Another busy weekend in the Youth Division. Here's all the action
The Maccabi Tel Aviv Youth Division teams were all in action this Saturday, and with the exception of one loss and one draw, every one of them emerged victorious. Head coach Ziv Arie's Under-19s faced tough opposition at Hapoel Beer Sheva and despite dominating throughout failed to recover from a one-goal deficit and finished at the wrong end of a 1-0 result. "Shachar" are still on top of the U19 Premier League, but now only on goal difference from second-placed Maccabi Haifa.
Maccabi's Under-17s also dropped points on Saturday when their away tie at Ironi Kiryat Shmona ended in a goalless draw. The result leaves them in second place in the U17 Premier League, two points behind Maccabi Haifa. The club's Under-16s, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Eli Fuchs", booked an emphatic win at home, beating Hapoel Jerusalem 6-1 at the Kiryat Shalom training ground. Zamir Ron scored a hat-trick, Desalin Balacho a brace and Nadav Reuveny added an individual effort. The impressive victory cements their place atop the nationwide U16 League South.
Maccabi's two Under-15 teams are on the threshold of making club history after both succeeded mid-week in reaching the finals of the U15 State Cup competition and will face one another mid-April for the right to hoist the prestigious State Cup trophy. And on Saturday, both continued to get good results. Coaches Eyal Tzachi and Oded Barnea's Team 1 beat Ironi Modi'in 2-1 at home courtesy of goals by Muflah Shalata and Raz Hadar. Team 2 also won at Kiryat Shalom, scoring three goals without conceding in their 3-0 win over Maccabi Herzliya Hadar. Shachar Eyelon Drucker, Eyal Chen and Yuval Levin were the goalscorers.
One of the Division's best results of the weekend came from coaches Ori David and Aviv Rein's Under-14 Team South, who outran fellow title-chasers Maccabi Haifa 0-5 away. Five different players contributed to the rout – Omri Ram, Tal Binyamin Yagudaev, Osher Davida, Bar Cohen, and Menahem Mendel Asraf. The win brings them level with their northern namesakes at the top of the U14 League Central District in what looks like becoming a title race that will go right down to the wire. The club's Under-14 Team North, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shlomo", beat Maccabi Emek Heffer 1-2 away on goals by Amit Ya'akov and Dan Lugasi.
Last but by no means least, Maccabi's Under-13 Team South beat Sektzia Nes Tsiona 0-2 away and are now only three points off the pace in the nationwide U13 League Central District. Head coach Kfir Alfonte's Under-13 Team North brought home the Youth Division's biggest results of the weekend, overwhelming Hapoel Rishon Lezion 7-1 at home. Niv Berkovitch Lazar both scored braces, Mor Kochav, Afek Sapir-Nevot and Ro'I Ma'ayan all added on.
