Both of Maccabi's U15 teams reached their State Cup semi-finals on a Saturday when once again the winter weather starred
On Saturday Maccabi Tel Aviv's Under-19s reached the last sixteen of their State Cup competition with a convincing 5-0 win against Hapoel Haifa. The club's Under-17s, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Oded", were also due to fight for their place in the State Cup quarter finals, but their away encounter at Hakoach Amidar Ramat Gan was postponed till next Saturday, due to last weekend's stormy winter weather. Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eli Fuch's", the club's Under-16s, were luckier in their league outing at the Kiryat Shalom training ground against Maccabi Haifa/Nahalal. Head coach Shlomi Mitelka's lads scored eight times to only one reply, and their 8-1 victory keeps them in the top slot of the nationwide U16 League Southern District table. Desalin Balacho scored a hat-trick, Ofek Balas, Almog Eylon, Guy Dahan, Neil Goldberg and Yarin Sharabi all added individual efforts.
The first Youth Division team to reach the semi-finals of their State Cup competition were Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eldad", the club's Under-15 Team 1. Head coach Eyal Tzachi's squad travelled to Hapoel Ra'anana and won the tie quarter-final tie 0-3 courtesy of second-half goals by Rotem Ziv, Gal Porat and Idan Zioni. Under-15 Team 2 were quick to follow their Team 1 counterparts into the semi-finals, but did so in considerably more dramatic fashion. Their away tie at Maccabi Haifa ended 2-2 after 80 regulation minutes, with Yam Ben Yehuda's brace responsible for Maccabi Tel Aviv's contribution. Six minutes into extra time Shachar Eylon scored Maccabi Tel Aviv's third and their 3-2 triumph sends head coach Erez Belfer's crew into the next round. The two Maccabi Tel Aviv teams will now face Hapoel Tel Aviv and Maccabi Petach Tikva in the semi-finals.
Two more Maccabi Youth Division teams saw the wintry weather postpone their last sixteen Cup ties for another day – the Under-14 Team South and Under-13 Team North. The club's Under-13 Team South though braved both the stormy weather and their counterparts at Nesher FC to reach their State Cup quarter finals with a 1-2 victory. Only one Maccabi team, the Under-14 Team North, were unsuccessful in their attempt to extend their State Cup campaign. They lost by the narrowest of margins, 0-1, at Tzi'ire Taibe.
