Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Division teams returned to league duties after the break, with the Under-17s and Under-15s registering top level victories
After a three week break for the Under-17s, and four weeks in the other youth division leagues, Maccabi Tel Aviv's younger contenders returned to league duties this week-end. The Under-17s, who went into the match level on points with their rivals Hapoel Beer Sheva, opened up a three point lead at the top of the table by beating them 4-1 at the Kiryat Shalom training ground in matchweek 7 of the national Under-17 Premier League. It was the visitors who opened the scoring in the first half but by the time the half-time whistle blew Maccabi had already equalised through a goal by striker Roi Ronen.
After the restart, Maccabi waited 23 minutes to find the advantage, but then striker Hadar Levi scored his first goal of the season from close range to put his side ahead 2-1. Three minutes later midfielder Tomer Altman found Roi Ronen alone in front of an empty net and the striker dispatched his second goal of the match, his twelfth of the season to make the score 3-1. Finally, in the dying moments of the match, substitute midfielder Tom Zaguri added a fourth to seal the 4-1 victory, which rewarded the fine Maccabi Tel Aviv "Oded" effort with continued presence at the top of the table.
Maccabi's Under-16s faced a parallel fixture away in Beer Sheva, also entering the fray level on points with their Hapoel opponents at the top of the table. After 90 minutes the situation remained unchanged as the two sides battled out a 1-1 draw. The hosts took the lead after thirteen minutes courtesy of Beer Sheva youngster Victor Peretz, but eleven minutes later Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eli Fuchs" equalised through Guy Shetach, his fourth goal of the season. This first-half result held sway until the end of the match leaving the two sides locked in battle for dominance of the national Under-16 League South.
Both Maccabi Under-15 sides played at Kiryat Shalom and both teams came away victorious. Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eldad" handsomely dispatched Hapoel Rishon Lezion 4-0 courtesy of a hat-trick by Almog Eilon and an individual effort by Neil Goldberg. The win helped the home side to leapfrog the visitors to the top of the Under-15 Central District league table. Under-15 Team 2 recorded a 3-1 win against Nesher FC with goals from Ziv Balsach, Jiji Darsilia and Daslin Blachau.
Maccabi's Under-14 teams also returned to league duties with positive results. Team North, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shlomo", emerged 2-1 winners from an encounter with the Shefayim Soccer School for girls and Team South overran Beitar Jerusalem 0-5 in the nation's capital. Under-13 Team North lost to Beitar Tubruk 3-1 and Team South played out a 2-2 draw against Hapoel Rishon Lezion.
