44th minute, Osher Davida who tormented Be’ersheva’s Yoni Stoyanov throughout the first half, left the wing-back flat on his back to break into the area. But Davida’s attempt of a square ball which was directed at Eran Zahavi was intercepted by Eliasi at the near post. The fourth official signalled five minutes of added time shortly before Ido Shahar flashed a half- volley which crept agonisingly wide of Eliasi’s post.
Inside injury time, Milson, who had a quiet first half by his own high standards created the space on the edge of the area to blast a shot which was too powerful for Eliasi to catch. The rebound fell to Davida who with the goal at his mercy managed to miscue his shot and strike the side netting.
Second Half
While Robbie Keane made no changes at the break, his Be’ersheva counterpart Elyaniv Barda, introduced Antonio Sefer for Guy Badash at the restart. Three minutes into the second half an organised attack that began with Ofir Davidzada on the left reached Shahar on the opposite flank as the right-back sent a shot that deflected off a defender but crashed against the post.
In the 54th minute Stoyanov rattled Mishpati’s post with a right foot shot, while two minutes later Maccabi’s keeper pulled a stunning reflex save to deny an Artur Shushenachev close range header. Milson was shown a yellow card by referee Yigal Frid for what he interpreted as a dive in the box on 59.
Keane reacted as he made his first change in the 62nd minute with Yonas Malede replacing Davida. A minute later, Milson, slid the ball to Kanichowsky who charged into the area before his shot was blocked by Be’ersheva’s captain Miguel Vitor. Maccabi continued to look dangerous as Zahavi found Dor Peretz but his powerful drive was also blocked by a defender before it could reach Eliasi.
Peretz had another chance on 74 as he timed his run to perfection and rose high to meet Enric Saborit’s pinpoint cross but his header was caught by Eliasi on his line. In the 77th minute Beersheva were awarded a penalty after Saborit fouled Vitor inside the area before Sefer stepped up sent Mishpati the wrong way to give Beersheva a 1-0 lead.
Keane made a double change in the 85th minute as Dor Turgeman and Dan Biton came on for Shahar and Kanichowsky. Despite throwing everything forward Maccabi couldn’t find an opening and level the score as Frid’s full time whistle ended the contents.
