JERUSALEM, Aug. 24 (Xinhua) -- A hat-trick by striker Eran Zahavi powered Maccabi Tel Aviv to a 4-1 victory over Slovenia's NK Celje in the first leg of the UEFA Conference League playoffs on Thursday evening.
In the 22nd minute, Maccabi found their way onto the scoreboard when Yonatan Cohen was taken down by Zan Karncnik in the box. The VAR intervened, and a penalty was awarded. Zahavi confidently converted, making it 1-0 in front of a roaring crowd of 22,000 at the Bloomfield Stadium.
NK Celje responded by exploiting gaps in Maccabi's defense. By the 29th minute, striker Gregor Bajde capitalized on a weak save by goalkeeper Daniel Peretz, leveling the score in what would be Peretz's final appearance for Maccabi before his transfer to Bayern Munich.
Maccabi reclaimed the lead in the 51st minute, with Zahavi finding the back of the net from close range, assisted by a precise pass from Joris van Overeem. He added another to his tally 21 minutes later, nodding in a corner delivered by Dan Biton.
Dor Turgeman, a young substitute striker, cemented the win in the 91st minute with a strike from 16 meters out. Just a minute later, Celje's defender Klemen Nemanic received his second yellow card, leading to his dismissal.
The second leg is slated for Ljubljana next Thursday. The aggregate winner will progress to the group stages of the Conference League. ■
