Maccabi Haifa cruised to an emphatic 1:8 victory over Ahi Nazareth to book their place in the next stage of the Israeli State Winner Cup. Kani opened the scoring after just 53 seconds. Haziza doubled the lead in the 6th minute and completed his brace in the 17th. Melamed added two more in the 24th and 31st minutes, with an own goal by the hosts in the 25th rounding out a dominant first half. Gorre made it seven in the 53rd minute, the eighth goal (another own goal) followed in the 73rd, and Ahi Nazareth pulled one back in the 79th.
Israeli State Cup - 8th round | Maccabi Ahi Nazareth vs Maccabi Haifa | Ilut Stadium
Maccabi’s line-up: Shareef Keouf, Jelle Bataille, Elad Amir, Lisav Eissat, Pierre Cornud, Peter Agba, Ethan Azoulay, Dolev Haziza (C), Silva Kani, Kenji Gorre, Guy Melamed.
Kick Off
1’ GOAL! Kani whipped in a sharp cross that was poorly cleared and nearly went out for a corner. The goalkeeper tried to keep the ball in play but instead played it straight to Kani, who kept his composure and fired a sharp shot from a tight angle to score Maccabi’s opener. 0:1 for Maccabi
6’ GOAL! Kani receives the ball on the right flank and delivers a great cross towards Haziza, who joins the box from the second line to head the ball in. 0:2 for Maccabi
6’ Assist: Silva Kani
7’ Melamed receives the ball inside the box and shoots, but the goalkeeper blocks the attempt.
17’ GOAL! Gorre passes the ball to Haziza who shoots a brilliant curved shot from 17 meters, and he sends the ball straight into the net. 0:3 for Maccabi
17’ Assist: Kenji Gorre
22’ Gorre receives the ball at the edge of the box and shoots it flat, but the ball just whistles next to the post.
24’ GOAL! Gorre delivers a great cross to Haziza, who lets the ball run to Melamed, and he rolls it in with a single touch. 0:4 for Maccabi
24’ Assist: Kenji Gorre
25’ GOAL! Agba tries his luck with a shot from 18 meters, the ball hits Nazareth’s defender, Bashar Odeh, and is deflected into his own net. 0:5 for Maccabi
31’ Gorre crosses the ball into the box, and Melamed shoves it in from close range. 0:6 for Maccabi.
31’ Assist: Kenji Gorre
37’ Agba tries his luck from outside the box, but the ball goes flying over the crossbar.
Second Half
46’ Quadruple substitution for Maccabi: Trivante Stewart, Matías Nahuel, Zohar Zasano, and Yinon Fainegezicht in, Guy Melamed, Dolev Haziza, Jelle Bataille, and Pierre Cornud out.
50’ Substitution for Nazareth: Ibrahim Abu Ahmed in, Bashar Odeh out.
53’ GOAL! Gorre receives the ball from Fainegezicht on the left flank, shakes off his defender, cuts to the middle, and shoots a flat ball straight into the net. 0:7 for Maccabi
53’ Assist: Yinon Fainegezicht
56’ Substitution for Maccabi: Daniel Darzi in, Lisav Eissat out.
56’ Substitution for Nazareth: Jawad An’eim in, Ali Khatib out.
58’ Substitution for Nazareth: Ibrahim Hujeirat in, Khaled Saliman out.
66’ Double substitution for Nazareth: Alaa Bachar and Yazen Awad in, Moamen Salah and Arafa Khatib out.
72’ GOAL! Nahuel plays a through ball to Darzi, who shoots it powerfuly, but the goalkeeper parries it. The rebound strikes Hujeirat and ends up in his own net. 0:8 for Maccabi
74’ A double pass between Darzi and Gorre ends with a shot by the latter, but the ball goes narrowly wide.
78’ Azoulay tries his luck from 18 meters, but the ball goes over the crossbar.
79’ GOAL! Sliman crosses the ball to Hamza Mowasi, who passes by his defender and scores from inside the box. 1:8 for Maccabi
80’ Nahuel tries his luck from 18 meters, but the goalkeeper collects it.
90’ Final whistle. Maccabi wins at Ilut and qualifies to the next round.
