Injury time strike dents Maccabi’s Champions League hopes

Maccabi Tel Aviv’s hopes of reaching the play-off stage of this season’s Champions League suffered a blow last night after an injury time strike saw them lose 1-0 to NK Maribor.

The Israeli champions were in Slovenia for their first leg tie, and looked as if they would earn a draw, only for Damjan Bohar to strike in the fourth minute of injury time.

Eran Zahavi enjoyed the only real of the first the half, though the Maccabi midfielder forced a fine stop from Jasmin Handanovič in the home goal with barely two minutes on the clock.

The final stages of the game saw Juan Pablo in the Maccabi goal save well from Sintayehu Sallalich, before a goalmouth scramble and clearance off the line kept the lead in tact for the visitors. But they couldn’t hold out, and were left to rue one last moment of a lack of concentration when Bohar headed in with seconds remaining.

The Israelis won’t be able to enjoy home advantage in Tuesday night’s second leg as the current situation in the Middle East means the game will now be played in Cyprus.