Preview
Maccabi Tel Aviv arrived at Villa Park for the EUROPA League MD4 against Premiership club Aston Villa as Zarko Lazetic’s side have one point from their opening three matches. A draw away to PAOK was followed by defeats to Dinamo Zagreb and Midtjylland before another tough encounter against a side that Champions League quarter finals.
Lazetic welcomed Ali Camara back into the side as the towering Guinean centra defender partnered Raz Shlomo as the two central defenders in front of goalkeeper Roi Mishpati, Tyrese Asante on the right and Roy Revivo on the left completed Maccabi’s defensive line aiming to try and sop Villa’s forwards.
Issouf Sissokho in the anchorman role was joined in the engine room by Itamar Noy with Dor Peretz at the top of the midfield trio leading the team with the captain’s armband. Helio Varela and Osher Davida supplied the width to Maccabi’s formation with Elad Madmon leading the line upfront.
On the bench alongside goalkeepers Yoav Gerafi and Ofek Melika, Lazetic named Heitor Dos Santos, Kervin Andrade, Sagiv Jehezkel, Denny Gropper, Noam Ben Harosh, Ben Lederman, Saied Abu Farchi, Ido Shahar, Itai Ben Hamo and Ion Nicolaescu.
First Half
Maccabi didn’t seem too phased by the occasion or the atmosphere at Villa Park as they began the match on the front foot. Osher Davida’s bursting pace down the wing created a chance for Helio Varela whose effort in the 5th ninute was blocked by the hosts’ defense. A couple of minutes later Elad Madmon tried a shot from the edge of the edge of the area which was easily collected by Emiliano Martinez.
Ali Camara’s required medical treatment as the Guinean central defender went down clutching his ribs after a tackle. In the 14th minute Lazetic was forced to make his first change as Camara couldn’t continue and was replaced by Heitor Dos Santos.
Maccabi’s beat chance came in the 24th minute as a Osher Davida had a shot which deflected off a defender and rolled wide of the post.
A minute before the half hour mark Itamar Noy was booked by Austrian referee Julian Weinberger for a foul in Villa’s Morgan Rogers.
Rogers had a shot which curled over the crossbar on 35 before Mishpati pulled a double save to deny Donyell Malen’s close range effort. Issouf Sissokho also saw yellow in the 37th minute as the Mali midfielder was booked for a foul on Lamare Bogarde. Roy Revivo headed a ball out of the goalmouth on 38 while a minute later at the opposite end the Maccabi left back burst forward before Martinez charged off his line to collect.
Just as the fourth official signalled three minutes of added time Villa scored the opener as Rogers slipped the ball to Ian Maatsen who from the tightest of angles fired a shot past Mishpati to break the deadlock.
Second Half
With no changes at halftime the second half began just like the first one had ended with Villa pressing Maccabi back. A Maatsen shot in the 51st minute forced a save from Mishpati before Malen pounced on the rebound but missed the target from close range. Four minutes later Helio Varela broke through and sent a square ball into the path of Dor Peretz whose effort was saved by Martinez. At the opposite end Mishpati was quick off his line to deny Malen. In the 57th minute Madmon was judged to have fouled Ezri Konsa with Weinberger awarding the hosts a penalty. Malen stepped up and swept his spot kick past Mishpati to double Villa’s lead before Lazetic made a double change as he introduced Ido Shahar and Sagiv Jehezkel for Noy and Davida.
A fingertip Mishpati save on 77 denied Malen from scoring Villa’s third as the Maccabi keeper managed to turn the shot beyond the post. Lazetic made two more changes as Peretz and Varela bowed out and were replaced on 78 by Kervin Andrade and Ion Nicolaescu.
The fourth official raised his sign adding six additional minutes but despite Maccabi’s efforts to score a consolation the 29,524 fans saw Villa win 2-0.
