A dramatic late-match Eliel Peretz brace brought MTA's U19s from two goals down to draw in the Tel Aviv derby
A day of Tel Aviv derbies for both Maccabi's Under-19 and senior team got off to a most dramatic start as Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" earned a last-minute point at Hapoel Tel Aviv's Wolfson training ground. In last round's reverse fixture at Maccabi's Kiryat Shalom training ground, "Shachar" displayed complete dominance, winning 4-1. This time out, head coach Ziv Arie's lads were after another dominant performance that would keep them within shouting distance of league leaders Maccabi Haifa. Three consecutive opportunities just after the ten minute mark bode well for that objective, but the efforts of striker Amit Farhi and midfielders Shaked Azulai and Sohil Armeli all missed their marks. Thereafter the pace of the tie slackened, with only striker Yonatan Cohen and, at the other end ex-Maccabi player Sagiv Yehezkial, making long-range efforts that left the match goalless at half time.
Two minutes after the restart it was the alertness of Maccabi keeper Sahar Hason that kept out Hapoel's Raz Nahmias. But just after the hour mark the home side finally found an opener courtesy of a spot kick by Ramsey Sfuri. Three minutes later the advantage was doubled by Michael Hemo and remained in place until the final ten minutes of the match. But "Shachar" had no intention of conceding the tie even after seeing Yonatan Cohen sent off for a second bookable offence. Ten minutes from time an Ofek Barzani corner sailed over the heads of the Hapoel Tel Aviv defence for midfielder Eliel Peretz, who headed in from close range for Maccabi's first goal of the match. From that moment on momentum began to build at the Maccabi end and after a long-range effort by Barzani, midfielder Dor Peretz was sent through into the area and was brought down as he attempted to shoot. Eliel Peretz stepped up to the spot and dramatically completed his brace to bring the sides level at 2-2. In the dying moments the drama reached a further peak when Peretz almost got a hat-trick, but his last-minute header only grazed the woodwork. And just before the final whistle Hapoel too found themselves a man short when Dasli Tagania was sent off, but the match ended 2-2 without further incident.
Unfortunately for Maccabi's Under-19s, league leaders Maccabi Haifa were also making last-minute work of the Haifa derby against Hapoel Haifa, scoring a winner that increased their lead at the top of the national Under-19 Premier League to seven points with three matches left to play. Next week the opponent will be the very same Hapoel Haifa, who will arrive at the Kiryat Shalom training ground for "Shachar"'s penultimate home match of the 2013/14 league season.
