Preview:
Maccabi arrived at the Yud Alef stadium ahead of the MD11 WINNER League match against Ashdod SC on the back of Thursday’s 6-0 defeat to Olympique Lyon in the Europa League. In the absence of Zarko Lazetic and his coaching staff, Youth Team coach Dan Roman took charge of the team for the match assisted by Avi Rikan and veteran goalkeeping coach Shura Ubarov. Several changes were made to the starting line up with Ofek Melika making his debut league appearance in goal. Itay Ben Hemo made his Maccabi debut at the heart of defense as he partnered Heitor dos Santos as the two central defenders. Noam Ben Harush made his debut league start on the left while Tyrese Asante completed Maccabi’s defensive line on the right.
Ben Lederman made his debut league start at the heart of midfield as he was partnered in Maccabi’s engine room alongside Itamar Noy. Dor Peretz led the team out wearing the captain’s armband as the 30-year-old will try lead the team back to winning ways following the 6-2 defeat to Beitar Jerusalem in the previous round. Osher Davida and Helio Varela supplied the width to Maccabi’s formation while Ion Nicolaescu made his first league start since the 2-1 victory over Hapoel Jerusalem on September 20th.
Ali Camara and Kristijan Belic returned to the squad after recovering from their respective rib and hamstring injuries. Camara and Belic joined goalkeeper Yoav Gerafi, Avishay Cohen, Kervin Andrade, Sagiv Jehezkel, Elad Madmon, Saied Abu Farchi and Ido Shahar.
First Half:
After seven minutes of a relatively even start to the game, Maccabi created their first chance to score as Heitor dos Santos picked Helio Varela with a pinpoint pass down the left. The Cape Verde international winger chested the ball down before squaring to Dor Peretz whose shot was deflected out for a corner. A well drill set piece saw Itamar Noy whip in the cross, which was flicked by dos Santos into the path of Peretz whose header bounced wide of the post.
Three minutes later Ofek Melika was drawn into the action as the young keeper was at full stretch to push Eugene Ansah’s dipping shot over the crossbar. The Maccabi young custodian was quick to react in the 17th minute to dive and collect another shot which was fired on target by an Ashdod player.
In the 40th minute and against the run of play Ashdod took the lead after a Roei Gordana free kick caught Maccabi’s defense flat before Jean Batoum managed to flick the ball which rolled into the bottom corner.
Second half:
As Maccabi were trailing by a goal at halftime, Dan Roman made a double substation after the break as Kristijan Belic and Kervin Andrade replaced Ben Lederman and Itamar Noy at the restart.
Three minutes later Osher Davida charged down the right and centered for Peretz who swept the ball home. But the referee assistant raised his flag for an offside against Davida as the equaliser was scratched off. The introduction of Belic gave Maccabi’s game a much the lift it needed yet the Serbian midfielder was cautioned in the 52nd minute for a foul on Ansah.
Six minutes after the hour mark Roman made another double substitution as Varela and Ion Nicolaescu both came off and were replaced by Ido Shahar and Saied Abu Farchi with Andrade shifting to the wing. The diminutive Venezuelan received a new lifeline as within a minute he cut inside from the left and rifled a shot which was caught by Karol Niemczycki. Two minutes later Andrade picked Abu Farchi with a pinpoint cross before the 19-year-old rose high above Ashdod’s defense yet guided his header agonisingly wide.
In the 75th minute Maccabi were handed a free inside the Ashdod penalty box after Niemczycki dropped the ball and picked it up again. Davida teed up Shahar who blasted a right foot thunderbolt into the top corner to level the score and send the 2000 travelling fans in the air. Shahar almost turned provider within a couple of minutes as his cross was headed by Dos Santos wide of the post. Andrade struck the side netting and Belic rifled a shot from outside the area which narrowly missed the top corner before Sagiv Jehezkel replaced Davida.
While Maccabi tried desperately to score, the hosts took a late in the 90th minute as a Ibrahim Diakite header came off the post, struck Melika who couldn’t keep it from rolling in to give Ashdod a 2-1 lead. Maccabi didn’t let their heads drop and pushed forward in a bit to level the score. Deep inside injury time, the two substitutes combined as a ball into the path of Jehezkel saw the winger take it first time and square it across the face of goal. Abu Farchi who so far scored in the Toto Cup and Europa League, wouldnt miss a chance from point blank range to score his debut league goal and settle the score at 2-2.
