Israeli football kicked off its 2023-24 season today in Turner Stadium with its first official game, a Toto Cup matchup between Hapoel Be’er Sheva and Maccabi Tel Aviv.
As both teams play in the Conference League this year, they were pitted against each other to open the season.
Maccabi came into the game on the back of a disappointing 2022-23 season, and have recently replaced coach Aitor Karanka with Robbie Keane - his debut appointment as a manager.
In 2018 he coached Indian side ATK for three games as a player-manager, and has since had spells as an assistant.
The two sets of fans had certainly missed seeing their teams in action, as Turner Stadium was almost full, and noisy, despite the intense heat wave that has hit the country over the past few days.
As half-time neared, the first goal of the Robbie Keane era came, as Yonatan Cohen’s shot deflected into the net from close range - leaving no chance for goalkeeper Ofir Marciano, whose bad pass started the visitor’s attack.
Keane could be seen visibly celebrating and punching the air on the sidelines.
Maccabi continued to assert their dominance towards the end of the first half as, in stoppage time, Eran Zahavi scored one of his vintage goals, a strong and accurate low ball from outside the box into the bottom corner.
It was 2-0 Tel Aviv, and that same trend would continue in the second half.
Just after the restart, Maccabi counter-attacked brilliantly when Zahavi, who had received the ball in midfield, passed it to the flank, and then got it back in the box, finishing with a one touch backheel.
Amazing football in hostile territory.
A minute later, Be’er Sheva lost the ball, once again, in a dangerous area, forcing defender Eyad Abu Abid to foul the last man.
He was sent off, and Zahavi completed the hattrick from the penalty spot. 4-0 Maccabi.
The goals kept on coming, and with a furious pace to them too.
Be’er Sheva managed to claw one back as Ramzi Safuri chipped in from close range in the 55th minute.
But the hungry Maccabi side didn’t even flinch - Dor Peretz blasted in the fifth for the visitors five minutes later.
The show wasn't complete without a goal from Dan Biton, who finished off the scoring and made it 6-1. He was returning to play against his former team.
One of the worst games in Be’er Sheva's history is the infamous 6-2 loss to Maccabi Tel Aviv in the 2015 cup final, and today served as a cold reminder of that dark evening in Sammy Ofer.
Both teams will now need to forget these 90 mins, each for their own reasons, as their European seasons start exactly a week from today.
Be’er Sheva will want to restore their pride against FK Panevezys from Lithuania, and Maccabi will attempt to ride the momentum against Moldova’s Petrocub.
Edited by Alex Smith
Photo by Maccabi Tel Aviv Football Club
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