Preview:

Six weeks after the 3-1 Super Cup victory, Maccabi returned to Turner stadium for the MD3 WINNER League match against Hapoel Be’ersheva. Kenny Miller’s State Cup holders that beat Be’ersheva in the Cup Final on the final day of the 25/26 campaign, returned to the venue where they conceded the league title back in May.

Miller who guided Maccabi to a 100% record of two victories from the opening two league matches will aim to continue his streak. Ofek Melika who missed last week’s victory over Maccabi Haifa following his dismissal against Hapoel Jerusalem, was back in goal after serving his one-match touchline ban.

Ali Camara and Raz Shlomo kept their places as the two central defenders at in front of Melika. New signing James Tavernier made his Maccabi debut at right-back while the departure of Roy Revivo to Spanish club Elche meant that Noam Ben Harosh completed the defense at left back. Issouf Sissokho continued in the anchorman role but he was joined in the engine by Gabi Kanichowsky who was making his first appearance since returning to the club after a year in Hungary with Ferencvaros. Dor Peretz led the team out wearing the captain’s armband as the 31-year-old who scored five league goals and nine in all competitions will aim to continue his run of good form. Osher Davida who was the only player besides Peretz to score against Haifa, started on the wing with Helio Varela on the opposite flank. Ester Sokler led the line as the 27-year-old Slovenian striker who scored a goal in Europe, will seek to open his domestic account.

On the bench alongside goalkeeper Roi Mishpati, Miller named Tyrese Asante, Dan Glazer, Elad Madmon, Itamar Noy, Hisham Layous, Ido Shahar and Itai Ben Hamo.

First half:

Maccabi couldn’t have wished for a better start as they took the lead with less than a minute on the clock. A long ball out of defence was flicked on by Ester Sokler into the path of Osher Davida, who raced clear before squaring the ball back towards Sokler. The Slovenian striker cleverly let the ball run allowing it to reach Helio Varela. The Cape Verde winger didn’t need a touch to control the ball before blasting a right-footed thunderbolt that rocketed into the top corner to the delight of Maccabi’s travelling fans. Be’ersheva were forced to make an early change as Lucas Ventura limped off before being replaced by Zahi Ahmed. Issouf Sissokho and Gabi Kanichowsky dominated the midfield placing the hosts under pressure and forcing Be’ersheva’s players to make mistakes. This pressure gifted Dor Peretz the ball inside the box but Maccabi’s captain sent his half volley over the crossbar. In the 13th minute Maccabi had the ball in the back of the net for the second time as Kanichowsky’s clever through ball reached Ester Sokler who flicked it in past Ofir Marciano but the referee assistant raised his flag for offside denying the Slovenian his debut league goal.

A minute after the half-hour mark, a lethal Maccabi counter-attack saw Kanichowsk receive the ball inside the center circle. The 29-year-old midfielder released Sokler with a perfectly weighted through ball. Sokler raced clear through on goal, skipped past Marciano and was tripped by the keeper. The ball reached Peretz who followed up to drill the loose ball home but referee Yigal Frid, blew his whistle and for pointed to the spot. Sokler stepped up, kept his calm and buried the penalty in the bottom corner to double Maccabi’s lead with his debut league goal.

In the 44th minute Davida tried his luck with an effort from outside the box which sailed over the crossbar. Be’ersheva’s Eliel Peretz was booked by Frid for dissent and seconds later was shown a red card leaving his team with 10 men for the remainder of the match. Maccabi almost exploited the numerical advantage as a Kanichowsky cross was hooked away from the goalmouth before Sokler could nod the ball home. Inside injury time however Maccabi’s defense was caught napping as Pedro Amador skipped over the ball leaving it for Amir Ganah who curled a low shot beyond the reach of Ofek Melika to cut the deficit and bring Be’ersheva back into the game.

Second half:

Maccabi started the second half just as they had the first, with Davida looking dangerous down the right. A minute after the restart David cut inside before firing a shot that failed to trouble Marciano, who collected comfortably.

At the opposite end, Melika punched away an Ahmed effort to clear the danger. Minutes later, Raz Shlomo picked up the ball in the centre of the park, chested it down and drove forward before trying his luck with a rare shot from distance, but his effort sailed wide of the post. In the 59th minute Varela skipped past two Be’ersheva players and cut inside teeing up Sissokho whose powerful drive cleared the crossbar. A minute later James Tavernier carved Be’ersheva’s defense open with a perfect through ball to Davida whose square ball reached Varela. The skipped past Ahmed who tripped him as Frid awarded Maccabi another penalty. This time it was Peretz who stepped up to take the spot kick but Maccabi’s captain was denied by a Marciano save. Four minutes after the hour mark, Maccabi continued to press forward with Varela dancing inside the box only to be denied by Amador’s clearance off his line.

In the 67th minute nothing could deny Maccabi from extending their lead. Varela once again was the instigator as his perfectly timed square ball allowed Sokler to sweep the ball home and score his second of the game. Sokler and Tavernier walked off to a standing ovation from the traveling fans as they were both replaced by Elad Madmon and Tyrese Asante in the 69th minute. 

In the 79th minute Kanichowsky and Davida combined once again as the winger was sent racing down the right flank. Davida had his initial shot saved by Marciano who also managed to palm the rebound as well, but Peretz slotted the ball home to make it 4-1 with his sixth league goal this season. Peretz and Sissokho bowed out to a standing ovation as Miller introduced Ido Shahar and Dan Glazer for the closing stages shortly before Ilay Ben Simon replaced Davida. Shahar came close to score the fifth as he headed Varela’s cross but Marciano managed to save. Ben Simon had a chance inside injury time but Marciano managed to save as Frid’s full time whistle ended the contest as attention now turns to next week’s Tel Aviv derby.