Preview

Eight days after the cancelation of the Tel Aviv derby, Maccabi returned to Bloomfield stadium for the MD8 Winner League home match against Ironi Kiryat Shmona.

Zarko Lazetic’s side that has 14 points from the six league matches they did play, will aim to return to winning ways and record a victory for the first time since the 2-1 win over Hapoel Jerusalem on September 20th. Lazetic made a single change to the team that suffered 0-3 Europa League defeat by Midtjylland on Thursday. Roi Mishpati kept his place in goal with his defense also unchanged as Raz Shlomo and Ali Camara lined up in front of him. Tyrese Asante on the right and Roy Revivo on the eft completed Maccabi’s defensive line. Issouf Sissokho and Itamar Noy remained in Maccabi’s engine room with Dor Peretz captaining the side at the top of the midfield trio. Osher Davida on one flank and Elad Madmon on the other supplied the width to Maccabi’s formation with Said Abu Farchi leading the line. The 19-year-old striker who scored in the Toto Cup and the Europa league against Dinamo Zagreb is seeking his first league goal for Maccabi and will aim to do so against the visitors from Kiryat Shmona that are ranked 12th in the table.

On the bench alongside goalkeeper Yoav Gerafi, Lazetic named Heitor, Kerven Andarde, Denny Gropper, Noam Ben Harosh, Ben Lederman, Helio Varela, Ido Shahar and Ion Nicolaescu all waiting for a chance to make an impact.

First Half

The match pretty evenly as none of the sides made any threat on goal in the opening stages. A booking to Tyrese Asante for handling Kiryat Shmona’s Wale Musa Ali livened things up as Ariel Sheratzky was quick to follow into Nael Oudah’s book for a rough tackle on Saied Abu Farchi. In the 18th minute Abu Farchi released Roy Revivo who spotted Dor Peretz unmarked on the edge of the area. The Maccabi captain controlled Revivo’s cross with one touch before sending an effort which went in off the post to beat Daniel Tenenbaum and open the score.

A minute before the half hour mark Itamar Noy tried a low left foot drive which Tenebaum coukdnt hold onto before Issouf Sissokho pounced on the loose ball but rifled his shot against the outside of the post. Four minutes later a counter attack saw Abu Farchi release Osher Davida who skipped past his man and fired a shot which Tenebaum did save before the offside flag was raised. In the 44th minute Roi Mishpati was at full stretch as the Maccabi keeper made a feflex save to keep out Shay Ben David’s powerful drive.

Inside injury time Kiryat Shmona were awarded a free kick with Abu Farchi shown the yellow card. Ben David took the free kick which struck the boot of Sheratski to wrong foot Mishpati and level the score just before the interval.

Second Half

With no changes to either side after the break the second half began just like the first with Abu Farchi looking dangerous. A Revivo cross on 47 was headed by the young striker but Tenenbaum plucked the ball in midair. Two minutes later Revivo burst down the left and was brought down in the box by Ovadia Darwish as Oudah pointed directly at the penalty spot. Davida left the ball for Elad Madmon who kept his calm and slotted the spot kick past Tenenbaum to restore Maccabi’s lead on 52.

Abu Farchi came close to increase Maccabi’s lead as he found himself unmarked inside the area but he opted for a shot rather than a pass which agonizingly struck the side netting. In the 71st minute Zarko Lazetic made a double substitution as Abu Farchi and Noy bowed out and were replaced by Ido Shahar and Helio Varela.

Maccabi continued to push forward as Madmon flashed a shot which sailed to the wrong side of Tenenbaum’s post on 76. Four minutes later a combination of Revivo and Mishpati prevented Kiryat Shmona’s Joan Halabi from leveling the score. Lazetic introduced a third substitution in the 83rd minute as Davida was replaced by Kervin Andrade. Just as the fourth official raised the sign for six minutes of added time, Maccabi scored the third. Raz Shlomo carved Kiryat Shmona’s defense open with a perfect through ball to Shahar who chested it down and slotted past Tenenbaum to make it 3-1. Asante and Madmon bowed out to a standing ovation as they were replaced in the closing minutes by Noam Ben Harosh and Ion Nicolaescu.