Maccabi's Under-19s kicked off their 14/15 league season with a huge 4-0 win over Hapoel Rishon Lezion, with four different young stars finding the net
Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" got their 2014/15 season U19 Premier League campaign off to a positive start with an impressive 4-0 home win over Hapoel Rishon Lezion. Due to registration and authorisation difficulties the match was moved from the Kiryat Shalom training ground to the municipal stadium in Holon, but the charges of second year head coach Ziv Arie were clearly unaffected by the change in venue. Ten of the starting eleven young stars were veterans from last year's Under-19 squad, with striker Stav Ben Aharon, who joined this summer from Maccabi Haifa, the only newcomer.
"Shachar", untroubled by the hot weather, wasted no time on testing the waters and went straight into attack that produced the first goal. Just past the quarter hour mark striker Raz Itzhak latched on to a long ball from midfielder Eliel Peretz in the area and with his left foot struck swiftly past the Rishon keeper to record the team's first goal of the 2014/15 league season. Afterwards midfielder Matan Hozez, just returned from a successful international tournament with Israel's Under-19s, missed a chance to double the advantage when he found himself alone facing the opposition goal but the Rishon keeper kept him out. At the other end Maccabi keeper Sahar Hason faced a similar challenge and his success prevented an equaliser before the interval.
"Shachar" opened the second half much as they did the first, swiftly attacking inside the rival's half. Congolese striker Mavis Chibote came off the bench and quickly back-heeled to newcomer Stav Ben Aharon who came close to scoring Maccabi's second. Midfielder Sohil Armeli followed with a long drive that hit both posts, but it was Chibote who finally added to "Shachar"'s tally when he capped a fine personal run with a shot into the upper part of the Rishon net. Maccabi continued to press and after striker Yonatan Cohen hit the post with a corner he assisted Eliel Peretz in poking in the third "Shachar" goal seven minutes from time. Yonatan Cohen also had a hand in the team's fourth as midfielder Sohil Armeli finished off the scoring five minutes later after some classy team play.
In matchweek 2 next Saturday Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" will be hosted by Maccabi Petach Tikva
