Maccabi's U19s registered their sixth consecutive victory courtesy of goals by Eliel Peretz and Raz Itzhak
As in the away fixture earlier in the season, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar", the club's Under-19s, faced tough opposition from their namesakes from Petach Tikva on Saturday at the Kiryat Shalom training ground in matchweek 17 of the U19 Premier League. But goals early on in both halves, the first by Eliel Peretz and the second by striker Raz Itzhak, were enough to see the league leaders through a match they dominated from start to finish, despite Maccabi Petach Tikva pulling one back in the second half. But Maccabi held on for 2-1 to register their sixth consecutive victory, a result that keeps them top of the U19 Premier League table nine points clear second-placed Maccabi Haifa.
With only three minutes on the matchclock Maccabi were already on the scoreboard after captain Dan Glazer tried his luck from outside the area and found midfielder Eliel Peretz instead, who sent the opposition keeper the wrong way to put the home side ahead 1-0. For Peretz it was his fourth league goal of the season. Head coach Ziv Arie's eleven continued with their supportive passing play and defender Guy Aviv then found Matan Hozez in space but the midfielder's strike flew over the net. On the half hour mark Congolese striker Mavis Tchibota squared a ball for Sohil Armeli in the area but the midfielder missed the post by a fraction.
After the break, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" repeated their feat of the first half by scoring early on. Mavis Tchibota was the provider, sending an excellent cross from the right into the area that a lunging Raz Itzhak poked past the keeper into the opposition net to put the home side up 2-0. Most of the action continued to take place in the Maccabi half and Eliel Peretz came close to a second when his header hit the ground and bounced over the goal. At the other end Maccabi Petach Tikva mounted their first credible assault on 72 minutes and Aviyahu Ezer succeeded in pulling one back for the visitors. Maccabi striker Yonatan Cohen, the U19 Premier League's leading goalscorer, came on off the bench and nearly returned his side's two-goal advantage but his header was cleared off the line by an opposition defender. In the end, "Shachar" held on to their slim 2-1 lead for their sixth consecutive league win and another week at the top of the Under-19 Premier League.
Next Saturday Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" will play away to Hapoel Haifa.
photographs: Hen Seders
