Maccabi Tel Aviv Held to 0-0 Draw by Bnei Sakhnin, First Points Dropped

Maccabi Tel Aviv missed an opportunity to maintain a perfect record in the Israeli Premier League on Saturday, drawing 0-0 with Bnei Sakhnin at Bloomfield Stadium. Despite dominating possession and creating numerous chances, the team coached by Kenny Miller failed to score for the first time this season, losing their first points after six matches. The home side registered 33 shots compared to Sakhnin's 4, enjoyed 78% ball possession, and had an expected goals (xG) of 2.01. However, only 6 of their shots were on target, and Sakhnin's goalkeeper, Raul Balbrao, had a strong performance, making crucial saves. Sakhnin, meanwhile, offered little attacking threat, with most of their attempts ending in lost possession or speculative long-range shots. Despite the missed opportunity, Maccabi Tel Aviv remains at the top of the league with 16 points from a possible 18, three points ahead of the second-place team, though this gap could narrow. Midfielder Gabi Kaniikovsky was highlighted for another strong performance, while Helio Varela made his return to the field in the final 20 minutes, showing no signs of rust. Sakhnin sits in tenth place in the standings.