Maccabi’s line-up: Josh Cohen, Daniel Sundgren, Abdoulaye Seck, Sean Goldberg, Pierre Cornud, Ali Mohamed, Tjaronn Chery (C), Dia Saba, Omer Atzili, Dolev Haziza, Frantzdy Pierrot.
Kick Off
3’ GOAL! Saba completes a brilliant dribble down the left flank, penetrates into the box, and crosses the ball straight to Atzili who comes from behind and shoves the ball in! 1:0 for Maccabi
5’ GOAL!! The blitz continues! Once again from the left flank, this time Haziza passes the ball to Cornud, and the French left-back crosses an accurate ball straight to Atzili who heads the ball softly over the goalkeeper. A crazy 2:0 lead for Maccabi just five minutes into the match.
10’ Haziza receives the ball from Atzili and shoots from 25 meters, but the ball goes just slightly wide.
24’ Saba breaks through the center of the pitch, all the way to the edge of the box, and shoots, but the ball goes over the crossbar.
25’ Haziza shakes off his defender at the left flank and shoots powerfully, but the goalkeeper denies the attempt.
26’ Atzili crosses a corner kick into the box, the goalkeeper tries to clear the ball but he punches it straight to Sundgren who shoots powerfully, and somehow the ball is cleared from the line by one of Hapoel’s defenders.
Second Half
52’ Saba sends a magnificent incisive pass towards Haziza who shoots a sharp ball from inside the box with his left foot, but the ball goes just inches wide.
56’ GOAL!!! Atzili provides a brilliant pass down the right flank to Chery who shoots from inside the box with his right foot, his weaker foot, but it doesn’t seem to bother him because the ball goes straight into the net! 3:0 for Maccabi in the derby of Haifa!
69’ Sardal scores for the visitors. 3:1 for Maccabi
70’ Double substitution for Maccabi: Mohammed Abu Fani and Dylan Batubinsika in, Tjaronn Chery and Pierre Cornud out.
73’ GOAL!!! Saba crosses a corner kick towards Atzili who waits outside the box, and from 20 meters he shoots a beautiful volley that goes flying into the net. 4:1 for Maccabi, Omer Atzili completes a huge hat trick!
75’ Double substitution for Maccabi: Din David and Raz Meir in, Omer Atzili and Daniel Sundgren out.
82’ Substitution for Maccabi: Mahmoud Jaber in, Dolev Haziza out.
86’ Abu Fani shoots from 22 meters, but the goalkeeper manages to tip the ball away for a corner kick.
90’ Final whistle. The derby was painted green when Omer Atzili completed a hat trick and reached 15 league goals so far. Dia Saba was honored with 2 assists, both for number 7 in green. The gap from the second place in the table is 4 points, and with only one game left until the end of the regular season, it means that Maccabi will start the upper playoff from first place.