Europa League Preview: Maccabi Tel Aviv -v- Dundalk

MACCABI TEL AVIV

In the midst of a crisis, Maccabi could put all of their problems to one side if they defeat Dundalk and secure progress to the last-32 of the Europa League in Netanya on Thursday night.

It is considered by many to be the most important game in the tenure of manager Shota Arveladze with the Georgian under severe pressure following a string of inconsistent league results and a European campaign which has yielded only the sole group stage victory.

Maccabi have won only one of their last six domestic games and currently sit 10-points off Hapoel Be'er Sheva at the summit of the Ligat Ha’al table. This poor form seemingly came to a head in their weekend stalemate with bottom of the table Hapoel Ashkelon at tomorrow night’s venue. Indeed, Maccabi finished the match with five strikers on the pitch.

Various Israeli news sources had been reporting that Arveladze could even be dismissed before the meeting with Dundalk, something which would surely have unsettled the side even further especially with Maccabi having lost to the Irishmen in Dublin earlier in the campaign.

That defeat has seemingly derailed their season, something which the Lilywhites have a track record of doing to more established European clubs this term – BATE Borisov and AZ being pertinent examples.

Coming to Dublin in September, Maccabi were on an 18-game run which included only one defeat – that being their dramatic 4-3 collapse to Zenit on this competition’s opening night. Since losing to the Lilywhites however Maccabi have won only three of their next eleven, an alarming run of form.

Perhaps why Maccabi were so poor in Dublin nine weeks ago was due to the underwhelming showings from top scorer Tal Ben Chaim and chief playmaker Haris Medunjanin. The pair were very disappointing and were singled out for criticism in the Israeli press in the aftermath.

A win could be crucial to the destiny of Maccabi’s season and veteran central defender Tal Ben Haim has told the club’s television channel as much in building up to tomorrow night.

“These aren’t the results we wanted but there’s no choice right now and we have a very important match coming in the Europa League. We’re not going to put our heads down and I hope that we will win it and start down a new path,” the former Chelsea and Bolton defender said.

“It’s hard to put a finger on the exact problem, but I can say that our coach is doing the maximum every day at practice and we are all behind him.”

DUNDALK

Dundalk will face Maccabi Tel Aviv at the Netanya Stadium on Thursday knowing that a win may not even be enough to secure progression to the knockout stages of the Europa League.

The Lilywhites have good memories of facing the Israelis however with their last meeting nine weeks ago yielding a first ever victory for an Irish side in the group stages of the Europa League.

Ciaran Kilduff, who recently agreed a new deal with the club, was the hero with his 72^nd minute goal being the difference on a magical night where the Lilywhites put themselves firmly in position to progress from Group D.

However, despite performing admirably in both ties versus Zenit, Dundalk were below par, by their own high standards, in the disappointing 1-0 loss to AZ on matchday five.

Kenny’s charges looked ring-rusty in the early stages, a phase which ultimately cost them the game as Wout Weghorst scored the only goal. This despite Dundalk growing into proceedings and wasting several chances to level the tie.

The fact that the Lilywhites hadn’t played a competitive game for 18 days prior to the AZ match would appear to have been key to their lacklustre start in the narrow defeat, and surely the 1 -day lay-off to Thursday’s game will have similar consequences for a Dundalk side who have played almost 70 games this year.

On a brighter note, captain Stephen O’Donnell and Chris Shields are both expected to be fit, although doubts remain as to whether either, or both, will be able to start the match with O’Donnell suffering from recurrent leg muscle injuries while Shields limped off with a dodgy hamstring in a recent friendly win over Warrenpoint Town.

Daryl Horgan and Ronan Finn have arguably been the two standout players for the Lilywhites this season and should Dundalk pull off another memorable night in Europe the pair are likely to be key. The duo were superb against Maccabi earlier in the campaign with Horgan providing the assist for the winner with a dinked right-footed cross.

The Dundalk manager has described the game as a “win or nothing encounter.” Kenny also spoke confidently about his side’s chances of continuing their record of scoring in all bar one of their European away games under his reign.

The 45-year-old told dundalkfc.com: “Tomorrow night is a huge opportunity for us although it’s not completely in our own hands. We must try to get the win over here in Israel and we have the ability to score goals. We have managed to score in every country and we must draw on that again in Israel.

“There are permutations that a score draw could put us through if Zenit win their match but we must not think like that, we can’t think like that. It’s a win or nothing for me and I only see it as a win or nothing game for us,” Kenny concluded.

Referee: Robert Schörgenhofer (AUT)

MATCH STATS

Dundalk are through if they win and AZ do not, or if they have a score draw and AZ lose.

Maccabi are through if they win and AZ do not.

Both sides have won only one of their last five matches in all competitions.

MATCH BETTING

Maccabi Tel Aviv 2/5; Draw 10/3; Dundalk 15/2

PREDICTION

Maccabi Tel Aviv 2-0 Dundalk

Maccabi Tel Aviv

Injured: Oscar Scarrione.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.

Dundalk

Injured: Shane Grimes (hamstring).

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.