MACCABI GAMES GOLDEN MOMENTS
FOOTBALL MACCABI Tel Aviv’s Champions League campaign got off to a disastrous start as they were outclassed by Group B favourites Chelsea, going down 4-0 at Stamford Bridge on Wednesday night.
The Israeli champions were on the back foot from the first whistle. They enjoyed an early reprieve when Eden Hazard smashed a penalty over the bar after goalkeeper Pedrag Rajkovic clipped Willian in the penalty area.
But they were level for only 15 minutes, Willian’s curling 30-yard free-kick evading a cluster of players in the box before finding its way past Rajkovic.
Going into the game with a sevenmatch unbeaten run, the visitors spurned their best chance on 31 minutes when top scorer Eran Zahavi headed wastefully over.
Chelsea doubled their advantage on the stroke of half-time when Tal Ben Haim brought down substitute Diego Costa in the box. Oscar took over the penalty duties and successfully converted.
After the break, Chelsea waltzed through a pedestrian Maccabi defence at will.
Quicker to the ball and more incisive, they scored the goal of the night when Cesc Fabregas set up Costa for a imperious volley on 58 minutes.
Fabregas completed the rout with a simple tap-in 12 minutes from time.
Maccabi’s dispirited players were grateful to hear the final whistle.
Dynamo Kiev, their next opponents on September 29, drew 2-2 with Porto in the group’s other match.
But Maccabi will need to improve dramatically to be competitive in the group.