Bologna Cruise Past Maccabi Tel Aviv in Dominant Europa League Display

Bologna emphatically dispatched a toothless Maccabi Tel Aviv side 3-0 at the TSC Arena, extending the Israeli champions’ dismal European campaign whilst bolstering their own qualification hopes.

The contrast between these sides was stark from the opening whistle. Bologna, sitting 10th in the table with 15 points from eight matches, demonstrated precisely why they’ve averaged 1.88 points per game this season. Maccabi Tel Aviv, languishing in 36th place with a solitary point and a catastrophic goal difference of -20, offered little resistance in what felt like a foregone conclusion.

Tactical Supremacy

Vincenzo Italiano’s Bologna controlled proceedings with 60% possession and an overwhelming 23-5 shot advantage. Their 3.00 expected goals compared to Maccabi’s meagre 0.60 told the story of complete dominance. The Italian side’s 4-3-3 formation stretched Maccabi’s 3-4-2-1 setup, creating space for Jordan Rowe to open the scoring on 35 minutes.

Riccardo Orsolini had already seen one effort chalked off by VAR on 21 minutes, but Bologna’s persistence paid dividends. Orsolini doubled the advantage two minutes after half-time, capitalising on Bologna’s superior shot conversion rate.

Clinical Finishing

With Maccabi goalkeeper Roei Mashpati making nine saves to Bologna’s solitary stop, the scoreline could have been far more emphatic. The hosts managed just one shot on target from their five attempts, whilst Bologna peppered the goal with 11 on-target efforts from 23 total shots.

Tommaso Pobega’s 90th-minute strike capped a thoroughly professional performance, ensuring Bologna moved closer to the knockout stages whilst Maccabi’s European adventure edges towards its inevitable conclusion.

The five-match losing streak continues for the Israeli side, whose LLLLL form across all competitions reflects a team struggling to compete at this level. Bologna’s WDWWD run suggests they’re peaking at precisely the right moment.