Maccabi's younger Youth Division teams got off to good season starts, the U16s won 5-3
Apart from the Under-17s, who had the weekend off, and the Under-10s, whose league season has yet to start, all of Maccabi Tel Aviv's Youth Division teams were in action at the weekend. As reported elsewhere, the Under-19s had to settle for a 1-1 draw at Hapoel Ra'anana, but for Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eli Fuchs" the weekend produced a more tantalising result. Out to win their sixth consecutive league fixture since the start of the season, head coach Shlomi Mitelka's Under-16s succeeded as they came from behind to defeat municipal neighbours Bnei Yehuda 5-3 at the Kiryat Shalom training ground. The visitors got off to the better start and led 1-2 at half time, but after the restart the home side staged an impressive comeback, scoring four times to go in front 5-2 before Bnei Yehuda pulled one back late in the match. Maccabi's five goals were scored by five different players: Prince Thomas, Neil Goldberg, Nadav Reuveny, Eylon Almog and Eden Kartsev.
Also looking to continue their perfect start to the season were the club's Under 15 Team 1, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eldad". They hosted Hapoel Jerusalem in matchweek 3 of the nationwide U15 League Central District and made it three out of three with a 3-1 win. Adir Hardon, Tal Daon and Or Biran provided the goals for head coach Eyal Tzachi's side, who conceded only the one goal late in the match. Team 2 played away at Maccabi Netanya and shared the points after a dramatic 2-2 draw. All the scoring came in the second half, with Eyal Chen accounting for both of Maccabi's goals, the second in the game's final minute.
For the first time this weekend most of Maccabi Tel Aviv's younger youth teams joined their older counterparts in 2014/15 league competition, and the results were encouraging, to say the least. The Under-14 Team North opened with a 4-0 home victory over Maccabi Haifa/Nahalal, with a brace from Asaf Hershko and individual goals from Yuval Ben-Ami and Idan Rozenfeld. Team South travelled to Ironi Hod Hasharon and booked a handsome 0-3 win, courtesy of goals from Yoav Lang, David Degu and Nadav Niddam. Maccabi's Under-13 Team North also played away and earned their three points in a convincing 0-6 triumph. Maccabi's winning weekend was rounded off by the club's Under-13 Team South, who beat Hapoel Kiryat Ono at home 3-0.
