Despite a good performance and endless scoring opportunities, head coach Ziv Arie's U19's left all three points in Beer Sheva
With twenty-one points still up for grabs in the 2014/15 season, Maccabi Tel Aviv "Shachar" headed south to play what was expected to be a difficult tie against their Hapoel Beer Sheva counterparts. Head coach Ziv Arie's Under-19 squad went into the match with the wind in their sails, after a 2-0 home win against Beitar Jerusalem last week, a victory that kept them three points ahead of the pack in the national U19 Premier League.
The match opened with both sides at sixes and sevens, but Maccabi managed the first clear threat on goal after twelve minutes of play when midfielder Maxim Grechkin came close but failed to score facing Beer Sheva keeper Raz Rahamim on his own. Eleven minutes later defender Saar Kalderon broke well down the line, bypassing two Beer Sheva defenders on the way, and crossed adroitly to Yonatan Cohen, but the striker's effort was also stopped by an out-stretched Rahamim. "Shachar" stepped up the pressure and on 26 minutes a good team effort by Maccabi's front line ended in a powerful shot by Grechkin, but the Beer Sheva keeper was once again at the ready. Two minutes later, against the run of play, Hapoel Beer Sheva took the lead when Amram Elkariani pounced on a defensive error just inside the Maccabi area and shot past keeper Shahar Hasson to give the home side a 1-0 advantage. "Shachar" continued to press and Grechkin nearly turned provider when his adept cross met with an onrushing Sohil Armeli, but the midfielder's close-range effort went wide.
At the break Ziv Arie made a double substitution, sending on striker Mavis Tchibota and defender Idan Yogev for Kalderon and midfielder Gabriel Kanikovski, but the second half did not meet the performance standards of the first, at either end of the pitch. Tchibota and Cohen both missed chances early on, but the former came close twelve minutes from time with an exceptional effort that once again tested the mettle of the Beer Sheva Keeper. After additional unsuccessful efforts by Cohen and midfielder Matan Hozez, striker Raz Itzhak almost drew Maccabi level in the last minute with a splendid personal effort that culminated in a powerful shot that met the woodwork. But lady luck was not on Maccabi's side and the match ended with the home side taking all three points. With second-placed Maccabi Haifa on the winning end of their Saturday encounter, Maccabi's Under-19s now find themselves leading the league on goal difference alone. But they will try once again to regain some breathing space at the top when they host Ironi Kiryat Shmona after the holiday break on April 11th.
