Young Maccabi stars Barak Levi, Ben Reichert and Dor Micha, with two assists, all featured in a Young Israel win in Macedonia
Last night, Israel's Under-21s beat their counterparts from the FYR of Macedonia 0-3 in the group stage of the 2015 Euro Under-21 championships, a victory that considerably boosts their chances of finishing second in their qualifying group and reaching the play-offs for a spot in the finals. At present they lead by three points third-placed Norway, who have a game in hand. For last night's match three young Maccabi stars were in the first eleven: Goalkeeper Barak Levi and midfielders Ben Reichert and Dor Micha. Micha was also credited with assists on the first two of Young Israel's three goals, scored by Ironi Kiryat Shmona forward Ofir Mizrachi on 33 and 41 minutes respectively. Fifteen minutes from time Micha came close to scoring a goal of his own, but only managed to hit the woodwork. Ben Reichert was substituted on 66 minutes by Shoval Gozlan, on loan at Hapoel Tel Aviv from Maccabi Haifa, who scored the team's third goal ten minutes from time.
Israel's Under-21's have two more group-stage qualifying matches, away to Azerbaijan and the home encounter with the same Macedonian side they defeated away last night. Six points from these two matches should be enough to send Young Israel into the play-offs, where the top four second-placed national U21 teams among the ten qualifying groups will join the ten group leaders, fourteen sides who will compete for the seven places alongside hosts Czech Republic in the finals in 2015. Portugal's Under-21s have already guaranteed their place at the top of Young Israel's group.
