JERUSALEM: Israel’s Maccabi Tel Aviv secured a 3-0 win over Moldova’s Petrocub Hincesti in the first leg second qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League.
Maccabi dominated most of the first home game under new head coach Robbie Keane on Thursday evening. They took the lead in the 13th minute from Dan Biton’s free-kick from the right. The home side had several other scoring chances during the first half, but Moldovan goalkeeper Cristian Avram was equal to all of them.
Former Guangzhou R&F and PSV Eindhoven striker Eran Zahavi doubled the lead for Maccabi in the 62nd minute with a long-range left-footed effort. Dor Peretz added another in injury time to secure the victory for Maccabi after an assist from Serbian striker Djordja Jovanovic.
The second leg on August 3 will be played in Moldova’s capital Chisinau, as Petrocub Hincesti’s pitch is too small for a UEFA game.
Israeli side Hapoel Beer Sheva achieved a 1-0 home win over Lithuania’s FK Panevezys in the first leg second qualifying round of the UEFA Conference League on Thursday evening. The home team got on the scoreboard in the 35th minute thanks to midfielder Shay Elias, who slotted home after good work from Ramzi Safuri.
Beer Sheva came close to doubling the score in the second half, but Lithuanian goalkeeper Vytautas Cerniauskas prevented efforts by Safuri and Helder Lopez in the 59th and 67th minutes respectively. Panevezys almost scored a dramatic equaliser in the 89th minute, but Jefferey Sarpong’s shot just missed the target. IANS
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