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Maccabi Tel-Aviv end Santa Coloma hopes

Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC 2-0 FC Santa Coloma (agg: 3-0)
The Israeli side struck twice, the first goal a penalty, during a second half in which both teams were reduced to ten men.

Eran Zahavi (left) is congratulated after putting Maccabi ahead from the spot
Eran Zahavi (left) is congratulated after putting Maccabi ahead from the spot ©AFP

Maccabi Tel-Aviv FC made their superiority pay with two second-half goals as they ended FC Santa Coloma's UEFA Champions League run and set up a third qualifying round tie against HŠK Zrinjski or NK Maribor.

Eran Zahavi's penalty just after the hour was added to in the final minute by Tal Ben Haim. Both teams were reduced to ten men in the closing stages of a second leg the Israeli side controlled, Albert Mercadé being dismissed for a second booking three minutes after Maccabi's Barak Badash was shown a straight red card.

Maccabi striker Rade Prica – scorer of the only goal in the first leg – hit the upright early on and was then frustrated by visiting keeper Eloy Casals, who in pulling off a double save also stopped Zahavi's close-range effort. Casals was called into action again by Ben Haim before the half was out.

The chances kept coming for Maccabi. Just before the hour, Dor Mikha was found by Zahavi but placed his shot wide with only Casals to beat. The breakthrough arrived when Mercadé handled the ball in the penalty area and Zahavi tucked away the resulting spot kick. Ben Haim made it 3-0 on aggregate in the 90th minute, running on to Maharan Radi's pass and rounding Casals.

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