Maccabi Tel Aviv Secures Historic Five-Win Streak to Start Season

Maccabi Tel Aviv concluded their pre-international break schedule with a significant 2-1 victory over Maccabi Netanya, extending their winning streak to five games at the start of the Israeli Premier League season. This marks the first time the club has achieved such a feat in 33 years, last accomplished in the 1993/94 season. Despite the celebratory mood, the team faced challenges, particularly in the second half where Netanya equalized and threatened to score again. Coach Kenny Miller acknowledged the need to improve their ability to close out games, especially after a strong first half that only yielded one goal from a Dor Peretz penalty just before halftime.

Peretz continued his impressive scoring run, netting his 11th consecutive game with a goal, equaling records held by Eran Zahavi and Dan Biton. He also earned the penalty that James Tavernier converted on the rebound after an initial miss. Other standout performers for Maccabi Tel Aviv included Isaaic Sukuta, Gabi Kanyukovsky, and Raz Shlomo. A player anonymously commented on the team's need to capitalize more in the first half and avoid complacency after taking a lead.

The team also dealt with injuries to Ali Mohamed Kamara and Heliv Varla during the match. However, coach Miller indicated in his post-game press conference that their injuries are not expected to be serious, and they should be fit for the match against Bnei Sakhnin after the break. Miller also addressed his substitution choices, explaining his decision to bring on Idan Shachar for the injured Varla early in the game, citing the readiness of other potential replacements for limited minutes.